Milan
is marvellous...
I am
a business journalist and a travel guide-book editor
who lives between Milan and Lake Lugano. Here are
my bits of advice.
Milan
is known for its high style fashion so I must give
you at least one shopping tip. Especially if you're
in town for only a short time, the Rinascente
department store in Piazza Duomo offers a great way
to peruse the best Milan has to offer in terms of
designer apparel, without needing to trek from store
to store, and without having to endure 'hovering'
sales assistants. If you remember the Rinascente as
a dowdy department store eschewing designer labels,
that’s past history. Check out the fashion floors:
all the top names are there.
If
you want to check out Milan's boutiques anyway, grab
a map and work out an itinerary that takes you through
Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant’Andrea,
Via Verri, Corso di Porta Venezia, and Galleria Vittorio
Emanuele.
These
days, not only is money tight, but so is time. A personal
shopper may be a perfect investment. Yes, their fee
adds to the cost of your shopping, but if you are
pressed for time, they help you save – time
and money -- by taking you straight to the best places
for you. When in Milan, call upon Melanie
Payge Anderson. A long-time resident
of the city, this chic and friendly gal from New Mexico
knows where it’s at – and will make sure
you find it. See her site: www.planmilan.com
If
you are getting just a little weary of seeing Milan’s
major art galleries, take a break in one of the family
mansions that have been donated to the city, and have
become museums. For masterpieces on a more human scale,
check out the Bagatti-Valsecchi
Museum, the Poldi
Pezzoli Museum, and the Casa-Museo
Boschi di Stefano.
If
you’ve flown into Milan’s Malpensa airport
before, you may recall the lake you saw as the plane
came in to land. That was Lake
Maggiore. Just 20 minutes away by
road. So, why not spend your last evening before your
transatlantic flight at the magnificent lakeside Il
Sole
Hotel at Angera? The restaurant, too,
is an experience to write home about. Enjoy!
For
something more low-key, contact the Associazione
B&B Varese. This agency will
make a reservation for you at a bed&breakfast
establishment within driving distance of Malpensa
airport.
Although
it is now several years old, 'Nan
McElroy’s' Italy: instructions for use'
remains one of the best and most useful guidebooks
around. Not only does this slim volume cover the main
elements of being in Italy, for the visitor and resident,
but it conveys a powerful message: the best experience
comes when you go with the flow, and try to understand
and appreciate what seems unfamiliar, rather than
comparing it (unfavorably) to what you know already.
Roberta Kedzierski
writes as http://twitter.com/robertak
on Twitter, where she reports from Italy,
on Italy, and a lot more, besides. |