Things to Do in Milan

A lasting remnant of medieval Milan, the historic alleyway of Vicolo dei Lavandai juts out from the Naviglio Grande canal, close to the Darsena di Porta Ticinese (dockyards). Taking its name, which means ‘Alley of the Launderers’, from its previous incarnation, the alley was used as a wash house from the Middle Ages up until the 1950s, where washerwomen would plunge clothes and linens into the stream and scrub them with soap on the waterfront. 

The focal point of the Vicolo dei Lavandai is a narrow central canal way and along its banks the stone stalls and old ‘brellins’ (wooden launderers’ stools) can still be seen. Overlooking the canal, the former grocer’s store, where soap and bleach was sold to the workers, has now been transformed into the El Brellin restaurant, and a number of other cafés line the banks.

Some cemeteries are like small cities, such as the Monumental Cemetery in Milan. It's the second-largest cemetery in Milan, and its paths are adorned with a fantastic array of sculptural tombs.

Milan's Monumental Cemetery (Cimitero Monumentale in Italian) was opened in 1866, originally built to consolidate the large number of smaller cemeteries around the city. Two new and very large cemeteries were created: one for the wealthy (Cimitero Monumentale) and one for everyone else (Cimitero Maggiore). Because it has been the final resting place for so many wealthy and famous people over the years, the tombs and mausoleums are often works of art.

Argentina's Eva Peron was secretly buried in this Milan cemetery until 1971 because of anti-Peron sentiments in her home country, and Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi was buried here for about a month before his body was moved. Today, the main draw for non-Italian visitors is the way the cemetery resembles an outdoor sculpture garden.

Milan is known as Italy's fashion capital, and there are several areas in the city known for shopping. One street with a particularly high concentration of clothing stores is Corso Buenos Aires.

The Corso Buenos Aires is a major thoroughfare in central Milan, running from Piazzale Loreto in northeast Milan toward the cathedral in the heart of the city. Closest to the Duomo, the street turns into Corso Venezia.

Unlike the cobblestone lanes of the Quadrilatero d'Oro shopping district, Corso Buenos Aires is a broad street that's busy with traffic - but it's also packed with shops. This street is said to have Europe's densest population of clothing stores. These are primarily ready-to-wear instead of the high-end fashion on display in the Quadrilatero d'Oro.

While mainly known as a shopping destination, Corso Buenos Aires also has several hotel options and is not far from the main train station in the city, Milano Centrale. Where the street becomes Corso Venezia is also one corner of the large park that includes the Museo Civico and a planetarium.

Milan is well-known as a major shopping destination, but some of the streets in its city center – including Via Monte Napoleone – are particularly famous for their designer boutiques.

Via Monte Napoleone (also spelled Montenapoleone) is Milan's foremost shopping street in the shopping zone called the Quadrilatero della Moda, or “fashion quarter.” It's lined with high-end boutiques bearing world-famous designer names – Armani, Ferragamo, Fratelli Rossi, Zegna, Louis Vitton, Gucci, Valentino, Prada, and more.

Many of the streets in this area are pedestrianized, making it easy – and pleasant – to simply window shop if your wallet won't stretch to accommodate the boutique prices. The window displays along Via Monte Napoleone are often elaborate, making window shopping well worth your while.

Milan's Ticinese district is in the southern part of the historic center, known for its shops and restaurants. It houses one of Milan's old city gates, originally built in the 16th century, while today's gate dates from the 19th century and marks the southern end of the Corso di PortaTicinese. This street is lined with shops, and "“ along with nearby Via Torino "“ is known particularly for its shoe shops.

The Ticinese area is historically working class, as is the nearby Navigli district, but both are becoming more upscale as hip cafes and restaurants move in. There are historic attractions here, including Milan's best-preserved Roman ruins, as well as a weekly antiques market.

The town of Vicolungo is in the Piedmont region near Novara, not far from the border with Lombardy. It's home to one of the many outlet shopping centers near Milan – Vicolungo The Style Outlets.

The Style Outlets is a chain of outlet shopping centers in Europe (there are two in Italy). The Vicolungo location has 150 boutique stores, each offering discounts of 30-70% off regular retail prices. Some of the brands represented in the shopping center are Armani, Missoni, Trussardi, Swarovski, Sisley, and Kappa.

In addition to the shopping, The Style Outlets at Vicolungo also have an exhibition space that regularly features art shows and events.