Milan, Day 2: Shopping in Milan - Via Montenapoleone & Corso Vittorio Emanuele

Milan really lives up to the title, the Fashion Capital. In central Milan, there are so many clothing stores, more clothing stores than anything else. It just screams clothing is the priority.

Via Montenapoleone is home to high fashion. You can find those runway designers’ high end boutiques here.

Milan, Day 2: Cimitero Monumentale

Curious JJ wanted to check out Cimitero Monumentale in Milan. He missed out the cemetery in Paris while he was there, so he had to see this one.

We took metro from central Milan to the cemetery. It took a while to get there, about an hour at least. The trains didn’t come often and were never on time. You may ask if it is worth the trip? Come here if you are really intrigued by cemeteries and have plenty of time in Milan.

Milan, Day 2: La Scala in Milan

Teatro alla Scala was inaugurated in 1778. It may not be the most luxurious opera house. But if you love opera, you would know how important La Scala is in the history of opera. It is a very well respected venue. Most of Italy’s greatest opera composers and singers have premiered in La Scala, so have many of the finest singers from outside Italy performed here.

The front facade features neoclassical style with pilasters and a central pediment.

Milan, Day 2: Climbing the Dome of Milan Duomo

Since the cathedral didn’t seem tall to me, I had a good feeling it would be an easy climb compared to climbing Florence Duomo. And I was right.

The design of Milan Duomo is intricate.

Milan, Day 2: Milan Duomo

Milan Duomo is a Gothic cathedral. Its white marble facade is adorned with many statues. Because the construction took centuries, the design was changed to mix different styles such as Gothic and Baroque.

In front of Milan Duomo is Piazza del Duomo. The Statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy, with large lions on either side is in the middle of the square. The architect, Giuseppe Mengoni, designed Piazza del Duomo. He also designed the glass-vaulted shopping center, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, next to the Duomo. The shopping center connects Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala, the square in front of the famous opera house Teatro alla Scala.

Milan, Day 1: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the high-end shopping mall next to Milan Duomo. The retailers include a book store, luxury brands, galleries, cafes, restaurants, and a gourmet food market.

Milan, Day 1: How to Travel From Venice to Milan

We rode the train, Frecciarossa, from Venice to Milan Central Station. It is a high-speed train owned by the Italian national train operator, Trenitalia. However, Frecciarossa is not as fast and comfortable as Frecciargento. Oh well.