Milan Tag

24 Nov AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO MILAN

Posted at 04:35h in Destinations, Travel Tips by Italian Tours

What’s not to love about Milan? Milan’s Expo in 2015 really put the city on the tourist map, not only as a convenient transport hub but as a destination in its own right, offering culture, food and fashion.

We’re lucky enough to visit Milan fairly regularly as it’s the first base on our Milan and the Italian Lakes tour (31 May – 13 June 2018 – read the itinerary here) and we’ve got to know the city fairly well over the years.

So where do you start in Milan? Most visitors head straight for the Duomo and the Galleria in the centre of Milan, a great place to start your tour of the city and undeniably the area with the biggest wow factor.

You need to buy tickets for the Duomo. Smart travellers will pre-book tickets that allow them to skip the queue and get through security that much faster. You can buy a combined ticket for the Duomo, the roof walk (which we think is an unmissable experience) and the Museo del Duomo, which provides an excellent history of the building. Visit the official website for ticket sales here.

From the Duomo, wander through the Galleria by all means, but look upwards and avoid the expensive tourist shops that proliferate here. If you are keen to shop in Milan, Philippa recommends the Brera area for boutique shopping; for big brand names and high-street chains explore the Corso that extends behind the Duomo; for more budget shopping, try the Corso Buenos Aires area.

You may want to see Da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Last Supper, which has been beautifully restored. Tickets sell out fast and there is very little chance of simply turning up on the day and gaining admission. Make sure you book well in advance. The official site publishes the date when tickets will go on sale for a specific month so it’s worth keeping an eye on the site to ensure you don’t miss the booking window.

While you’re in the area don’t miss Santa Maria delle Grazie, the church that is attached to the refectory where the Last Supper is housed. Luca is a particular fan of the Bramante designed cupola sitting atop this gothic church. To get there take the number 16 tram from Piazza Cordusio or take a cab.

But Milan offers much, much more than the big three attractions. Here is a list of some of our favourites:

For art lovers visit the Pinacoteca di Brera, a treasure house of Italian art and more. Don’t miss Mantegna’s Dead Christ and the Three Mourners, as well as works by Bellini, Piero della Francesca, Tintoretto and Caravaggio.

Less than a kilometre from the Brera, is the smaller and charmingly eclectic Museo Poldi Pezzoli. This was once a private family house and collection and contains a fascinating assortment of artworks including a beautiful Botticelli, exquisite porcelain and a stunning display of armour.

Classical music buffs should jump at the chance to attend a performance at the Teatro alla Scala. There are performances of ballet, opera and classical music almost all year round, except for August. You need to buy tickets well in advance and be sure to book on the official La Scala website to avoid the ticket scalpers.

Want some more wonderful churches? Our favourites are Sant Eustorgio to see the Cappella Portinari, the most exquisite Renaissance chapel remaining in Milan; Sant’Ambrogio, which is one of the oldest churches in the city and an excellent example of medieval architecture; San Maurizio which has a complete and spectacular Renaissance fresco cycle that covers every surface in the church.

Sore feet? After all this activity, wind down with an aperitivo in the Navigli area, where a collection of great bars and restaurants line one of the old canals that were once used as transport arteries in Milan. It’s picturesque, trendy and lively – a wonderful way to finish the day.

Where to stay:

We love the Hotel Gran Duca di York, a lovely 3 star hotel tucked away on a quiet street just a three-minute walk from the Piazza del Duomo.

Where to eat:

For food lovers, a visit to Peck is a must. Part upmarket grocer, part cafe and restaurant, it’s worth a visit simply to take in the sumptuous displays of fruit and vegetables, meats, cheeses, pastries, chocolates and more.

For an authentic meal in the centre of town, try Trattoria Milanese (Via Santa Marta, 11), where you can try local specialities like Risotto alla Milanese (flavoured with saffron) and the Cotolleta alla Milanese, essentially a giant veal schnitzel.

You can visit Milan with Italian Tours as part of our delightful Milan and the Italian Lakes tour from the 31 May – 13 June 2018! You’ll also stay in the wonderful medieval town of Bergamo and visit Lakes Como, Maggiore and Orta on this 14-day tour.

07 Jan SPRING IS THE TIME TO VISIT ITALY

Posted at 04:23h in Travel Tips by Italian Tours

Springtime is a great time to visit la bella Italia – and here are five good reasons why.

Fewer tourists and temperate weather
With around 46 million people visiting Italy each year (it’s the fifth most visited country in the world), the timing of your visit can be vitally important. The vast majority of visitors to Italy come from other European countries and the peak season for their travel is July and August. You’ll find an April/May/June visit quieter, with smaller crowds and shorter queues. And the weather is warmer but without those searing summer extremes.

Good deals on airfares
Take advantage of the great value airfares that major airlines are releasing right now. For instance, Emirates is offering a spring sale this week that finishes 23 January, and other airlines including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Qatar all have great offers for European fares.

La bella vita!
After the short days and cold weather of winter, Italians respond to the arrival of spring with what can only be described as euphoria! Almost overnight the piazze come alive as Italians emerge from their winter hibernation. It’s time for the passegiata in gorgeous new clothes, for aperitivi, for gelato and for mingling and laughter and gossip on the streets.

Fabulous festivals
All over Italy, spring is the time for a range of fascinating festivals and celebrations. If you’re joining our Milan and the Lakes tour this year for instance, why not add in some time in Milan to experience the Sagra di San Cristofero, the feast of the patron saint of travelers, that take place on the third Sunday in June? Or bookend your tour with a performance of Don Giovanni or La Boheme at La Scala?

Gorgeous spring gardens
Italy comes alive in a blaze of spring flowers – gorgeous clematis, stunning irises, luscious peony roses and vibrant azaleas, just to name a few. And you’ll see them not only in the gardens but also in planters lining the streets, tumbling out of window boxes and cascading out of the flower stalls and markets as you wander through the city streets. Just breathe in that perfume!

We have three fantastic tours that take advantage of the joys of an Italian spring, so why don’t you think about booking with us now?

The Great Gardens of Italy – 29 April – 13 May 2017
The Road Less Travelled – Puglia – 16 – 30 May 2017
Milan and the Italian Lakes – 2-16 June 2017

20 Nov CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT DA VINCI’S LAST SUPPER

Posted at 04:37h in Art by Italian Tours

Most visitors to Milan will make the pilgrimage to see Leonard da Vinci’s Last Supper in the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. This massive painting covered the back wall of the dining hall, inspiring silent reflection among the inhabitants. Most people are also familiar with the subject: the moment at the Last Supper when Jesus announces that one of those present will betray him.

However, there are other aspects to this painting that may well surprise you.

1. The Last Supper is not a fresco: it’s a mural using a technique known as fresco secco. Unlike normal fresco, where painters work on wet plaster so that the pigments become part of the wall, fresco secco mixes pigments with a binding agent, which is applied to a dry wall. The colours are bolder and brighter but, unfortunately, less durable. Within twenty years of its completion the Last Supper began to flake and had almost entirely disappeared a hundred years later.

2. The painting has survived many different violations. In 1625 the monks, believing the painting to be of no further value, cut a doorway through the painting, destroying Jesus feet and part of the table.
– In 1796, Napoleon’s troops used the space as a stable and amused themselves by throwing clay at the Apostles’ faces.
– In 1800 the building was flooded and the painting covered with green mould.
– Many of the seven documented attempts to restore the painting did more harm than good. In the 19^th century restorers, using alcohol and cotton swabs, removed an entire layer of paint.
– In 1943 Allied bombers destroyed the entire monastery. Despite sandbagging, the painting still suffered damage.

3. The most recent restoration was completed in 1999, a 22 year, 50,000 hour project. The project was controversial, with criticism of the type water colour paint and the intensity of colour used. It is estimated that some seventeen per cent of the surface has been completely lost and that less than half of the surface currently visible was actually painted by Da Vinci.

4. This painting continues to excite the imagination with speculation about the recurrence of the number three; the meaning of the spilled salt in front of Judas and the leavened bread; the theory that Da Vinci himself is represented in the figure of St James the Lesser (second Apostle from the left).[/vc_column_text]

[/vc_column][/vc_row]

And if you’re interested in more, thriller writer Dan Browne has gone to town with all kinds of mysterious and mystical references in his book The Da Vinci Code.

To visit The Last Supper, you’ll need to book online some months in advance. The convent admits only small groups of about twenty people, for about twenty minutes at a time. Book at the official website to avoid the many scalpers and resellers and their ridiculous fees.

We always visit the Last Supper as part of our Milan and the Italian Lakes tour, next scheduled for June 2017.