A sunny spring day in Milan is a great time to see the beautiful cathedrals, churches,  and  basilicas. The number one thing to see if it is your first or your tenth time to Milan is definitely Duomo di Milano. In the same area is Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a glass-covered high-end shopping area. It is Italy’s oldest shopping area. This is also a great area for fans of Leonardo DeVince. On display in this great city are multiple works of his, including The Last Supper.

Standing tall in the main square is Duomo. This Masive Gothic style cathedral has been standing for over 600 years. Construction began in 1386, and the final  stages were completed in the late 19th century. Duomo boasts being the 5th largest Christian church in the world!

There are plenty of things to do in Milan. Countless  museums  to choose from depending on personal  taste, theater,  or just exploring  the streets for good food and drinks. When heading to a new destination I like to plan out a few major activities for the first day, then talk to the locals or do research of what is in the area that interests me for the next day or two, then leave a day open to explore  and get lost in the side streets.

Getting around Milan  is easy with the amazing public transit system. The subway system is user-friendly and made even easier with a ten trip pass. Find the correct  direction by looking where the end stop is and you are on your way. We stayed a bit out of town and took a short bus to a lovely hotel. Getting out of town, you will walk into a beautiful train station that will take you any direction in Europe.

Food is the most fun to discover while wondering through the streets. A popular  sandwich shop filled with locals looked good for us. It wasn’t just good, it was amazing and not expensive! My husband  and I still talk about it months later. Coffee shop in the chilly morning with pastries  we didn’t know the names of and a view on a busy side streets was a perfect morning break from walking the city. For our last dinner in the city, we wanted something  special. We headed to Navigli, the Venice of Milan.  Walking up and down along the canals and looking at the menus, we decided on a great restaurant far down the waterway for a perfect  end to our Italy trip.

Grocery stores  are a great way to bring  Italy back to your room after a day of sightseeing.  Things were well priced, and it was fun to see what they had to offer compared to home in the states. Also, we picked up local pasta for gifts for friends and family, which was cost-effective and authentic.