Milan: the start of northern Italy
I am new to Italy so I figured why not dip my feet into the Italian culture by flying to one of the most beautiful and fortunately inexpensive parts of Italy, the north. My trip started with a band of friends and me flying into one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan.
Cathedral in Milan
I find it difficult to write about Milan. For one I was there for a short time and did not see everything that this large city has to offer. And two, I did not enjoy Milan as much as the other cities I visited in northern Italy.
Milan was a hub city for me. A place where I flew into, rented a car, spent little time, and then left. I can however recommend a for places i saw and places i did not see.
The Milan houses a large gothic cathedral which is splendor. The white face and pointy spires that surround the facade help create the second largest church in Italy and the fourth largest in the world. The large flat area in front makes it a great place to take pictures or selfies.
Next to the cathedral is a mall named Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The mall is filled with high end clothing stores, and im talking about $800 for a pair of sneakers high end. Besides the very expensive stores the building that they are situated in is worth a gander. These two landmarks are next to each other but they are really only worth a picture and a walk through.
We personally only saw these two places and walked around the city a bit. Based on this we didn't think the city was so grand, but of course we didn't experience all that the city had to offer. If I were to go back I would most likely see these next places.
Roman ruins
Inside the Sempione park, where you can take a stroll through nature amongst all the urbanism of Milan, is the Arci della Pace, a large arch. The arch is like any other arch you might see around the world such as in Paris or Lisbon, but of course this has the Italian flare. If you are in Milan and have the time then it is worth a look.
Sforzesco Castle is a unique looking structure built in the 15th century on top of a 14th century fortification and sits at the center of the city. This is not your typical stone castle as it was built late into the middle ages. Quite a unique castle to see for those castle seekers.
Monumental Cemetery might be a creepy place to visit but it houses some of the nicest gravestones and statues around. Some of these tombs are massive and will leave you awestruck. This would be at the top of my list if I went back to Milan.
If you fly into northern Italy then you might be flying into Milan. In that case this is some of what this large city has to offer. I personally did not see much in the city but it is a great place to start your northern Italy tour, a trip I greatly enjoyed.
