Milano

I have been to Milan a half a dozen times and only ever gone for business, I have never gone as a holiday destination, it’s never a place I think of as a tourist place in Italy, especially with SO many other amazing places to see in Italy. And these photos were taken on a recent business trip. I have helped many friends and friends of friends with their Italy vacation ideas etc. and as soon as someone mentions they are looking to spend three days in Milan I say NO. If you must, one day is plenty.

I feel the only thing that is worth seeing is of course the Cathedral and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II it’s magnificent, the Duomo is decidedly the most impressive structure in Milan. Standing proud in Piazza del Duomo, the behemoth cathedral has seen more than 600 years. The Duomo is the fifth largest Christian church in the world. there are more statues on this Gothic-style cathedral than any other building in the world. There are 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures that decorate Milan Duomo!. I have promised myself next time I go I must climb the stairs or take the lift to the rooftop to fully appreciate the architecture of the most renowned silhouette in the city. From the terrazza I have heard you’ll see breathtaking views across Milan and, on clear days, the snow-capped peaks of the Alps and they say you can also see the famous Madonna, the gold-colored statue of Mary that stands on the cathedral’s highest spire.

But of course if you’re an opera lover, then Milan is a must for you to start your Italian journey and go to “La Scala”