If talking about the fashion the first places come to mind are the fashion capitals: New York -Milan- Paris –London-Tokyo. All of these places considered to be the places hosting the most amazing fashion shows and gathering the best designers all together.
But when starting an actual visit to the places, you usually find out that they are not only the best spots for the fashion but the best for the actual visit. Although all of them are pretty cool- the first place that needs to be visited is undoubtedly Milan.
Milan, a city in northern Italy, is the second (after Rome) on the population and the first – in popularity among tourists’ consumers. The central part of the old city and streets are small, so a taxi is not the most convenient way to travel around the city. The distance that you could walk for 15 minutes, will have to go by car for about 40 minutes.
It should be noted that it’s not just like New York where you can catch a taxi right on the street but you might need either to call up or go to the special taxis, which are easily recognizable by the inscription “TAXI” and with the line of white cars. If your hotel is far from the center, then you can take the metro or tram, which will give you the feeling that you are in one of the oldest places in the Europe- you’ll feel yourself like in the old days. Tickets, which you’ll need in the subway and in buses and trams, you can buy directly from the newsagents.
The Center of Milan – Duomo Square has the main attractions: the Duomo (just a breath away from so many twisted steeples and towers), the monument to Vittorio Emmanuel (the central place of the square and gathering place for tourists) and the gallery of Emmanuel (bookstores, cafes and restaurants).
It’s interesting to know that the main tourists visiting the place are from Japan and United States. But the preferences of the groups are various- Japanese love to have stops at the small shops and to visit the suburbs of the city, while the Americans love to stick up with the central part of the city.
Milan, being the capital of fashion, turns into a job spot for the local and international fashion models. During the day time these provocative models are being dressed casually and most of the time do not differ from the rest of the public. For example: sneakers, socks like Pinocchio, mini skirt with frills, feathers and down and short fur jacket with striped lapels. The local Italian go splendidly dressed, with make-up and new-fangled haircuts. It is pleasant to watch.
Streets sidewalks are not as in Portugal, rustic stone, and asphalt and this is contributing a lot for those walking in high heels. But the thick of the Italians I just saw. Compared with Portugal, which is simply teeming with fat men, and all youth is overweight, every single Milanese seems to be elegant. Women wear trousers with low waist, tight to the knee, but from the knee down a little and expand on this part you can see everything: pens, feathers, beads, pieces of rags, casing, sometimes have the impression, as if these trousers were found in a garbage can and stuck to them.
I must say that walking through the city center during the day is very pleasant, but at night there is nothing to do. There are no discos like in Lisbon, surroundings are not much lighted. Prices in Milan are totally terrible. A bottle of beer in a bar Heyneken costs 7,50 Euro. But there is a long list of Japanese restaurants everywhere. The streets smell nice, not because it‘s not in New York, where all the streets smell of ketchup and potato-fries.
And what a beauty in the gardens! Many homes have a small square gardens where they usually grow maple or birch, and in the center of all of there is a small fountain, or at least, a statue or bust of granite or marble.
Yes, in Milan, in the restaurants of national cuisine there is nothing like potato fries! And steak is offered with two or three circles of zucchini or eggplants on the grill. Probably that’s why most of the Milanese are not fat! Bread restaurants substitute lavash- flat bread type, thin and baked, like crackers, which will not lead to gaining weight.
It is interesting that in the cafes the main dish of the day – salad with fresh vegetables and leaf lettuce, sandwiches with vegetables, stuck on the grill with a drop of olive oil. Well, what a healthy food!
I must say that the non-central zone of the city is in a very unattractive condition. There are graffiti on the streets everywhere. On Sunday, all shops, cafe and restaurants outside the city center are closed. It was very difficult on the last day to find a place where we could even have a lunch in the town. And we take the advice of a taxi driver who offered us a restaurant with its traditional cuisine. And it was just great!
Advices for those who are wishing to travel to Milan:
1. The trip to Milan needs to be planned for early fall or early spring, when there is little dust or severe frosts, as well as to undergo widespread discounts.
2. Be sure to visit the Duomo Square and the surrounding attractions.
3. For breakfast, I advise to go to any cafe and refreshment sandwich with vegetables and tea. I agree, is unusual, but turns out to be rather refreshing even in the morning.
4. I would advise you to have lunch in the chain of cafes- Autogrill (open only at lunch time). In them you’ll be given a rich choice of ingredients, and took the tray, you type all you want: salads, pasta, rice, fish or meat that is prepared right in front of you in a few minutes, beer, wine, cakes and all that can make anyone a full meal.
5. Dinner in a restaurant “Peper Moon” near Piazza Duomo, make sure to taste appetizers displayed on the counter of Antipasti.
6. Visit the fashion show, for which you need to know in advance the dates of shows and book tickets through the internet or travel agency.
7. Look fashionable by matching your paisley print dress with amazing fashion accessories while enjoying winter in Milan: