Welcome to Milano!

Santa Maria delle Grazie and Leonardo’s Last Supper

Santa Maria delle Grazie and Leonardo’s Last Supper

The Church of Holy Mary of Grace in Milan is better known by its Italian name – Santa Maria delle Grazie. Although most people visit this church primarily to see the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the church itself is a very interesting structure, both from outside and inside. [more…]

Banca Commerciale Italiana at Piazza della Scala

Banca Commerciale Italiana at Piazza della Scala

The Palace of Banca Commerciale Italiana (Palazzo della Banca Commerciale Italiana) is a large historical palace-style building, designed by Luca Beltrami at the beginning of 20th century. It was built to serve as the Milanese seat of Banca Commerciale Italiana. Banca Commerciale Italiana Banca Commerciale Italiana (BCI) was an important [more…]

Palazzo Marino (Milan City Hall)

Palazzo Marino (Milan City Hall)

Palazzo Marino is a palace in Milano city centre, named after Tommaso Marino, a banker and trader from Genoa, who was the first owner of the palace in the 16th century. Palazzo Marino is situated between Piazza della Scala and Piazza San Fedele. The streets connecting the two piazzas, each [more…]

Archi di Porta Nuova in Via Manzoni

Archi di Porta Nuova in Via Manzoni

Archi di Porta Nuova (New Gate Arches) are in fact arches of a very old gate – built in 12th century as part of medieval Milan’s system of city walls and gates. Only part of the original gate has been preserved till these days. The two characteristic arches mark the [more…]

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (named after Italian King Victor Emmanuel II) is a shopping arcade – a gallery of brand stores, exclusive restaurants, and 5 star hotels. Even if you are not much into luxury shopping and dining, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is definitely worth seeing. It is a complex of [more…]

Via Vittor Pisani and Piazza Duca d’Aosta

Via Vittor Pisani and Piazza Duca d’Aosta

Via Vittor Pisani is the street between two of Milan’s large squares, Piazza Duca d’Aosta and Piazza della Repubblica. It is about 600 metres long, slightly downward sloping from Aosta to Repubblica, and very wide. Via Vittor Pisani is one section of the typical walk between Milan Central Train Station [more…]

Fiera Milano and San Siro

Fiera Milano and San Siro

This sign indicates the way to Fiera Milano (convention and exhibition venue) and San Siro district (known mainly for football and horse racing). Both Fiera Milano and San Siro are located west of Milano city centre, Fiera Milano (City) a bit closer than San Siro. Fiera Milano There are in [more…]

Piazza della Scala and Leonardo da Vinci Monument

Piazza della Scala and Leonardo da Vinci Monument

Piazza della Scala is the square in front of La Scala Opera House (Teatro alla Scala) in the middle of Milan Old Town. Besides the opera house, there are several other very important buildings at Piazza Scala: Palazzo Marino (Milano City Hall, which you can see behind Leonardo on the [more…]

Via Giovanni Battista Pirelli

Via Giovanni Battista Pirelli

Via Giovanni Battista Pirelli is the street that runs diagonally from Piazza Duca d’Aosta to Gioia Metro Station at Via Melchiorre Gioia. There are two of Milan’s landmark skyscrapers, one on each end of Via G. B. Pirelli: the older Pirelli Tower and the newer Palazzo Lombardia. This sign (the [more…]

Pirelli Skyscraper in Milan (Piazza Duca d’Aosta)

Pirelli Skyscraper in Milan (Piazza Duca d’Aosta)

Pirelli Skyscraper (Grattacielo Pirelli) is one of the best known buildings in Milan and a long-time symbol of its economic prosperity. Pirelli was built in 1956-1958 and was the second tallest building in entire Italy until 1995. It has an unusual shape and looks very elegant – it was one [more…]

Milano Centrale Station Building

Milano Centrale Station Building

Milano Centrale station building is located at Piazza Duca d’Aosta in the north-eastern part of Milan city centre (at the top end of Via Vittor Pisani). The huge, white, and beautifully decorated station building is one of the best known structures in Milan. Milano Centrale Train Station Milano Centrale – [more…]

Milan Duomo

Milan Duomo

The Cathedral in Milan and the seat of the Archbishop of Milan is commonly referred to as Duomo by the locals (and the tourists get quickly used to this name too, because it’s so simple). Milan Duomo has characteristic looks. It is very large, but thanks to its unusually bright [more…]