Tips when planning your trip to Milan

Are you planning your trip to Milan? Here’s everything you need to know to make your visit to Milan perfect: from the best time of the year to visit Milan, to getting around Milan and information on museums and restaurants!

The best time of the year to visit Milan

Milan is a great destination any time of the year due to its dynamic lifestyle. But remember that Milan’s whether is a bit crazy, you might get sunlight, rain, cold, or fog any time of the year! May and June are good months, you will see Milan’s nightlife to its fullest and also the whether is fairly stable and warm. While September and October are also great, but you might get a bit more rain. Milan is simply beautiful during the winter, especially in December when the city is covered in Christmas lights.

Forget about Ferragosto!

While you might be tempted to come to Milan in August, it’s best that you think again! If you want to come during the summer I would recommend June, as in August many restaurants, shops and public transportation lines will be closed for Ferragosto, the Italian national holiday celebrated on August 15th. But if you intend on visiting smaller towns nearby or the spectacular Lago di Como, then that’s a different story!

When planning, make sure you know the site’s opening hours

Who doesn’t want to come to Milan and visit the Sforza Castle, the spectacular Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, the Teatro alla Scala and the other amazing museums and monuments? But as you’re planning your trip, always make sure that you know when these sites are open! Also, make sure to make a reservation in places where it’s mandatory! Check out the See&Do section for information on all of your favorite museums.

Visit the spectacular Lake Como!

The spectacular Lago di Como is located in the Lombardia region, north of Milan, just an 1hr30min car ride away. This lake is the third largest Italian lake and the deepest one in Italy. It has been classified as the most beautiful lake in the whole world in 2014 by The Huffington Post for its astonishing landscape, villas and small towns. Lake Como is known as one of the chicest getaways for Italians and international people. If you have some time, don’t miss out and plan a day excursion!

A must: the Milanese happy hour

If you’re in Milan, you cannot miss this fantastic ritual. Every day from 6pm you can savour the delicious Milanese aperitivo. It’s not your typical happy hour, it’s the time of the day where you relax with your friends or parter, have a drink, eat some delightful appetisers, either finger-food, a tasting platter or a rich buffet, and listen to background music. What a great way to start your evening!

What to pack?

Milan has a crazy whether, so remember to dress in layers! Apart from that, bring comfortable shoes for the day, and if you plan on visiting churches wear clothing that covers enough, that means short shorts are not ok! For the evening, I’d suggest a more casual chic/elegant dress code, according to where you’re going.

Careful when choosing your restaurant

Yes, Italian food is fantastic, but in order to try it, you actually need to make sure that you’re in an Italian restaurant and not in a tourist trap! I cannot stress this enough, really be careful when choosing your restaurant, especially if you’re in the center, many restaurants will give you the worst food for a ridiculous price. The rule of thumb is usually that if you see locals you’re in the right place! Anyhow, to choose among the best restaurants visit my Restaurants section!

Overcoming the language barrier in Milan

Sometimes, speaking English isn’t enough to get yourself understood. And this is something that may happen to you during your trip to Milan. The last thing you want is to miss out on some amazing experiences because you’re not able to make yourself understood. You may think that getting yourself accustomed to Italian language basics will make your Milanese holiday perfect. But it’s best you get prepared, because that may not always be the case! Don’t panic, there’s no need for you to enrol in an intensive Italian language course, instead, just download this easy to use  Italian Translator & Dictionary + app by Vidalingua to never miss out on a great experience. It has some great features including:

• Pronunciation: text-to-speech pronunciation of all dictionary entries
• Phrasebook: 20 categories such as Conversation, Asking Directions, Eating Out, Flirting and Making Friends. Search on key word.
• Learning companion: only VidaLingua allows you to add notes, images, phrases and audio to your entries.

I was very surprised by its functionalities! You can download it for free on your iPhone or Android! 

Medical care: English-speaking doctors in Milan

I definitely hope you won’t need this, but in case anything were to happen, I think it’s always good to be prepared. If you were to have the flu, or feel sick, or need a doctor to come to your apartment/hotel, I definitely recommend Medinaction. It’s an on-demand, English-speaking medical service that sends a qualified doctor to wherever you are, 24/7! All you have to do is either download their app, call them or go to their website at any time of the day and night and book the doctor. If hospitalization or additional examinations are required—lab tests, X-Rays, MRIs, CT-scans, Ultrasounds, Fit to Fly Certificate, etc.— MedinAction’s reliable network of trusted clinics and hospitals can assist with all your medical needs in a timely manner. If you have any questions or issues, you can also use the free chat for consultations.

Getting around Milan

Underground

Milan’s underground consists in four lines – M1, M2, M3 and M5. If you need to change line, you can do so at the Cadorna, Centrale, Duomo, Loreto, Porta Garibaldi and Zara stops according to the line you’re currently on. The M5 is the newest line in Milan, but even though it’s already working some parts are still under construction.

Don’t throw away your ticket as you will need it when you exit the metro as well.

Line M3

Line M5

Bus / Tram:

Milan has an extensive network of buses/trams which usually run on time. For the most popular attractions you should ride with the 94, which goes around the center. While for the trams the most central ones are the 2, 4, 14 and 16, which all pass by the Duomo.

Remember to validate your ticket as soon as you get on the bus or tram!

Metro/Bus/Tram Tickets:

90 minutes – 1.50 Euros (valid for a single journey on the underground or rail network, including the urban rail lines of Trenord and the ‘Passante Ferroviario’ (Urban Railway Network))

1 day ticket – 4.50 Euros valid

2 day ticket – 8.25 Euros

Taxis:

Call 063570 and tell the operator where you’d like your taxi. You can also reserve taxis if you are going to the airport/train station etc.

You can also download the app Radiotaxi3570 if you prefer and if you will have Internet on your phone.

If you specifically call 063570 you can also pay with any credit card, including American Express.

Car Sharing

ENJOY-  Pick the nearest car, use it and leave it where you want. What more do you want?

Click here for more information on Enjoy’s tariffs and how to use it!