Well-known for its fashion and football, Milan is a place you definitely have to visit. Fly to Milan Malpensa Airport, also known as City of Milan Airport, where you will find yourself in the embrace of various designer brands such as Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Armani and Dolce & Gabbana -- even starting from the airport, you can start releasing the fashionista in you. Milan Malpensa Airport is one of the top Italian airports in terms of international passenger traffic and the leading for freight and cargo. With more than 100 years of history, the airport has now expanded into two terminals and two runways, with a third runway commencing construction in 2014. There is also a dedicated cargo terminal fashionably called ‘CargoCity’.
Located 40km from Milan's city centre, you have a range of public transport options to take including the train, the bus and the taxi. If you are arriving in Terminal 1, taking the train would be the most direct option for it stops directly at Terminal 1 and it takes only a short 29 minutes for non-stop services. A short shuttle bus ride is needed from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 for the train, so if you do not enjoy transferring, take an hour-long bus from the airport to the city centre. Despite the hour-long journey, you will feel as though it is shorter while your breath gets taken away by the beautiful sights and scenes of Milan. Alternatively, take a taxi to the city centre right to the doorstep of your first destination -- step out of the taxi in style as a bellboy opens the door for you.
Milan is the secondmost populous city in Italy with a population of 1.3 million due to the massive suburban sprawl that followed the post-war boom of the 1950s–60s. Founded by Celtic people, Milan was then taken over by the Romans to become the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Thereafter, Milan changed hands to be dominated by France, Habsburg Spain, and Austria, until 1859 when the city was eventually annexed by the new Kingdom of Italy. Remember to visit Milan's museums, theatres and landmarks such as the Milan Cathedral, the fifth largest cathedral in the world, and Santa Maria delle Grazie, decorated with Leonardo da Vinci paintings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which attracts over 6 million visitors annually.
En route to Milan Cathedral, visit the gilt bronze statue of Virgin Mary on the highest pinnacle of The Duomo, stop by Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world's oldest shopping mall, which is also near Piazza Duomo. Also take a trip to Sforza Castle, where you are able to get an elegant Renaissance feeling, and The Art Deco Centrale railway station, maybe the most beautiful railway station you will ever see! You will also be able to get some quiet time at the Montanelli gardens, created in the 18th century, which also hosts the Natural History Museum of Milan and a planetarium.
