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Milano - Italia - Tel :+39 02 29400600
Orari/Hours: Martedi/Tuesday a/to Sabato/Saturday 09,30/12,45-15,15/19,30 **Lunedi/Monday- Chiuso al mattino (Close in the morning) e la Domenica (and on Sunday). ******* |
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www.liveclub.it Info-line e Prenotazione tavoli Simona 347-4043545.
mercoledì 24 giugno |
| ANTEPRIMA PROSSIMI
CONCERTI sabato 4 luglio * RESET! Easy and funny dj set Giardino estivo giovedì 16 luglio * ANTHONY B CarROCKponte Music Factory - Milano Bicocca venerdì 17 luglio * GIULIANO PALMA & the Bluebeaters CarROCKponte Music Factory - Milano Bicocca sabato 18 luglio * RESET! Easy and funny dj set Giardino estivo - Splash party * Splash Party - Festa di chiusura della stagione sabato 18 luglio * MARLENE KUNTZ CarROCKponte Music Factory - Milano Bicocca giovedì 23 luglio * MR VEGAS CarROCKponte Music Factory - Milano Bicocca * Aprono il concerto gli STEELA venerdì 24 luglio * PUNKREAS * PORNORIVISTE sabato 25 luglio * CLUB DOGO CarROCKponte Music Factory - Milano Bicocca venerdì 25 settembre * BRUSCO domenica 25 ottobre * GOTTHARD * Aprono il concerto I Clairvoyants mercoledì 18 novembre * John Lees BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST |
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| Via Artigianato, 11 - Orzinuovi (BS) Tel.
030.942210 www.buddha.it Info-line 335.5865010 Ecco i prossimi concerti al BUDDHA! ANTEPRIMA PROSSIMI CONCERTI BUDDHA Via Artigianato, 11 - Orzinuovi (BS) Tel. 030.942210 www.buddha.it Info Line: 347.5708588 |
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Cartellone Eventi di Giugno 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 6 - 7 giugno RADIANT AND SILICON 46a Rassegna di elettronica, informatica e radiantismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 radiant@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 14 giugno 47a BORSA SCAMBIO di giocattoli e modellismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 borsascambio@parcoesposizioninovegro.it _______Buone notizie!! I Rockerbus per i concerti dei Depeche Mode saranno confermati dal 9 giugno in poi, aspettando il concerto di Lipsia per essere completamente sicuri del pieno recupero del cantante Dave Gahan. Riportiamo dal sito ufficiale: Depeche Mode riparte Tour Of The Universe in Germania - Primo concerto 8 giugno a Lipsia I Depeche Mode sono lieti di annunciare che si riavvia il loro interrotto Tour Of The Universe a Lipsia, in Germania l''8 giugno. Il 12 maggio, il cantante Dave Gahan ha subito un grave attacco di gastroenterite, che portò al suo ricovero in ospedale e alla cancellazione del concerto di Atene. Mentre era in ospedale, ulteriori esami medici hanno rivelato un tumore maligno di basso grado alla vescica di Dave, che è stato rimosso con successo. I medici hanno ordinato a Dave Gahan una pausa fino al 8 giugno alla fine di garantire il pieno recupero. Il concerto di Lipsia l''8 giugno sarà il primo concerto dopo il ricovero di Dave. Dave Gahan ringrazia i suoi fan per il loro sostegno, la comprensione e la pazienza. I Depeche Mode si dispiaciono profondamente per gli eventuali problemi e inconvenienti causati dalle cancellazioni e rinvii. PROSSIMI CONCERTI 2 luglio Bergen, Koengen è stata spostata a Giovedi 28 gennaio 2010 in Vestlandhallen. Il seguenti concerti europei si svolgeranno come originariamente previsto: 08 Giugno LEIPZIG Zentralstadion 10 Giugno BERLINO Olympiastadion 12 giugno FRANCOFORTE Commerzbank Arena 13 giugno MONACO DI BAVIERA Olympiastadion 16 Giugno ROMA Stadio Olimpico 18 Giugno MILANO Stadio San Siro 20 Giugno WERCHTER TW Classic Festival 22 Giugno BRATISLAVA Inter Stadium 23 Giugno BUDAPEST Puskas Ferenc Stadium 25 Giugno PRAGA Slavia Stadium 27 Giugno PARIGI Stade de France 28 Giugno NANCY Zenith Anfiteatro 30 Giugno COPENAGHEN Parken Stadium 01 luglio AMBURGO (riprogrammata mostra) 03 Luglio Arvika Arvika Festival 06 Luglio CARCASONA Esplanade Gambetta 08 Luglio VALLADOLID Jose Zorilla Stadio 09 Luglio BILBAO BBK Live Festival 11 luglio PORTO Super Bock Super Rock Festival 12 luglio SIVIGLIA Stadio Olimpico ------------------------------------------------ Canoa - Bus Grazie alla disponibilità e gentilezza del CTS BAGUS Torino i Rocker Riders hanno lo sconto speciale per la 2 giorni di Canoa in Ardèche - Francia: 85 euro anzichè 99!!! http://www.rockerbus.com/promozioni/ardeche.pdf _____Luglio Suona Bene 2009
Festival Città di Cernobbio - Concerto d'apertura _____Dal 16 al
25 giugno 2009 la sesta edizione del Rome Chamber Music Festival
di Robert McDuffie all’Oratorio del Gonfalone: festa con i grandi
solisti internazionali all'insegna della musica da camera classica e
contemporanea
_____AsconaJazz
PROGRAMMA COMPLETO |
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Cartellone Eventi di Luglio 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 27 giugno 12 luglio MANIFESTAZIONE ESTIVA Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 infocomis@parcoesposizioninovegro.it _______COMUNICATO STAMPA ____ CABARET LIBRA 2009 –
SORDEVOLO _____Sul
Rockerbus Ticinese al Metalcamp dal 2 al 8 luglio in compagnia
dei Dreamshade da
Lugano-Milano-Bergamo-Brescia-Verona-Vicenza-Padova-Mestre, la band
ticinese che aprirà la prima giornata del Metalcamp 2009!! _____SCII CLUB
88 SOMMA Grazie a
www.inagenda.info LatinoAmericando 17 Giugno/17 Agosto c/o Forum di Assago a Milano
Gloria Estefan in esclusiva assoluta |
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Cartellone Eventi di Agosto 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia __________Grazie a www.rockerbus.com Arriva a Milano un nuovo grande festival rock. I-Day Milano Urban Festival che sulla scia delle otto edizioni bolognesi dello storico Independent Days, si trasferisce nel capoluogo lombardo e presenta un nuovo marchio, nuovi contenuti, e soprattutto una nuova location, allestita nellarea della Fiera Milano Rho, centro nevralgico dello sviluppo futuro della città. Unarena concerti, facile da raggiungere grazie alla metropolitana, la ferrovia, il collegamento autostradale ed i parcheggi. Il luogo ideale per quello che si annuncia come il più importante festival rock del 2009 in Italia. Headliner dellI-DAY Milano Urban Festival sono gli Oasis, che torneranno ad esibirsi nel nostro paese per un unico ed esclusivo concerto estivo, dopo il trionfale tour mondiale e le 5 date in Italia, tutte sold out. Non saranno solo gli Oasis i grandi protagonisti del festival. Tra le band oggi confermate ci sono i The Kooks ed i Kasabian, due tra le realtà musicali più importanti della scena brit. Se i The Kooks hanno recentemente pubblicato il loro secondo album Konk (Virgin/EMI) presentato a Milano lo scorso aprile in un concerto completamente esaurito, i Kasabian ritornano in Italia dopo qualche anno con quello che è uno dei dischi più attesi da pubblico e critica nel 2009. La band inglese presenterà dal vivo i brani di West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (Columbia/Sony-BMG) la cui uscita in tutto il mondo è prevista per l8 giugno. La data: 30 agosto Fiera Milano Rho - Arena Concerti apertura cancelli ore 15:00 inizio concerti ore 18:00 ______Domenica 30 Agosto 2009 ore 18,00 Oasis in Concerto c/o Arena Concerti Fiera di Milano Rho Euro 46,00 |
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Cartellone Eventi di Settembre 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 6 settembre 48a BORSA SCAMBIO di giocattoli e modellismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 borsascambio@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 11 - 14 settembre NAC - Novegro Arte Contemporanea 3a edizione Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 nac@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 18 - 20 settembre SOSTENIA Prima fiera internazionale della qualità della vita e del benessere Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 infocomis@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 25 - 27 settembre HOBBY MODEL EXPO 32a Rassegna specializzata di modellismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 hobbymodelexpo@parcoesposizioninovegro.it ____28 Settembre 2009 Pooh in concerto c/o Mediolanum Forum di Assago 2° Anello Nonnumerato Euro 34,50 |
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Cartellone Eventi di Ottobre 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 3 - 4 ottobre RADIANT AND SILICON 47a Rassegna di elettronica, informatica e radiantismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 radiant@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 3 - 4 ottobre NOVEGRO PHOTO VideoCINE Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 photocine@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 10 - 11 ottobre BIMBINFIERA Il più importante salone per mamme, future mamme e bambini Segreteria tel. 02 50 366 743 - fax 02 50 366 621 info@bimbinfiera.rcs.it 15 ottobre DEBALLAGE INDOOR (riservato ai commercianti) Mercato di rifornimento per antiquari svolto nella giornata di allestimento del Brocantage Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 deballage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 16 - 18 ottobre BROCANTAGE - Top Antiques 174a Fiera del collezionismo, delle curiosità e delle occasioni di antiquariato Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 brocantage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 31 ottobre 1 novembre MILITALIA 46a Fiera del collezionismo militare CULTER EXPO 7a Fiera del coltello sportivo e da collezione Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 militalia@parcoesposizioninovegro.it _____30 Ottobre 2009 India Arie c/o Conservatorio sala Verdi di Milano Poltronissima Euro 57,50 Poltrona Euro 46,00 Settore D Euro 34,50 Settore E Euro 28,75 |
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Cartellone Eventi di Novembre 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 5 novembre DEBALLAGE INDOOR (riservato ai commercianti) Mercato di rifornimento per antiquari svolto nella giornata di allestimento del Brocantage Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 deballage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 6 - 8 novembre BROCANTAGE - Top Antiques 175a Fiera del collezionismo, delle curiosità e delle occasioni di antiquariato Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 brocantage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 13 - 15 novembre 47a MOSTRA-SCAMBIO di auto, moto, ciclo, ricambi e accessori d'epoca Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 mostrascambio@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 21 - 22 novembre PREZIOSA 10a mostra mercato di minerali, bigiotteria, gemme, gioielleria, fossili, conchiglie Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 preziosa@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 21 - 22 novembre VINO&DINTORNI 9a rassegna enogastronomica Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 vinoedintorni@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 27 - 29 novembre MIDANZA Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 infocomis@parcoesposizioninovegro.it
____03 Novembre 2009 Jonas Brothers c/o
Forum di Assago ore 21,00 ____7 Novembre 2009 Massive Attack c/o Palasharp ore 21,00 Euro 34,50
________I Green Day sono tornati! Dopo lannuncio della pubblicazione del
nuovo album, ''21st Century Breakdown'' la band californiana annuncia le
date del tour europeo, a distanza di quattro anni dallultimo nel 2005.
Dopo la tranche in Nord America e Canada tra luglio e agosto il trio
sarà atteso in Europa per un grandissimo tour che partirà da Lisbona il
28 settembre e terminerà proprio con le tre tappe italiane: il 10
novembre al Mediolanum Forum di Milano, l11 novembre al FuturShow
Station di Bologna e il 12 novembre, ultimissima data del tour europeo,
al Palaolimpico di Torino. Il tour mondiale seguirà la pubblicazione
dellattesissimo album, ''21st Century Breakdown'', ottavo lavoro in
studio della band e seguito del successo mondiale del 2004, ''American
Idiot'', che ha venduto 250.000 copie in Italia ed è rimasto in
classifica per ben 75 settimane consecutive. ''American Idiot'',
vincitore di 2 Grammy Awards, ha inoltre debuttato direttamente al
numero 1 della Classifica americana di Billboard e ha venduto 12 milioni
di copie in tutto il mondo. |
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Cartellone Eventi di Dicembre 2009 a Milano (Lombardia),Provincia di Milano e
Italia ____http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it 10 dicembre DEBALLAGE INDOOR (riservato ai commercianti) Mercato di rifornimento per antiquari svolto nella giornata di allestimento del Brocantage Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 deballage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 11 - 13 dicembre BROCANTAGE - Top Antiques 176a Fiera del collezionismo, delle curiosità e delle occasioni di antiquariato Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 75 62 711 brocantage@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 20 dicembre 49a BORSA SCAMBIO di giocattoli e modellismo Segreteria: via Novegro - 20090 Segrate (MI) - tel. 02 70 20 00 22 borsascambio@parcoesposizioninovegro.it Calendario bagagliaio 2009 bagagliaio@parcoesposizioninovegro.it 8 febbraio 1 marzo 5 aprile 17 maggio 7 giugno 6 settembre 4 ottobre 1 novembre 22 novembre
_______01 Dicembre 2009 Eros Ramazzotti
c/o Forum di Assago ore 21,00 _______Sabato 5-6 Dicembre 2009 We
Will Rock You c/o Allianz Teatro - Pomeridiano e Serale (15,30 e 21,00)
____Venerdi 11 Dicembre 2009
Renato Zero in Concerto c/o Mediolanumforum di Assago - Prezzi:
____12 Dicembre 2009 Renato Zero
c/o Forum di Assago ore 21,00 |
| Grazie a www.travelpuppy.com |
| Milan
Travel Guide Milan Travel Guide and Milan Travel Information - TravelPuppy.com Milan (Milano), situated on the flat plains of the Po Valley, and is the capital of Lombardy and Italy’s richest and second largest city. Wealthy and cosmopolitan, the Milanesi enjoy a reputation as successful businesspeople, equally at home overseas and in Italy. Embracing tradition, sophistication and ambition all in equal measures, they are just as likely to follow opera at La Scala as their shares on the city’s stock market or their chosen football team, AC or Inter Milan, at the San Siro Stadium. Milan is better known for being new and fashionable, and has never willingly thrown out the old. Three times in its history, the city had to rebuild after conquest by foreign invaders. Founded in the seventh century BC by Celts, the city, then known as Mediolanum (‘mid-plain’), was first sacked by the Goths in the 600s (AD), then by Barbarossa in 1157 and finally by the Allies in World War II, when over a quarter of the city was flattened. Milan had to make an art of recovery, successively reinventing herself under French, Spanish and then Austrian rulers from 1499 until the reunification of Italy in 1870. It is a miracle that so many historic treasures still exist, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, which survived a direct hit in World War II. The Milanesi’s appreciation of tradition includes a singular respect for religion, to the extent that they even pay a special tax towards the Cathedral maintenance. It is therefore fitting that the city’s enduring symbol is the gilded statue of the Virgin, on top of the Cathedral (Il Duomo). The layout of the city is best understood as a historic nucleus around the Cathedral and from which a star-shaped axis of arteries spreads through modern suburbs to the ring road. The modern civic centre lies to the northwest, around Mussolini’s central station, and is dominated by the Pirelli skyscraper, which dates from 1956 and is one of the first skyscrapers in Italy. The trade and fashion fairs take place in the Fiera district, west of the nucleus around the Porta Genova station. Milan’s economic success was founded at the end of the 19th century, when the metal factories and the rubber industries moved in, replacing agriculture and mercantile trading mainly in silk, as the city’s main sources of income. Milan’s position at the heart of a network of canals, which provided the irrigation for the Lombard plains and the important trade links between the north and south, became less important as industry took over and the waterways were filled in to make way for roads. A few canals remain in the Navigli district near the Bocconi University, a fashionable area in which to drink and listen to jazz and other live music, especially during the warm summers of Milan’s typically continental climate. Since the 1970s, Milan has remained the capital of Italy’s automobile industry and its financial markets, but the limelight is dominated by the fashion houses, who, in turn, have drawn media and advertising agencies to the city. Milan remains the marketplace for Italian fashion. Fashion aficionados, supermodels and international paparazzi descend upon the city twice a year for its spring and autumn fairs, while the world looks on. Valentino, Versace and Armani may design and manufacture their clothes elsewhere but Milan, which has carefully guarded its reputation for flair, drama and creativity, is Italy’s natural stage. ___________Milan Culture Guide Milan Culture Guide - TravelPuppy.com Milan’s cultural scene boasts some diverse and interesting offerings for classical purists, and for those interested in the avant-garde. A visit to La Scala will never be forgotten and should be top of the list for foreign visitors. Italian speakers should not ignore the stage too, as the Teatro Piccolo offers excellent performances all year round and has become one of Milan's best-known cultural institutions next to La Scala. Listings are best obtained from the pullout in the Corriere della Sera on Wednesdays. The free monthly information programme, Milano Mese, in Italian, has listings and is available from the tourist information office and most hotels. The English language HelloMilan and Milan Where, When, How are available free from bars, hotels, and the Duomo tourist office. Tickets for most events are available for purchase at Ricordi Box Office, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (telephone number: 02 869 0683), La Prevendita, Virgin Megastore, Piazza Duomo 8 (telephone number: 02 7200 3370), and Last Minute Tour, Fiorucci, Galleria Passarella 1. Tickets are also available online at Ticketweb Music Opera lovers worldwide know the Teatro alla Scala, La Scala for short. The theatre is currently undergoing a full interior modernisation. All performances have been transferred to the new Teatro degli Archimboldi. Hopefully, La Scala will reopen on 7 December 2004, the beginning of the 2004 opera season. The Teatro degli Archimboldi is a new theatre built by the City of Milan in collaboration with Pirelli. Its large capacity means there are about 500 more seats currently available. The new theatre box office opens two hours before performances start at 2000 hrs. The Museo Teatrale alla Scala has moved to Palazzo Busca, Collegio San Carlo, Corso Magenta 71. The main ticket office remains under the Piazza Duomo, admittance from the stairs of the Duomo Metro and opening times are 1200 hrs-1800 hrs daily. Teatro degli Arcimboldi Viale dell’Innovazione Telephone number: 02 7200 3744. Transport Shuttle bus from Piazza Duomo on performance evenings, every five minutes from 1845 hrs -1700 hrs. This service is free for season ticket holders, all others should buy a normal metro ticket. Metro (M1) to Precotto, then shuttle to Biococca), every 8 to 10 minutes. Bus 44 from Metro (M2) Cascina Gobba to Biococca (via Brecotto). Tram 7 from Lagosta to Mattei (via M3 Zara). Trains from Porta Garibaldi, Lambrate, Rogoredo and sometimes from Stazione Centrale to the Greco-Pirelli station, using a normal ATM ticket. There is a special train on performance nights from Greco-Pirelli railway station to Milano Centrale and Porta Garibaldi Station and this is free for season ticket holders, all others should purchase a normal ATM ticket for the city network. This train departs 20 minutes and 40 minutes after performances. Opening hours: Usually two hours before the performance. Admission: depends on the performance and seats available. Milan’s respected symphony orchestra, the Orchestra Verdi (telephone number: 02 8338 9201), was founded in 1993 and conducted by Riccardo Chailly and frequently performs concerts in the Auditorium di Milano, Corso San Gottardo. Performances take place on Thursday and Friday at 2030 hrs and on Sunday afternoon at 1600 hrs . Tickets cost €18-50. Another venue for classical concerts is the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Via Conservatorio 12. Tickets for the Cantelli Orchestra (telephone number: 02 655 391 ), which plays at the Conservatory, and cost from €18. Theatre Milan has become a driving force behind Italian drama since the foundation of the Teatro Piccolo by Giorgio Strehler and Paolo Grassi during 1947. The company puts on a broad repertory of international, classical and experimental drama in three different theatres. Audiences can choose between programmes for the Teatro Grassi, Via Rovello, the experimental theatre Teatro Studio, Via Rivoli, and the new Teatro Strehler, Largo Greppi. The box office is at Via Rovello 2 (telephone number: 02 7233 3222). Dance The home of classical ballet in Milan is also at La Scala (see Music above), which is also the venue for its renowned ballet school, the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala, Via Verdi 1 (telephone number: 02 877 995). CRT (Centro di Ricerca per il Teatro) at Teatro dell’Arte, Viale Alemagna 6 is Milan’s main advocate for contemporary dance, organising performances and festivals like Short Formats Festival during May which investigates all the latest trends in European dance. Film Italians share a great passion for the cinema and Milan’s city centre has over twenty cinemas. Luchino Visconti’s masterpiece Rocco and His Brothers (1960), starring Alain Delon, was filmed extensively in and around Milan and along the Naviglio Grande. The Corso Vittorio Emanuele area is a good spot for cinemas with the latest releases, such as Ambasciatori (telephone number: 02 7600 3306). For art movies, Cineteca Museo, Palazzo Dugnani, Via Manin 2/A (telephone number: 02 655 4977), is a good option and English-language films are shown on Monday at Anteo, Via Milazzo 9. On Tuesday at Arcobaleno, Viale Tunisia 11 (telephone numberl: 02 2940 6054, and on Thursday at Cinema Centrale, Via Torino 30 (telephone number: 02 874 826). Milan has not been a particularly popular film location. This is partly due to the great old buildings being part of a modern cityscape rather than being in isolation as it is in Rome, and partly to Italian post-war neo-realism with its emphasis on the south of the country. Vittorio De Sica's socially conscious fairy tale, Miracolo a Milano (Miracle in Milan, 1950) includes fantasy elements like the boy Toto being found in a cabbage patch, with angels and a dove which grants wishes, against a story of poor squaters fighting eviction by a rich landowner. Lichino Visconti's Rocco e i Suoi Fratelli (Rocco and His Brothers, 1960) describes the problems of a very poor Sicilian farming family who move into Milan; although primarily set in the northern industrial suburb of Bovisa, there are scenes in the centre of the city including a dramatic one near the outside top of the Duomo. There was a brief revival of interest in Milan in the 1980s, although most films merely had small sections where the characters were leaving Milan for somewhere else, as in the 1989 film Marrakech Express. Michele Sordillo's Acquario (late 1990s) is a triptych of stories concerning love, care for the aged and problems arising from having someone stay in one's apartment. Renato Castellani's 1982 superb docu-drama The Life of Verdi (the Italian edition is simply called Verdi) has many accurate reconstructions of 19th century Milan and Venice. The 580 minute programmes were made by European television companies and have since been released on video. Cultural Events Milan always has a series of events and minor festivals going on somewhere in and around the city. For information, the Commune of Milan (Municipality of Milan) regularly updates its website. There are usually a number of jazz, theatre and dance spectacles to be found around the city during the summer months, particularly during July. Visitors to Milan should not ignore the religious festivals, as these traditional festivals are often Milan’s best-loved and most charming features. Visitors will discover that the Milanesi are particularly fond of Christmas, kick-starting the celebrations on 7th December with the festival of O Bej, O Bej (since 1288) and finishing with the Procession of the Corteo dei Re Magi on Epiphany, 6 January. The main cultural centre, the Palazzo Triennale, located on the western flank of the Parco Sempione (telephone number: 02 724 3410 ), hosts a major international exposition of the arts every three years, the last was held in 2004 (22nd March-13th June). Literary Notes Modern Milan is a major centre within the publishing industry and not surprisingly retains a keen interest in literature. Visitors to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II may happily while away a few hours as they explore the bookshops Zanichielli and Ricordi. Academics are sure to head to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana located next to the art gallery, to study the writings of Leonardo da Vinci and other historic texts in its significant collection. Alessandro Manzoni is the best-known Milanese author. His novel, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed, 1827), is a tale of two lovers set against times of war and pestilence in Lombardy, during the 1620s. Gabriele D’Annunzio’s early autobiographical novel Il Piacere (The Child of Pleasure, 1898) is a classic of the decadence movement and his poetry is also excellent. Part of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms takes place in Milan. Many Italian authors have since ended up in Milan, including the 1959 Nobel literary prize winner Salvatore Quasimodo, a Sicilian poet who is buried in Milan’s Monumental Cemetery. The most important Italian literary event of the year, the Bagutti Prize, originated in Milan’s Bagutti Ristorante (see Restaurants section), Via Bagutti, where the founders of the Literary Review (Fiera Letteraria) used to eat and where they founded the prize in 1925. ______________ Milan Festival - Events Milan Festivals and Events Guide - TravelPuppy.com Inauguration of the Opera Season 7 Dec, Teatro alla Scala. Inauguration of the Piccolo Teatro Season 7 Dec, Teatro Piccolo, Via Rovello 2 O Bej, O Bej Milan’s Christmas celebrations begin with the traditional open-air fête celebrating Milan’s patron saint, St Ambrose, 7 Dec, outside the Basilica of San Ambrogio, for five days. Milan Marathon Sunday in early Dec (website: www.milanomarathon.it ) Natale in Fiera (Christmas Fair) Stalls, folklore shows, acrobatic displays, jazz, cabaret and concerts, mid-December-31st December, Fiera. Corteo dei Re Magi (Procession of the Three Wise Men, Epiphany) Costumed procession, 6 January, from the Cathedral to the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio MODIT-Milanovendomodo (Fashion in Milan) During early March, Fiera and city (website: www.modaindustria.it Carnevale Ambrosiana (Ambrosian Carnival) Milan’s longest carnival, ending the first Saturday of Lent instead of Shrove Tuesday as elsewhere, late February/early March, Piazza Duomo Milan-San Remo Cycling competition, mid-March, from Milan to San Remo on the western coast of Italy. Oggi Aperto (Open Today) Monuments and historic buildings normally closed to the public are opened for the day during the third weekend of March, throughout the city. Fiera dei Fiori (Flowers Fair) Flower market, April, along the canals in the Navigli district. Bagutta-Pittori all’Aria Aperta (Bagutta Open-air Painting Exhibition) Outdoor exhibition of artists’ work, third week during April, Via Bagutta. Milano Cortili Aperti (Milan Open Courtyards) Private residences organise special openings for the public, Sunday in mid-May, historic centre (website: ww.italiamultimedia.com/cortiliaperti) Festa del Naviglio (Naviglio Festival) Large summer fête including torchlight processions, folk music, dancing and crafts, 1st June, Naviglio . Sagra di San Christoforo (Festival of Saint Christopher) Evening celebrations upon barges in the canals, 15th June, Naviglio. Milano d’Estate (Milan Summer) Entertainment, June-August, Parco Sempione . Formula 1 Grand Prix Second Sunday of September, Monza (website: www.monzanet.it ) Festa del Chiodo (Fête of the Nail) Celebrating a nail that came from the cross on which Christ was crucified, first week September, Cathedral . Le Vie del Cinema (Ways of the Cinema) From the Venice Film Festival, September, local cinemas Festa di Chiaravalle (Chiaravalle Fair) Fair held in the shade of the ciribiciaccola (bell tower) of the Chiaravalle Cistercian Abbey, exhibitions and entertainment, 6th October, Chiaravalle Abbey. MODIT-Milanovendemodo (Fashion in Milan) Week, early October, Fiera and city (website: www.modaindustria.it ) Mostra di Pittura l’Arte al Cielo Aperto (Open-air Art Exhibition) October, in and around Via Bagutta. Fiera dei Libri Antiquati (Antique Books Fair) October, Palazzo del Ragione, Via Mercanti ______________ Milan Getting Around Getting Around Milan - TravelPuppy.com Public Transport For those foot-weary travellers tired of dodging scooters, Milan has a comprehensive transport network which is run by Azienda Trasporti Milanesi or ATM (telephone number: 02 7252 4360 ). Swapping between the metro, bus, tram and trolley bus is easy, thanks to the integrated ticketing system. Services operate daily 0600 hrs - 2400 hrs, with night buses running to approx 0130 hrs. Tickets cost €1 and last 75 minutes, allowing the traveller to use unlimited buses and trams within this time or make one ride on the metro. The metro has three lines, the red MM1, green MM2 and yellow MM3. The lines converge at Duomo, Centrale FS, Loreto and Cadorna. Tickets must be validated by punching them in the SITAM machines on-board buses or at the metro stations. Single tickets at €1 or carnets of 10 tickets costing €9.20 are available for purchase from newsagents, tobacconists (a capital T for tabacchi distinguishes these outlets), most coffee bars and at automatic vending machines at major metro and at bus stops. Passes, valid for one or two days, are available for purchase from ATM railway offices at Cadorna, Centrale FS, Duomo, Loreto and Romolo. The one-day abbonamento giornaliero pass costs €3, while the two-day abbonamento bigiornaliero pass costs €5.50. These are good value for individuals on short visits but also for families on Sundays when one ticket is valid for both the parents and children. Taxis Taxis are mainly white in colour (some are yellow or painted in livery of sponsors) and can be hailed on the streets, although they rarely stop. It is better to hire them at the taxi ranks outside train stations. Visitors can telephone from a landline (telephone number: 02 4040 8585) and an automated voice will inform them of the nearest rank. Telephone bookings are run by co-operatives. The main firms are Radiotaxi (telephone number: 02 6767 or 5353) and Autoradio (telephone number: 02 8585). The minimum fare is currently €3. However, with a base charge of €2 and a charge of around €0.80 per kilometre, plus supplements for luggage, night-time travel or travelling on Sunday, taxi costs add up quickly. Tipping is not expected, unless the driver has been exceptionally helpful, but one usually rounds the fare up to the nearest Euro. Limousines Luxury cars, chauffeured by English-speaking drivers, can be provided by Autonoleggio Pini (telephone numberl: 02 2940 0555) or the Eurochange Business Centre (telephone number: 02 5858 1199), based at Malpensa airport and prices start from €270 for eight hours, including 10 per cent taxes and allowance for the driver’s lunch. Driving in the City Where at all possible, driving in the centre of Milan should be avoided. Streets in the centre of Milan are congested virtually all day and night and any street can become a hotspot. Parking is also very difficult and some Italian parking techniques are often unusual. Paying for hotel or private garages in the city centre can be expensive. Roadside parking in the historic centre is limited to a maximum of two hours within the blue lines marked by sosta a pagamento (pay to stop) signs. Motorists must buy special cards (Sosta Milano) for €3 for two hours in the centre and €2 outside the historical zone, from ATM offices at metro stations or bars and tobacconists, then scratch out the relevant date, hour of arrival and whether they plan to stay one or two hours. Drivers must also purchase Sosta Milano in the area of the trade fairs, when these are in progress. For visitors making a day trip to Milan, the best option is to head to one of the park and ride schemes run by ATM, which connect with Milan’s metro system. Electronic signs on the main roads into the city indicate directions to the nearest car park and the number of spaces remaining. The car parks are open 0700 hrs - 2000 hrs and parking costs €2.60 for eight hours, cheap in comparison to private car parks. Those determined to drive further in could try the private car park of Autosilo Borgospesso, Via Borgospesso 18, which is located close to the Cathedral and open 24 hours. Many Italians drive as if they were Formula One racing drivers and, although there are relatively few accidents, one must always be very careful. Rush hour can run from 0700 hrs - 1100 hrs and 1500 hrs - 2100 hrs or far later (many football fans drive around Milan blowing their horns for hours after home macthes have been won). The public transport system is excellent and much faster than travelling by car. Car Hire Drivers must be 23 years or over (depending on which Hire company used) and must have been in the possession of an EU licence or full International Driving Permit for at least one year. Insurance is included in the price of hire. One must leave a credit card as security. At least three major companies have car hire offices in the Milan city centre: Avis, Via Corelli 150 (telephone number: 02 5530 5276) Hertz, Piazza Duca D’Aosta (tel: 02 6698 5151) and Maggiore, Via Canonica 64 (telephone number: 02 311 029). Avis car hire is also available at Stazione Centrale, Galleria delle Carrozze (telephone number: 02 669 0280) and at Piazza Diaz, near the Duomo (telephone number: 02 863 494). The national booking line for Avis car rentals is 199 100 133. Despite the popularity of motoring holidays in Italy, car hire is expensive, costing from approx €250 per week. It is best to include collision damage waver (CDW) and personal accident insurance (PAI) usually at additional cost. Bicycle Hire Milanesi are enthusiastic cyclists and often spend Sundays cycling along the canals or cycle paths into the countryside outside the city centre. Cycling in the centre may seem a good option in a city that is flat and has many dedicated cycle paths, however with traffic fumes, hair-raising driving and tram tracks are just some of the problems which cyclists can face. Hiring bicycles is not common, as most Milanesi buy their own, but AWS Bicomotor, Via Ponte Seveso 33 (telephone number: 02 6707 2145), is one place that does (rates from €21 per day). They are open Tuesday-Saturday 0900 hrs-1300 hrs and 1500 hrs -1700 hrs. _____________ Milan International Airport Milan International Airport - TravelPuppy.com Milan international airports are links below: Milan Bergamo International Airport (BGA) Orio al Serio is located 48km (28 miles) northwest of Milan and 5km (3 miles) from Bergamo. Milan Linate International Airport (LIN) located 7km (4 miles) east of the centre of Milan and provides easy access to and from the city. Milan Malpensa International Airport (MXP) located 48km (30 miles) northwest of Milan and is the city’s largest airport, handling transcontinental and other international flights. ___________Milan Nightlife Milan Nightlife - TravelPuppy.com The nightlife is vibrant as one would expect in a young cosmopolitan Milan. The evening starts with the passegiata, a cultural institution itself in Italy and where everyone dresses in the smartest clothes, ‘walks out’ – strolling up and down central streets in order ‘to see and be seen’. Centres of the passegiate vary in Milan but the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the pedestrian zones of the city along the Via Dante are good areas to go and observe. The modern European feature of Milan is the profusion of restaurants and bars, which catch clients for the whole evening and where it is possible to dine leisurely or just sit over an aperitivo or a bottle of wine. The trend is to move on during the night, visiting two or three locales, thereby demonstrating social savvy and bella figura. The Navigli district around the canals in the southwest of Milan is one of the best locations for bars and cafés, extending up to Porta Ticinese. North of the Cathedral, the area around the Brera offers many pleasant boutique cafés, clubs and restaurants. Many bars and restaurants stay open until late (0100 hrs), after which the energetic move on to the nightclubs and discoteca, which stay open till 0400 hrs (most are closed on Mondays). The legal drinking age is 16 years. Expect to pay €6 for a bottle of wine in a bar and at least €7.50 for entry to clubs. Entertainment listings for Milan are available online at www.corriere.it and www.hellomilano.it. The newspapers Corriere della Sera published on Wednesday and La Repubblica, published on Thursday, also supply listings, as does the tourist offices, Spettacoli Milano and Mese Milano. Bars Coffee drinking throughout the day is a quick-fix for the business community and only the serious shoppers settle down for coffee and wonderful pastries. Between 1800hrs and 2100hrs, cafés and bars come into their own as the afterwork crowds seek out the perfect aperitivo, as well as the best place to see and be seen. Some bars offer free finger food with aperitives. Classic cocktails often involve Prosecco (dry or sweet sparkling wine) or Campari. Drinks range in price between €4-9. Dieci (10) Corso Como, Corso Como 10, with its slightly oriental slant to decorations is one of the ottest bars in Milan, as is the Victoria Café located in the financial district, Via Clerici 1. Il Gattopardo Café, Via Piero della Francesca 17 in a deconsecrated church in the upwardly mobile northwest of the city centre is still the haunt of the idle rich, booking in advance is essential. The Garden Bar of the Sheraton Diana Majestic, Viale Piave 2 is the place to visit during warm weather, especially during Milan fashion weeks. In the Navigali district, La Biciclette, Conca del Navigalo 10, with its monthly changing display of artwork, attracts an extremely varied group and the the buffet is a classic. ATM in a refurbished former tram station, Bastioni di Porta Volta, north of the Duomo, is often considered the city’s best bar, frequented by an artistic crowd and certainly somewhere to check out the forefront of Milanese fashions. Casinos There are no licensed casinos in Milan. Clubs The Black, Via Canonica (telephone number: 02 3360 3907) with its retro science fiction feel has taken over from Killer Plastic, Viale Umbria 120 (telephone number: 02 733 996) as the place to go for Italian house and techno music, although the latter remains very popular. Hollywood Rythmoteque, Corso Como 15 (telephone number: 02 659 8996) remains popular with the glamorous crowd, especially on Sundays. Café L'Atlantique, Viale Umbria 42 (telephone number: 02 5519 3925) begins with aperitivi and later becomes an very popular club into the early hours with hip-hop and house music is featured on Thursday and Friday evenings and more commercial music on Saturday and Sunday. The Shocking Club, Bastioni di Porta Nuova 12 (telephone number: 02 8656 4650) reopened early in 2002 with a new minimalist decor. The club lives up to its name, especially on Wednesday evenings with its outrageous theme nights. Large clubs (up to 2000) include Propaganda, Via Castelbarco 11 (telephone number: 02 5831 0682) and Alcatraz, Via Valtellina 21 (telephone number: 02 6901 6352) a refurbished industrial building which includes two dancefloors, two performance spaces, three bars and a pub. As this is Milan, one should always dress to impress for any club or disco. More clubs are introducing a pay-as-you-leave system where you are given a ticket (tessera) at the door which is punched when you use the cloakroom or buy drinks or food and the fine for losing one's tessera is usually exorbitant. The Milanese usually go clubbing midweek, weekends are when large numbers from the outlying suburbs come into Milan to party. Live music Rolling Stone, Corso XXII Marzo 32 (telephone numberl: 02 733 172) is very much Milan’s temple of rock during the week with dancing on Fridays and Saturday evenings. Scimmie, Via Ascanio Sforza 49 (telephone number: 02 8940 2874) still manages to maintain its reputation as the place for jazz in the heart of the Navagali district, although there are many blues and world music concerts these days. In the same area, Blues House, Via S Uguzzone 96 (telephone number: 02 2700 3621) is equally popular both with locals and visitors. Tangram, Via Pezzotti 52, is excellent for rock and blues, and Tunnel, Via Sammartini 30, is a good venue for indie music. All the major bands and solo artists include Milan on their tours, usually playing either at the FilaForum stadium, Via di Vittorio 6 or PalaVobis Music Village, Via Sant’Elia 33 (telephone number: 02 542 754), close to Lampugnano. ____________Milan Shopping Milan Shopping Guide - TravelPuppy.com Milan is a temple of high fashion and the home of Armani and Versace, and naturally sure to delight the high priests and priestesses of style world. The so-called Quadrilateral (Quadrilatero della Moda) of fashion, formed by Via Montenapoleone (‘Montenapo’), Via Sant’Andrea, Via Monzani and Via della Spiga north of the Cathedral, is at the top of the list. Names including Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Exté, Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni, Prada, Trussardi, Valentino, Versace and Vuitton read like a veritable ABC of Italian chic. Those lacking the supreme self-confidence to enter such hallowed ground as Gianni Versace’s four floors of couture (on Via Montenapoleone 2) should stick to window-shopping paradise on Via della Spiga, where traffic is banned. L’Armadio de Laura, Via Voghera 25, has some good offbeat thrift and end-of-season returns. For the top names in design and furniture the streets to the north (close to the Quadrilateral in Corso Matteoti, Via Durini and Via Manzoni) are best, although quite expensive. Alternatively go to the district around the Brera – once the haunt of artists who have now been priced out by the exclusive boutiques and art galleries. The pedestrian Via Fiori Chiari is a particularly good spot for browsing galleries, with a number of excellent cafés along the way. The area is also popular with antique dealers, especially on the third Saturday of each month (not in August), when stalls are set up along the road. Antique fairs are also popular at the weekends around the Naviglio Grande, along the banks of the canal. South of the Cathedral and going towards the university area and the Porta Ticinese, prices fall as high fashion makes way for casual and sporting fashion. Distinctly less sophisticated but still very trendy, the area between the Porta Ticinese and the Universita Statale is popular with students. Via Torino, leading southwest from Piazza del Duomo, is a great place to pick up fashion items for children. Outside the historic centre, fashion outlets are able to move into even bigger premises and include, Corso Buenos Aires (north), Corso Vercelli (west) and Corso XXII Marzo (east) are runners up for fashion shopping. Clothes, luggage, hats, shoes, accessories and sports fashions are generally high quality and good value in Milan, although not very cheap. Stockhouse, Via Montegani 7 (telephone number: 02 8951 3951) is a good discount store; others are listed on the Corriere della Sera’s website, where the shopping pages (Il mondo degli outlet) detail outlets and bargains (spacci e occasioni). For the ultimate shopping experience, English-speaking consultants are available from Travel Media Consulting, at €60 for two hours and €30 for each additional hour (telephone number: 02 5831 2696), to guide and help carry purchases. For those who prefer the bustle of street markets, Viale Papiniano (metro San Agostino) is open all day Saturday, while Via Zivetti (metro Centrale FS) and is open on Wednesday mornings. The flea market, Fiera di Senigallia, takes place along the Darsena basin on Saturdays between 0830 hrs and 1700 hrs. The flower market sets up on Sunday mornings in Piazetta Reale (March-June and September-December). The winter sales start during the second week of January and the summer sales start in the second week of July. Most shops open 0930 hrs -1300 hrs and 1530 hrs -1930 hrs, although the bigger stores stay open all day. Most shops close on Sunday and reopen on Monday afternoons, except food stores, which reopen on Monday morning but close again for the afternoon. However, many shops open daily during the Christmas season and major bookshops are open until 2300 hrs. Many shops close for most of August. Sales tax varies between 12 and 14 per cent, depending on the value of goods purchased. Non-EU citizens should retain receipts for goods over €154.90 from a single store to reclaim their VAT (IVA), although this is a drawn-out process and visitors may prefer to purchase gifts at the Duty Free shops, where the equivalent of VAT is automatically deducted from the cost. __________ Milan Sightseeing Milan Sightseeing Guide - TravelPuppy.com Overview Visitors are not drawn to Milan for its culture, which is a pity since in the centre od the city there are many museums and a particularly good selection of world-class art exhibitions and individual pieces. Everyone has heard of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, recently restored and in the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. However, the less famous Brera Gallery is an international treasure house (on a par with the Uffizi Gallery in Florence or London’s National Gallery) and Michelangelo’s last work, the extraordinary Pieta Rondanini, in the civic galleries of the Sforza Castle, is a surprise find for many of the city’s visitors. Sightseeing is made easier in Milan by the proximity of attractions to the city’s Duomo (Cathedral). Visitors should not be afraid to explore on foot, ignoring the efficient transport services whenever time permits. The centre has an attractive number of pedestrianised quarters where a cocktail of architectural styles often stand shoulder to shoulder with the very modern, to a very stylish effect. The pace of Milan can be unrelenting. Visitors embracing the invigorating tonic of city life will need to balance their time just as the Milanesi do. Urban romantics will enjoy wandering the southern stretch of the historic centre, taking in the canal banks of the Naviglio Grande, where the old wash houses can still be seen, exploring the University district and the historic collection of basilicas Sant’Eustorgio and Sant’Ambrogio. The city parks, Parco Sempione and the Giardini Pubblici, are to the north and pleasant enough for a break on a sunny day. Tourist Information Azienda Promozione Turistica del Milanese (APT) Via Marconi 1 Telephone number: 02 7252 4301. Fax number: 02 7252 4350. E-mail: apt.info@libero.it or apt.milano@trentino.it Website: www.milanoinfotourist.com Opening hours: Monday-Friday 0845 hrs-1900 hrs, Saturday 0900 hrs-1300 hrs and 1400 hrs-1800 hrs, Sunday 0900 hrs-1300 hrs and 1400 hrs-1700 hrs (winter); Monday-Friday 0830 hrs-2000 hrs, Saturday 0900 hrs-1300 hrs and 1400 hrs-1900 hrs, Sunday 0900 hrs-1300 hrs and 1400 hrs-1700 hrs(summer). There is another tourist information office in Stazione Centrale, Piazza Duca d’Aosta, on the first floor (telephone number: 02 7252 4360), open Monday-Saturday 0800 hrs -1900 hrs, Sunday 0900 hrs -1230 hrs and 1330 hrs-1800 hrs. Passes The Welcome Card includes a one-day public transport pass, a short history of the city, a map of the city (and includes public transport routes), discount vouchers for selected shops and a CD compilation of classical music. Unfortunately, no discounts or free entrance to tourist sights are currently offered. The card can be purchased at a cost of €8.00 from the tourist information office. Key Attractions Duomo (Cathedral) In the heart of the city, Milan’s Duomo is the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, begun in 1386 and added to each century thereafter. The best time to come and visit is in bright sunshine, when the windows create a kaleidoscope of colour through the cavernous interior. St Charles Borromeo, its most important benefactor and lies buried at its heart. A champion of the Counter Reformation, he commissioned the wooden choir and many of the statues plus the nivola, the peculiar basket that is used in one of Milan’s stranger ceremonies. Twice a year (May and September), Milan’s most important relic, a nail from the cross of Christ, which has been displayed over the high altar since 1461, is brought down by the bishop who is then hoisted up there in the nivola. Visitors should explore the underground octagonal chamber where Borromeo is buried (Lo Scurolo di San Borromeo) and the adjacent Treasury. World War II bombs thankfully just missed the Cathedral’s roof, which nests amid a majestic web of flying buttresses, spires and pinnacles. Above the forest of 135 spires and more than 3,400 statues, the small gilded copper statue of the Virgin, the ‘Madonnina’, erected in 1774, stands over the central lantern, 108.5m (119ft) above the city; the statue is lit at night. Visitors should take the lifts outside the apse to avoid climbing the 158 stairs. On a clear day, the view north extends as far as the Alps. Il Museo del Duomo next door is well worth a visit. Tickets cost €6 (concessions are available). The front of the Duomo is currently covered with 7,000 square metres of plastic-faced scaffolding. This is the only way to reach the 12 spires of the upper facade. It may be two years or more before this comes down, depending on the amount of restoration work needed at the top of the front facade. Piazza del Duomo Telephone number: 02 7202 2656. Fax number: 02 7202 2419. E-mail: fabbrica@duomomilano.it Website: www.internetlandia.com/duomo Transport: Metro Duomo; bus 2, 3, 8, 15, 18 or 19. Opening hours: Daily 0700 hrs -1900 hrs. Admission: Free (cathedral); €1 (treasury); €5 (terrace by lifts); €3.50 (terrace by stairs); €3 (autoguide hire - €5 if returned after 1730 hrs). Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Entered from the Piazza at the front of the Cathedral, the glass-domed cruciform Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery is a vast Belle Epoque shopping arcade. It was built to link the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala and soon became Milan’s conservatory. Winter and summer, Milanesi can be seen here, escaping the rain, browsing the exclusive shops and sipping Campari and soda in the bars. Piazza del Duomo Transport: Metro Duomo; bus 2, 3, 8, 15, 18 or 19. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours (shops, bars and restaurants close at various times). Admission: Free. Museo Teatrale alla Scala (Theatre Museum at La Scala) Opera lovers should visit this museum, crammed with rich mementoes of the celebrated opera house, La Scala. Two halls are devoted to Milan’s darling Verdi, whose ‘Slaves Chorus’ from Nabucco remains the unofficial Italian anthem. Memorabilia include the spinet on which he learned to play, scores in his own hand and the jewel-encrusted baton presented to him after the triumphal reception of Aida. Rossini, Puccini and Toscanini are honoured alongside him. Palazzo Busca, Collegio San Carlo, Corso Magneta 71 Telephone number: 02 4691249. Website: www.lascala.milano.it Transport: Metro Conciliazione or Cadorna. Tram: 19, 24, 29, 30. Bus 94. Opening hours: Daily 0900 hrs -1800 hrs. Admission: €5. Santa Maria delle Grazie The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo) is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Lodovico Sforza commissioned Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece (1495-97) for the refectory adjoining the Dominican church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting depicts the moment of Christ’s revelation of the betrayal. The 12 apostles are grouped into threes with Christ at the centre, Judas (described by Vasari as a ‘study in perfidy’) to the right, his hand frozen on the bag of silver on the table. The positions of the figures are thought to relate to the signs of the Zodiac. Over the years some paint flaked off because Leonardo applied it directly to dry plaster (fresco secco) instead of bonding the pigments with wet plaster (buon fresco). Controversy rages over the recent removal of layers of corrective overpainting during the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite deterioration, the painting is lucky to have survived as a bomb destroyed the refectory roof in 1943, and the experience of seeing it for the very first time is quite unforgettable. Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Corso Magenta Telephone number: 02 498 7588; reservations 02 8942 1146. Transport: Metro Cadorna; tram 20, 24, 29 or 30. Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday 0815 hrs-1845 hrs, Sunday 0900 hrs-2000 hrs; visits are limited to 15 minutes, in groups of twenty; booking is mandatory and reservations are only accepted 60 days prior to visit (credit cards are not accepted). Opening times can vary. Admission: €8 (plus €1 reservation fee); €11.25 with guided tour, in English 0930 hrs and 1530 hrs. Museo d’Arte Antica del Castello Sforzesco (Museum of Historic Art of the Sforza Castle) Three municipal museums compete for attention within the redbrick 15th-century Sforza Castle on the edge of the Parco Sempione, but the most venerable is the Museum of Historic Art. Visitors come to see Michelangelo’s last work, the unfinished Pietà Rondanina, depicting the Virgin cradling the body of Christ, which was bought by the museum in 1952. The sculpture’s rough surface and abstract sinuosity is strikingly modern. Upstairs, above the extensive sculpture galleries, there is a large collection of paintings, including notable works by Mantegna, Antonello da Messina and Leonardo da Vinci. Besides the combined Museum of Historic Art and the Pinacoteca del Castello which houses Italian paintings from the 13th to 18th century, the other two museums, the Museum of Applied Arts (exhibiting wrought-iron work, ceramics, ivory and musical instruments), and the Archaeological Museum, are housed in the fortress (Rocchetta). Piazza Castello Telephone number: 02 6208 3940. Transport: Metro Cairoli or Cadorna; bus 43, 57 or 70; tram 1, 4, 12, 14, 20 or 27. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 0930 hrs-1730 hrs. Admission: Free. Museo Poldi-Pezzoli (Poldi-Pezzoli Museum) The Poldi-Pezzoli Museum’s varied and often exquisite collection of art, furnishings and historic arms was put together by the 19th-century aristocrat, Gian Giocomo Poldi Pezzoli (1802-79). Milan’s favourite painting (after The Last Supper), Antonio Pollaiolo’s Portrait of a Lady, hangs here. The profile portrait of an elegant and well-attired lady has since become an icon for Milan’s own style and elegance. The museum also hosts paintings by Andrea Mantegna and Sandro Botticelli. Via Manzoni 12 Telephone number: 02 794 889 or 796 334. Fax number: 02 454 7384. E-mail: info@museopoldipezzoli.org Website: www.museopoldipezzoli.it Transport: Metro Duomo or Montenapoleone. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 1000 hrs-1800 hrs. Admission: €6 (concessions available). Museo Bagatti Valsecchi (Bagatti Valsecchi Museum) The Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi, built by two brothers in 1883 as their ideal Renaissance household, but was only opened as a museum in 1994. Avid collectors of antiques from the 15th and early 16th centuries, they furnished all the rooms with their vast collections. The result is a fascinating insight into the mentality of 19th-century Milan, which had just recovered its independence, nostalgically going back to the days of the Sforza. Highlights of the collection include the fine painting of Santa Giustina by Bellini and the exquisite majolica and Venetian crystal glassware. Via Santo Spirito 10/Via Gesù 5 Telephone number: 02 7600 6132. Fax number: 02 760 14859. E-mail: info@museobagattivalsecchi.org Website: www.museobagattivalsecchi.org Transport: Metro Montenapoleone or San Babila; bus 54, 61 or 73 to San Babila; bus 94 to Piazza Cavour; tram 1 to Via Manzoni. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 1300 hrs-1745 hrs. By appointment only in July and August. Admission: €6 (€3 on Wednesday); concessions available. Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Picture Gallery) Napoleon, whose statue by Canova stands in the courtyard, opened the Brera Picture Gallery in 1809, a collection that was enriched with objects confiscated on his various Italian campaigns. Formerly a Jesuit Academy of Science, the Brera’s name comes from the meadows in which it once stood. The collection is best known for its Venetian and Lombard masters. Particularly fine are the lyrical Pietà by Giovanni Bellini, depicting the death of Christ, and Mantegna’s virtuoso treatment of the same subject, the body foreshortened and viewed from the soles upward. Tintoretto’s gruesome depiction of the spirit of St Mark hovering over his cadaver, appearing to the Venetian merchants in the gloom of the Alexandrian catacombs, is hard to miss. Raphael’s Wedding of the Madonna and two rare works by the enigmatic Piero della Francesca should also not be overlooked. The Baroque masterpieces include Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus, dramatically staging the New Testament scene in a pool of light. Via Brera 28 Telephone number: 02 8942 1146. Fax number: 02 720 01140. E-mail: brera.artimi@arti.beneculturali.it Website: www.brera.beniculturali.it Transport: Metro Cairoli or Lanza or Montenapoleone; tram 1, 4, 8, 12, 14 or 27; bus 61 or 97. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 0830 hrs-1915 hrs; Saturday until 2300 hrs (June-September). Admission: €5 (concessions available). Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum) In the city of the Last Supper, interest in the creative genius of Leonardo da Vinci is understandable. Most visitors come to this museum, devoted to the history of science, to see the Leonardo Gallery, with its host of models (both static and functioning) that illustrate da Vinci’s intuitive genius. His designs for war machines, flying machines, architecture and production awaken admiration for a man whose ideas, even when not 100 per cent successful (such as the rotating screw, claimed as a precursor to the helicopter), display incredible foresight. Via San Vittore 21 Telephone number: 02 485 551. E-mail: museo@museoscienza.org Website: www.museoscienza.org Transport: Metro San Ambrogio; bus 50, 54, 58 or 94. Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 0930 hrs-1700 hrs, Saturday and Sunday 0930 hrs-1830 hrs. Admission: €7 (concessions available). Civica Galleria d’Arte Moderna (Modern Art Gallery) The Modern Art Gallery is a treat for lovers of 19th and 20th century art. Housed in Napoleon’s former summer palace on the edge of the Giardini Pubblici, the extensive collection covers neo-classicism to the modern day. The Impressionists are well represented in the Grassi collection, with works by Bonnard, Cézanne, Corot, Renoir, Sisley and Vuillard. The gallery also holds numerous works by Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916), one of the founders of Futurism (approximately 1910). Palazzo Reale, Via Palestro 16 Telephone number: 02 7600 2819. Transport: Metro Palestro; tram 1 or 2; bus 94. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 0900 hrs -1730 hrs. Admission: Free. Further Distractions Basilica de Sant’Ambrogio Built by Saint Ambrose who was the Patron Saint of Milan, and dedicated to the third-century Martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, the original basilica dates back to the fourth century. The three saints’ remains can be viewed in a glass case under the main altar. Bishop Ambrose’s most famous convert was St Augustine. The Sant’Ambrogio basilica (9th-12th centuries) is one of Milan’s finest churches, a monumental building in the mature Lombard Romanesque style, retaining its early Christian basilica plan based on the architecture of ancient Rome. The Chapel of St Victor (Sacello di San Vittore in Ciel d’Oro), at the end of the south aisle, is a vaulted funerary chapel built in the church cemetery in the fourth century. It was lined (in the next century) with superb mosaics, of which that of St Ambrose may be from living memory. The Museo della Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, which includes paintings, fabrics from the fourth century, illuminated manuscripts, stained glass and mosaics, has now been divided between the Museo Diocesano and the San Vittore in Ciel d’Oro part of the Basilica. Piazza Sant’Ambrogio Telephone number: 02 8645 0895. Transport: Metro Sant’Ambrogio. Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday-Friday 1000 hrs-1200 hrs and 1500 hrs-1700 hrs; Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday 1500 hrs-1700 hrs only. Admission: Free. Il Cimitèro Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) East of Stazione Garibaldi, the Monumental Cemetery, which opened in 1866, may appeal to romantic souls, happy to leave the bustle and grime of Milan’s quick and ponder Milan’s dead instead. Much of the funerary architecture is excellent Art Nouveau, celebrating the passing of Milan’s rich and famous, including Toscanini, novelist Alessandro Manzoni and poet Salvatore Quasimodo. The Palanti Chapel is more poignant, commemorating the 800 Milanesi killed in Nazi concentration camps. A guidebook available at the entrance indicates the most notable monuments. Piazzale Cimitèro Monumentale 1 Telephone number: 02 659 9938. Transport: Metro Garibaldi; tram 3, 4, 11, 12, 14, 29, 30 or 33; bus 41, 51, 70, 94. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 0830 hrs-1715 hrs. Admission: Free. _____________Milan Tours - Excursions Milan Tours Guide - TravelPuppy.com Walking tours The APT Information Office, Piazza Marconi 1 (telephone number: 02 7252 4300), runs a walking tour every Monday, which starts at 1000 hrs from the APT office. At the price of €15, the three-hour tour takes in the city centre and includes entrance to the Scala. Private guided tours also can be booked from the Centro Guide Turistiche di Milano, Via Marconi 1 (telephone number: 02 8645 0433; fax number: 02 863 210). Bus Tours The only way visitors can see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper without having advance reservations is to take the three-hour APT bus tour (telephone number: 02 7252 4300). Advance reservations for the bus tour are not possible and visitors should simply turn up at the tourist information office on Via Marconi 1, off Piazza del Duomo, beforehand and buy tickets (€40) prior to departure, which is daily at 0930 hrs. The tour lasts three hours and includes the Cathedral, Sforza Castle and entrances to The Last Supper, the Brera National Gallery and the Scala Museum. Tram Tours Reproductions of sepia photographs showing Milan’s trams are common in Milan’s restaurants and bars. One of the more charming ways to get to know the city centre is by taking the restored 1920s no 20 tram (‘Ciao Milano’), managed by the private company STAB (telephone number: 02 3391 0794). The tram departs from Piazza Castello on a circuit that takes just under two hours. It is an ideal form of transport for getting to the Cathedral, The Last Supper, the Piazza della Scala and the Brera. Tickets cost €20 for a two-hour tour including stops but do not include entrance to any attraction. Commentary in English, French, German, Spanish or Japanese is provided via headphones. In summer (and winter weekends), there are three trams on Saurday, Sunday and holidays (at 1100 hrs, 1300 hrs and 1500 hrs), while winter sees only two trips (1100 hrs and 1300 hrs). The tours are not available the second and third weeks of August. |