Not To Be Missed: Milan

By Eva Ferguson

 In my eyes, Milan is a work of art in and of itself. The architecture, the food, the fashion sense, the people – even though I spent only three days there, I never got enough and would go back in an instant. With my recent trip in mind, here are some top tips for a student’s guide to Milan.

Music

If you’re a music lover such as myself, Milan has an amazing music scene worth exploring. My biggest recommendation is to try and snag tickets to La Scala for an opera or a ballet. If you are going to see at least one opera in your life, La Scala is the opera house to visit. Ticket prices vary from eighty to four hundred euros… but Tip#1: it is always in the interest of the house to have a full hall. At the right time, unsold tickets for that night are up for grabs and heavily discounted. How to get yours? First, go to the reception and register on one of the machines, then, exactly at 1 pm, stand outside the hall. There will be two people taking the names of those wanting discounted tickets. If you get there early enough, there are usually enough tickets left. Once your name is down, you come back in the evening around 5:30, and boom – ticket for La Scala secured. I got mine for only 5 euros. It is an experience of a lifetime, and I cannot recommend it enough. Beware, though - you may get a seat that doesn’t have the best view, so be prepared to stand for quite some time. I stood for four hours, but the world-class performances are breathtaking, so time flies, don’t worry.

Art

Another recommendation- try and get tickets to see The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Again, ticket prices vary, depending on if you want a private or public tour. Here is another tip: tickets go on sale months ahead of time and are usually sold out instantly (those ones usually cost anyway from seventy euros and above, per person). However, there is another option. There is an official ticket office that you can call (best either early morning or towards the end of the day). It may take a few tries, but once someone is on the line, they will tell you if there are any tickets available within the span of your trip, for a discounted price. Mine cost only four euros. They then send a ticket confirmation, and you print it out and present it to the office twenty minutes before your visit to get the actual tickets. 

Other must-sees:

Sforzesco Castle

Stunning architecture. Great for an afternoon walk and photo-op. It’s huge, so you won’t miss it.

Pinacoteca di Brera

An absolute MUST if you are an art lover. On display are major artists such as Bellini, Mantegna, Raphael, Caravaggio, and many others… Great for a rainy afternoon, as you could spend hours wandering the halls.

The Duomo di Milano

One of the highlights of Milan. If you stay in the center of the city for most of your trip, you will walk around it a lot, so don’t worry about missing a photo-op. HOWEVER, I highly suggest not only admiring its external beauty but to purchase a ticket and go inside (less than ten euros). There, you can pause for a moment’s reflection and wander around, admiring the craftwork of one of the most famous gothic cathedrals in the world.

Food

I would highly recommend taking a stroll down the Brera district. There is a plethora of restaurants and boutiques to wander through. It is the perfect place for food- all three restaurants I ate at here were divine. Prices vary; there will be some restaurants with plenty of options under ten euros, others will, of course, hover around the 20/30 euro range. Brera is in the artistic centre of the city, so grab some lunch here and head straight to the Pinacoteca di Brera afterward. In the evening it has a particularly charming atmosphere: soft candle-lighting, greenery, and music all make for a lovely evening or afternoon.