Disclaimer: As curator of this site, my husband and I were guests of Ciao Florence on this tour however, all opinions expressed here are solely my own and all photographs were taken by us.
Man it’s a hot one, like seven inches from the midday sun. Santana’s guitar riff plays over and over in my head as we hop out of the air-conditioned bus and into Piazza del Duomo. We are about to head into the Duomo, Milan’s most recognizable historical landmark as the first official stop on Ciao Florence’s Milan Sightseeing guided tour. Armed with stylish radio transmitters that scream “tourist” without making the slightest sound, we flock to our guide’s little white flag. The guide for this tour, Marta, is as good as they come. She’s essentially a prototype- didactic, knowledgeable, capable of speaking at least three languages fluently, open and friendly. I’ve written radio transmitters, flag, and didactic in the last two sentences, so you might be wondering why I’m recommending an organized tour rather than a DIY-approach.
The answer is this: TIME. This tour is going to make the most of your time in Milan, in fact, if you take this particular tour, you’ll be able to hit five of the city’s most famous sights in only one morning: Castello Sforzesco, the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Teatro della Scala, and The Last Supper. I’m not even sure what the sixth could even be: an insider look inside the Prada flagship store? I am and I have been, a tourist on a schedule and unless you’re on a very extended vacation, your time is valuable. This tour is going to take the guilt out of forgoing the opera house in favor of a lingering lunch with risotto alla milanese, you won’t have to choose. Do the morning or the afternoon trip (I recommend morning if you’re visiting in the summer months) and you’ll still have a half-day to explore the city completely on your own or return to the Duomo to take advantage of your included admission to the museum.
Man it’s a hot one, like seven inches from the midday sun. Santana’s guitar riff plays over and over in my head as we hop out of the air-conditioned bus and into Piazza del Duomo. We are about to head into the Duomo, Milan’s most recognizable historical landmark as the first official stop on Ciao Florence’s Milan Sightseeing guided tour. Armed with stylish radio transmitters that scream “tourist” without making the slightest sound, we flock to our guide’s little white flag. The guide for this tour, Marta, is as good as they come. She’s essentially a prototype- didactic, knowledgeable, capable of speaking at least three languages fluently, open and friendly. I’ve written radio transmitters, flag, and didactic in the last two sentences, so you might be wondering why I’m recommending an organized tour rather than a DIY-approach.
The answer is this: TIME. This tour is going to make the most of your time in Milan, in fact, if you take this particular tour, you’ll be able to hit five of the city’s most famous sights in only one morning: Castello Sforzesco, the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Teatro della Scala, and The Last Supper. I’m not even sure what the sixth could even be: an insider look inside the Prada flagship store? I am and I have been, a tourist on a schedule and unless you’re on a very extended vacation, your time is valuable. This tour is going to take the guilt out of forgoing the opera house in favor of a lingering lunch with risotto alla milanese, you won’t have to choose. Do the morning or the afternoon trip (I recommend morning if you’re visiting in the summer months) and you’ll still have a half-day to explore the city completely on your own or return to the Duomo to take advantage of your included admission to the museum.
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We head into the line reserved for tour groups (bringing back memories of the “Fast Pass” line at Disneyland) and I can’t seem to wipe the sly grin off my face as we quickly pass others waiting in the normal line beside us. It’s already sweltering at 10am but despite the heat, you must remember the cardinal rule of travelling in Italy: always bring a pashmina in your purse. You cannot and will not be permitted to enter many churches, especially “guarded” ones like the Duomo, if you’re dressed to go to the discoteca and not into a place of worship. Don’t make this rookie move. Some tours, like this one, will have the “kimono of shame” that you can wear but don’t count on it. We enter the cool dampness of the Duomo and do the tour group huddle while our guide gives us the rundown. We are the first group of the day so it is not yet teeming with tourists and we’re able to move about freely and stand in awe as long as we want. Marta points out the “nuvola” (cloud), the nickname for the lift that lets the archbishop reach the Duomo’s relic, one of the nails used to crucify Jesus, so that it can be seen by the general public for three days every September. As she speaks, my ignorance about the Duomo’s history slowly dissipates. It took 600 years to complete and was paid completely by taxpayers of the city so in essence, the Duomo belongs to the Milanese people, as does the revered golden statue of the Madonna that sits perched atop one of the spires on the roof. You can count on a beauty of a day in Milan when you can see the so-called Madonnina.
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Our next stop is Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is just footsteps away from the Duomo, yet is wonderfully juxtaposed with the cathedral’s architecture. The “drawing room” of Milan is an airy atrium with a glass ceiling held together by cast-iron and was supposedly a testament of the architect’s vision for a more modern and industrial future for the city. Built over the span of 14 years and designed by Giuseppe Mengoni, the “galleria” has lent its name to other shopping malls around the world. I’m certainly not an architecture or design buff, so my favorite activity in the Galleria is to gawk at the window displays at all the luxury stores: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace, and Armani are residents here. Second only to window-shopping is the ritual of the Torinese bull. I know that sounds like something out of Pamploma, but what it really entails is spinning on your heel over the mosaic balls of a bull on the floor, kiddie-corner to the Versace store. This is said to bring you good luck or at least, steer away bad luck. In Italy, balls in general are good for that (now you’ll know why if you see some superstitious Italians giving their packages a quick grab!).
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Heading out the back, past Borasalino (buy a hat here if you have a couple hundred Euro to spare, they’re very well-known), you will come face-to-butt with a statue of Da Vinci perched over a fountain. Directly in front of him is the famed opera house Teatro alla Scala. It appears extremely underwhelming at first glance. An entrance ticket into the theater itself and the adjoining museum is included and well-worth it as you get the chance to enter one of the private boxes and pretend that you’re Julia Roberts, iconic red dress and white gloves, sitting down to watch your very first opera. Tickets can cost upwards of 2000 euro for the opera house’s opening night, every December 7th. Although for other performances during the year, we were told that even just 20 euros can get you in. Being inside Teatro della Scala is really like stepping back in time, it’s interior is decked to the nines in ruby red velvet, intricate moulding, draperies, and gold accessories. A central chandelier adds the final touch. Take this opportunity to head to the bathrooms as well. Italian cities are not like North American ones where you can find an abundance of public restrooms any corner you turn and even if you find one, I hope you’ve brought some Lysol spray as they can get quite unhygienic.
Last, but certainly not least, is the highly anticipated viewing of Da Vinci’s Last Supper. This is my second time seeing it and I can barely contain my excitement. The fact that we were able to see it after booking with Ciao Florence just a few days prior is nothing short of a miracle. Tickets to view “Il Cenacolo” are usually sold out for months in advance, another plus to joining up with a tour. If you tried to book them on your own, you’d have to extend your Milan trip to sometime in September or October. Note that the mural painting is not inside the church Santa Maria della Grazie, a common misconception. The church sits beside a separate entrance to see The Last Supper. We ran into many tourists who were trying to get into the church with hopes of being able to see the masterpiece. Also important is to note that the name of The Last Supper, as it’s commonly referred to in the Anglo-Saxon world, is actually Il Cenacolo. The way that bookings work for the viewing is that every 15 minutes, a maximum of 25 people are let into the room. Inside, there are seats where you can sit to view the mural and written descriptions and explanations. Having a guide for this portion of the tour was perfect as we were able to make the most of our 15 minutes by looking at the painting and listening to the commentary given by Marta, rather than spending the majority of that time reading. After everyone makes their way out, the group hops back and the bus and we are taken back to the meeting point while Marta gives us various suggestions on what direction to head in afterwards. The tour wrapped up around mid-day, allowing you ample time to have a typical Milanese lunch and enjoy the rest of your day in the city while being able to say you’ve checked off the main sights.
TOUR NOTE: Castello Sforzesco is seen as a drive-by, you will have to return after the tour on foot if you would like to explore it up-close-and-personal.
TOUR NOTE: Castello Sforzesco is seen as a drive-by, you will have to return after the tour on foot if you would like to explore it up-close-and-personal.
Tour Tips:
For more information, or to book this tour, head over to: MILAN SIGHTSEEING TOUR: DUOMO, LA SCALA THEATRE AND DA VINCI'S LAST SUPPER. Tours are available in English, Italian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese and tickets start from 79 euros.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes but don’t wear flip-flops or anything that makes a “flip-flop” noise. In Italy, those are only used exclusively for the beach and the pool.
- For women, opt for a flowy, below-the-knees cotton skirt that you can let down to enter church but also knot on the side if you want. Trust me, they are so much cooler and more versatile than wearing short shorts and you don’t have to worry about not being let into somewhere like the Duomo.
- Bring a pashmina or a light scarf. You can use it to cover your shoulders for churches, as a impromptu picnic blanket, or as an actual scarf when the air-conditioning is too high.
- Bring a water bottle. A lot of people on this tour were constantly asking for water or a place to buy water. At times, the schedule is pretty rigid and there are no places to buy water bottles without going off track.
- The only convenient bathroom stop here is at Teatro alla Scala and once you’ve left The Last Supper, plan accordingly.
- A packet of tissues and antibacterial wipes or gel. As mentioned in the article, you should be prepared for a variety of bathroom-related issues, including no toilet paper or soap.
For more information, or to book this tour, head over to: MILAN SIGHTSEEING TOUR: DUOMO, LA SCALA THEATRE AND DA VINCI'S LAST SUPPER. Tours are available in English, Italian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese and tickets start from 79 euros.
