Luxury high end shopping bonanza is how I would describe the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II. There…read moreare so many luxury brands here from Louis Vuitton, fendi, Gucci and of course Prada. It's a fashionista's playground and also a window shopper's potential maxed out credit card. Architecture here is absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing. Look for the Lucky Bull mosaic throughout the marble floors. It's actually a few feet away from Dior. What you do is place your right heel on the bull's testicals and spin around three times for good luck. I'm not certain that it would bring good luck, but it's worth a shot. Plus it's funny watching others do it whilst trying to keep their balance. I did it a few times and I couldn't stop laughing.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is not only beautiful with high end shopping but it is much…read morelarger than I expected. I made way over to spinning the bull mosaic and there was a circle full of people just jumping in to spin the bull. It is best to visit the Galleria on a week day for the weekend is super crowded. I experienced both and I prefer the weekday 100%.

An impressive set of columns located in an eclectic area of the city. Worth the trip as there are…read moremultiple other sites to see and numerous cafes to have another or drink.

Oddly not a part of either of my walking tours, the Colonne di San Lorenzo has been here near Porta…read moreTicinese for 15 centuries and they're actually 200 years older than that, having been moved here in the 4th century after they existed elsewhere. Definitely worth a stop to admire their ancient grandeur if you are in the area. [Review 10671 overall, 439 of 2019.]

Came here and closed for construction. Still was able to see it from a distance…read more Beautiful building that reminded me of Paris. It's at the of the Park so pretty hard to miss.

Beautiful but constantly being worked on. Preserving history and architecture is a full time job…read more Easy to see when you are viewing local monuments and sites in the city. Google and Apple Maps were helpful when walking to this arch.

The Duomo was truly breathtaking and incredibly intricate. We spent a long time admiring the…read moredetails. We purchased the terrace access via stairs for 15 euro each for 9:30 am. I recommend showing up earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds. There are different entrances depending on the ticket you purchase. The staircase is narrow and the turns are quick and can feel a little claustrophobic. Every part of the Duomo is worth taking a moment to take it in.

Beautiful architecture, inside and out. The inside was busy but I was lucky enough to go during…read moreSunday mass, which probably accounted for half the people in there. I had to leave for another experience and came back later to see the Crypt. Some of the staff gave me a hard time about coming back in, wondering why I needed to leave even though I explained I didn't want to wait for 2 hours in the cathedral. I was able to visit the Crypt, which is only open for a short while. It's a beautiful experience if you're able to fit it in. Taking photos inside the Crypt is prohibited. Outside is very busy so be cautious of pick pockets and scammers...they are everywhere. Toilets are available to one side but for a fee.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele (through Piazza del Duomo to Via Mercanti) gets my vote for best pedestrian…read morewalking / shopping street ever! It has really been spruced up for Expo 2015.

Once upon a time, Milano used to be a busy city, constantly on the run, always late for your next…read moredaily routine. Being Italy's commercial, financial, fashion capital, it just made sense to ONLY reserve a tiny spot for pedestrians to stroll around (young generations prefer to refere to such a past time as "fare una vasca"... which literally means to swim from one end to the next of a pool). Corso Vittorio Emanuele has seen it all... from the opening of McDonald's in the (distant) 80s, to the competition (Burger King) taking over the Duomo location. From an historic landmark (an old cinema called ASTRA) being converted into a store (Zara)... It has hosted many a street performance (break dancing, rapping & freestyle sessions). It has been the go-to place for younger generations that wanted to spend a funny afternoon together (a few cinemas, lots of shopping stores, a few decent food joints). It brings pedestrians from the Duomo square to the San Babila square (from which one can find Via Montenapoleone for some (window) shopping). Though now there are other pedestrian sites along the line (Via Dante and the streets around Sforza Castle, hopefully not limited to the duration of the Expo). When i think of THE pedestrian street of Milan. .. this is what comes to mind.

Most people come to Milan for the fashion and to see the Duomo di Milano, but my main reason?…read moreConnecting with my Christian roots and seeing The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. This painting is known all over the world--whether you're religious or not, it's hard to NOT know this painting. Seeing it in person is just as breathtaking as expected. Highly recommend: set your calendar and book tickets at the earliest time 3 months in advance! Though you can hire a tour guide, I didn't find it necessary, since I found everything I needed to know about the Last Supper via AI. Since tickets are strictly timed, show up a bit earlier than your slot. Tickets allot a 15-minute viewing time. Once the 15-minutes are up, you WILL be escorted as a group out to allow for the next group.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must visit in Milan!! It houses the masterpiece of Leonardo da…read moreVinci's The Last Supper painting in the refectory. The church is gorgeous. It's quieter and more peaceful compared to the city center. We came mostly for The Last Supper painting. We booked our tickets months in advance through Get Your Guide. Our tour guide was awesome and we got to know the history of the church and the materials used by Leonardo da Vinci in his paintings. When you get inside the refectory, they only let a small number of people inside for 15 minutes at a time. Once your time is up, you exit while the next group comes in for their 15 minutes. And the same process repeats itself. Just know that there is a no flash policy when taking pictures of The Last Supper to preserve the paining.

Am I missing something here? I had this place on my to-do list for Italy, got all the way here and…read morethe bridge was closed; BOO! I was really looking forward to taking pictures and admiring the views from the viewpoints. Welp, guess I have to make another special trip in another couple of years. Until next time, Ponte di Ferro!

L.O.V.E. While…read morewandering from the Museo del Duomo to San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, I needed to find something besides another cathedral, which is what I wanted to see, to capture my husband's attention. After checking out the Starbucks Reserve Roastery around the corner, we stumbled across this monumental sculpture by Maurizio Cattelan. Also known as Il Dito, or The Finger, it is a giant hand with all of the fingers cut off except for the middle finger sculpted from Carrara marble. L.O.V.E. The name L.O.V.E. stands for Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità, which translates to Freedom, Hatred, Revenge, Eternity. It is located in Piazza Affari in front of the Italian Stock Exchange, although it did not start there originally. Coincidence?? Art brings the world together. While talking to the manager of Tavola at a Wine and Food Event in The Woodlands, he actually told us a story about Maurizio Cattelan, whose piece The Comedian sold for $6.2 million. Interesting to learn more about this self-trained Milano based artist who uses humor and satire in his works of art. My husband did share our Milan photos with that manager. We bonded over L.O.V.E.

L.O.V.E. aka Il Dito (Italian for 'the finger') is a sculpture consisting of a hand with the middle…read morefinger. The name L.O.V.E. is the acronym of "Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità" ("Freedom, Hatred, Revenge, Eternity"). The sculpture is placed in front of the Italian stock exchange. It's a fun art piece to check out that wasn't too out of the way.