ESSENTIAL MILAN

Piazza Del Duomo

[caption id='attachment_1665' align='alignright' width='400' caption='A courtyard in the Navigli district'][/caption]

Milan’s freshly scrubbed cathedral, the Duomo, is one sight no visitor is going to miss. Standing at the very centre of the city in its own piazza, it is Milan’s heart and soul. The cathedral’s facade, in the words of Mark Twain, seems a “delusion of frostwork,†while the interior is a stone forest of columns pierced with rosy light from the stained glass windows. It is the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, big enough to hold 40,000 people; not surprisingly, it took nearly 500 years to complete.

Go up on the roof, too, for a close-up look at the thousands of spires and statues that surmount the cathedral. And don’t forget your camera! To access the roof, leave the cathedral by the main door and turn left. The inconspicuous doorway leading both to the stairs (201 steps) and the lift is around the corner tucked into a flank of the building.

Buy your ticket – €6 for the stairs or €10 for the lift – across the street from the entrance at Info Point, Via dell 'Arcivescovado, 1. Roof visits open from 09:00 daily. Closing times vary, but from late March to late October, the last ticket is sold at 21:15.

Round off your exploration with an excursion under the Duomo, to the 4th Century Baptistery. It was first discovered in 1940 when a bomb shelter was being dug under the cathedral. Subsequent excavations for the Metro uncovered more of the site, including the remains of the Basilica of Santa Tecla and 1st century Roman baths. Tickets are available from the booth inside the cathedral, at the back. Metro: Duomo.

The Arengario, the pseudo-classical building on the right of the Piazza del Duomo was the municipal headquarters from which Italy’s Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, addressed the crowds on the piazza below. It was constructed in 1935. The site had previously been reserved for a second Triumphal Arch to balance the entrance to the shopping mall, the Galleria, opposite. In 2011, after 10 years of restoration, the Arengario re-opened as the “Museum of the 1900s.†Displaying over 400 works of 20th century art, it provides a rare overview of “Futurism,†an Italian/Fascist social and artistic movement that died out with the end of WW II. There are wonderful views of the Piazza from the Arengario, particularly from the Giacamo Arengario restaurant. Open for lunch and dinner, reservations essential. Via G. Marconi, 1 corner of Piazza del Duomo. Telephone: 02 72093814.

[caption id='attachment_1666' align='alignright' width='400' caption='A cobbled street in the Brera district'][/caption]

The Royal Palace, once the home of the Visconti and Sforza families, and later of the Spanish and Austrian governors, is set back in its own courtyard to the right of the Cathedral. Damaged by fire after bombing in WWII, the Royal Palace was a neglected treasure until the year 2000, when a definitive restoration was begun. Enough has already been accomplished to give visitors an idea of the glory of court life when the city played a major role in the affairs of Europe. The palace hosts temporary shows and exhibitions.

Brera

Few artists could afford to live in the Brera district now, though it’s still called Milan’s “bohemian†quarter. Today, it is a popular haunt for strolling, dining and browsing in up-market boutiques. Narrow streets give the area its atmosphere; unusual shops ensure there’s always something to see. Call in at Fabriano, for quality writing accessories, paper, cards, and gift ideas, or browse through Cavalli e Nastri’s trove of vintage designer clothing, bags, hats and jewellery. A magnet for art lovers is the Pinacoteca di Brera, the National Art Gallery, housed in a magnificent old convent. The Botanical Gardens, an enclosed oasis behind the Pinacoteca, opened to the public in 1998. Open from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 16:00. A wide variety of restaurants and bistros enliven Brera’s winding streets and Happy Hour is celebrated here with gusto. Every month, on the 3rd Saturday, there’s the traditional Antique Market. Fabriano, Via Ponte Vetero 17. Closest Metro stop, Lanza; Cavalli e Nastri, Via Brera 2, Metro Montenapoleone. Both stops serve the Pinacoteca di Brera, Via Brera 28. Open Tuesday-Sunday 8:30-19:15. The Brera is a 10-minute walk from the Duomo.

Navigli/Ticinese

[caption id='attachment_1667' align='alignright' width='400' caption='A Brera facade'][/caption]

Though its vibrant Happy Hour is the main draw of Milan’s Navigli area, its unsophisticated, almost rural character is worth sampling even without the “eat all you want for the price of one drink†evening scene. There are courtyards that look as if they come from the 18th century, an old washhouse on the edge of a stream, artists’ workshops, two canals and the quasi-abandoned Darsena lake. (Tip: bring mosquito repellent.) East of the canals, deeper into the working class Ticinese area, you’ll find interesting old buildings, cafes and small restaurants. Many of the original factory worker families still live here – despite the area’s growing appeal to middle class and professional people. Metro: Porta Genova. From the Duomo, a walk to Ticinese takes about 30 minutes.