5 Fabulous Free Things to Do in Milan

[Federico]

The Capital of Fashion 

Milan is a metropolis of the future, where creativity, business and fashion meet together and influence each other. Milan is also the city of nightlife, full of cafès, bars, restaurants and nightclubs where looking good and excellent drinks are compulsory. In this modern and fast-paced city a lot of cool events take place, such as concerts, international DJs and clubbing nights. It's also a city full of events, concerts, drama shows and exhibitions. This big, dynamic metropolis is full of life and there’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to entertainment.

Milan is also the city of happy hours: there are many places where you can have an aperitif. You can start your evening in one of the most famous bars with an aperitivo, which isn’t just a simple pre-dinner drink, but a social event where food, fashion, music and cocktails combine and set the right atmosphere to start your night. Many clubs are also restaurants: this is a good opportunity to join together food and music in the same place. An piece of advice on how to get around: bus or subway are really handy, but you can also book a private taxi through this agency www.airport-transfers-direct.com. 

5 Great Experiences

 

The Twentieth Century Museum (Museo del Novecento)

Open every Tuesday from 2 PM. with admission free for anyone under 25, this four-year-old museum offers a great number of artworks, starting with Picasso's famous Femme Nue and including the renowned 1901 The Fourth Estate, an epochal painting in which painter Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo depicts the rise of the workers' movement for the first time in Italian history. Also recommendable: the small monography of Giorgio Morand, Giorgio de Chirico's personal room, works by Michelangelo Pistoletto (including the well-known Girl Running Away’), and the neon structure created by Lucio Fontana. From the highest floor, visitors can enjoy a view of the square, the Royal Palace, Piazza Diaz, and above all the spires of the Duomo.

 

The Astronomical Museum

Housed in the Palazzo Brera, it showcases tools used by astronomer over the centuries, including charts, maps, fixed telescope clocks, chronographs, planetary and meteorological models. Visits to the museum are organized periodically.

 

The Botanical Garden

In the middle of the city, a breathtaking, relaxing oasis of nature with hundreds of plants and trees. Especially appealing in the summer and/or on weekends. 

 

The Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery

A sumptuous 19th-century shopping mall next to the Duomo, in the Belle-Époque industrial style akin to the Eiffel Tower, it's home to many upmarket restaurants, cafés, and shops. (Check out the mosaic of the bull on the floor - so many people have steps on its testicles that they've worn a hole!) 
 

The Anatomical Collection in Lodi

Just outside Milan - 20 minutes by train, the town of Lodi is perfect for a relaxing day trip, and here you’ll find the anatomical collection of 19th-century scientist Paolo Gorini at the Ospedale Vecchio, including mummified heads, limbs and human bodies. Free guided tours for ages 12 and up.