Milan

The Duomo, the Galleria and the centre

Milan starts at the Duomo, the Gothic cathedral in pale marble; climb to its roof terraces to walk among spires and statues. Beside it is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, with its glass dome and historic shops, leading to La Scala opera house. Via Montenapoleone is for window-shopping; for everyday purchases there are Corso Buenos Aires and Via Torino. Leonardo's Last Supper needs booking well ahead, because tickets are released in batches and go fast.

Neighbourhoods, aperitivo and food

The Navigli, with its canals, is where the evening aperitivo happens: a drink and a small plate at waterside bars. Brera keeps its stone lanes and art galleries, while Porta Nuova shows the modern side, with skyscrapers and the Bosco Verticale. At the table, look for risotto alla milanese with saffron, cotoletta alla milanese and panettone, which was born here. The metro has five lines and covers almost everything on a single ticket; the centre is walkable, but distances between neighbourhoods are longer than they look on the map.

When to go and how to get there from Tirana

April to June and September to October are the best months. August is unusual: the city empties and some places close. Fashion weeks in February and September and the Salone del Mobile in April fill the hotels, so book early. Winter is cold and often foggy, but the seasonal sales begin in early January and early July. From Tirana there are frequent connections to Malpensa and to Bergamo (Orio al Serio). From Malpensa, the Malpensa Express train runs to Milano Cadorna or Centrale; from Bergamo there are buses to Centrale; Linate is on metro line M4. The most common mistake is booking on price alone without checking how far the hotel is from the metro. Write to us and we will suggest the neighbourhood that fits your trip.