Mark’s Local Tourism Recommendations

A few people have been asking about visiting, so I’ve posted some details on some of the local attractions.


Milan is a buzzing city with hidden charms to be discovered. Allow 1-2 days
Piazza Duomo: look to the ceiling for one of the nails believed to come from the original cross. Climb to the roof for a panorama of the city and Alps on a clear day. (Consider packing a picnic lunch.) Facing the cathedral, turn to your right, cross the piazza, and climb the steps for a view overlooking the piazza. Check for art show on display in the gallery near the Palazzo Reale while you’re there.

Brera: The pinoteca is my favorite museum in Milan. From here you can wander many small and cute streets where you may want to pause for a panino or café as you head east towards the fashion district centered at Via della Spiga and Via Montenapoleone.

Castelo: Milan has a sprawling castle filled with museums. Entrance is free on Friday afternoons. Otherwise I’d say it may not be worth going in. Behind the castle is the Parco Sempione where you can go for a stroll and watch the locals play soccer in the grass.

Basilica Saint Ambrogio: is my second favorite church in Milan. From here you can walk east on via de Amicis to the roman columns in front of the Ciesa San Lorenzo. You may want to wander south towards the Navigli (canals) but don’t expect to find Venice.

Cemiterio Monumental: The cemetery has an impressive façade, and some large mausoleums inside if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Last Supper: Leonardo DaVinci’s Cenacolo should speak for itself, but requires a reservation to gaze upon it for 15 minutes.

La Scala: I haven’t been inside yet, but it’s supposedly one of the best opera houses in the world.

Como is pretty posh for a lakeside town. Allow ½ to 1day
Trains from Monza take less than an hour to reach the lake. Get off at the Como san Giovanni station and walk down the steps towards the city center. Admire the duomo before turning left (north) towards the water. Stroll the boardwalk to the right and check ferry times to bellagio. Continue to the inclined railway (funivia) that can take you up the mountain to the village of Brunate for some spectacular views.

Brunate has 2 panoramic overlooks to get a view over the lake. If it’s a clear day you can get a view of Monte Rosa and the alps off in the distance. Although there is food for sale, I haven’t found a good restaurant that comes with a view so consider packing a picnic to eat while you admire the scenery.

Plan on a full day if you also take a ferry stopping at the villas along the shore on the way to Bellagio. From there you can walk through the fetching little town (going north) to stand at the notch of the Y-shaped lake to see water on 3 sides of you. Consider taking the boat to Lecco for different views on the way back. Trains from Lecco can bring you Milan.

Bergamo is a surprisingly ancient city to exist in this age. Allow ½ to 1 day
Local trains from Monza take less than an hour. Then buy a bus ticket to take a bus to the old city of Bergamo Alta instead of climbing the hill by foot. Your bus ticket is valid for an hour. If it’s a clear day take the funivia (inclined railway) to the west up to San Vigilio for a 360 panorama. If you don’t waste time, you can use the same bus ticket you took to get from the station. Then get lost in the old section of town as you work your way back east towards the fort. An alternative or addition to going out to San Vigilio is to climb one of the towers in the center of the city. Stop somewhere for a bite to eat. Bergamo has some of my favorite italian dishes. Polenta is common and a type of ravioli, (I think it’s called casonsei) are worth trying. Across the town is a castle that was used as late as the world wars.

Lago Maggiore uses a string of mountains to stitch the water to the sky. Allow 1 Day
Although Como is better known, I think Lago Maggiore is more attractive. But it is farther away. From Monze you need to change trains in Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi to get to Stresa or Arona.

Stresa:
Walk down to the water and stroll the shore. You’ll find captains offering you passage to the nearby islands. (I haven’t visited them yet.) But the cable car (funicolare) to Mottarone is worth the trip on a clear day. You may want to stop half way up at the Alpine garden, but be sure to continue all the way to the top. From here a short hike to the peak will take you to one of the best views combining water and mountains around. You may want to pack a picnic or snack on some local cheeses and other specialties at one of the refugios (ski lodges).

Arona:
Arona has some quant streets and cafes on the water. They’re worth including in your search for the perfect gelato while you admire the castle on across the water. Consider continuing your walk about a half hour past town to climb the rocca or colossus for a better view.

Monza is my little city. Allow a few hours
There’s a nice duomo with some sort of crown-relic that I don’t remember the history of. The quant streets lined with shops but attract crowds on weekend afternoons. A large park north of the center provides an opportunity to escape from the hustle of Milan unless they’re having the Formula 1 races there.

Farther away
2+ hours: there are many other worthwhile day trips including: Tornio, Genova, Sermione on Lago di Garda, Mantova, and Verona if you don’t mind spending more time traveling.

3+ hours:
In just over 3 hours you can be in Venice, Florence, or the beautiful Cinque Terre of Liguria. Each requires weekend or more to do them justice. A weekend in Florence could easily stretch into almost week in Tuscany to see Siena, Pisa, Lucca, and San Gimignano. Or you can go the other direction going under the Alps to Switzerland to reach Zurich. With a car you can head north or west to see some of the more famous mountains in the Alps. The Matterhorn is just over the Swiss border. (It’s called Cervino in Italy.) Check it out on google earth! Monte Bianco on the French Border to the west is just as impressive, and the drive though the Val da Aosta is dotted with castles.

4+ hours:
Rome is almost 5 hours by train from Milan, but it is worth the trip if you have at least a couple days. –Especially if you’re continuing south from Firenze or Tuscany. If not, I would consider flying.