In the middle of October I took my mum and we went for a girls weekend to Milan. Now Milan is known as a city of shopping, but since we did not want to spend too much, we rather appreciated its other perks. The famous Duomo is of course a must, but then there are other, more hidden things to see. And wonderful italian pasta, too 🙂
The Duomo of Milan is the third biggest church-structure in the world. To enjoy it to the fullest, I recommend buying the Duomo Pass. The architecture inside the main space is stunning and even when it is crowded it feels airy and nice. The outer facade is worth admiring as well. What is quite unique about the Duomi di Milano, though, are the roof terraces open to public (included in the Duomo Pass). Either take steps or lift and you can admire the view from the roof as well as its beautifully carved columns and ribbing. The whole visit to the Duomo takes about half a day, including the lines.
Less known, but very interesting, is the church Santa Maria Presso San Satiro. This small structure jammed between other bigger buildings, it doesn´t look very inviting from the outside. But once you enter, you have a feeling of a proper big church with all the due space. This is a famous trompe-l’oeil, as the wall right opposite the entrance is painted in a way to give an impression of much bigger space.
Another interesting detail in Milan is the bronze ear of Casa Sola-Busca. The ear sits on a building in a quiet neighborhood away from the main buzz of the city. Surprisingly enough, it is a predecessor of an intercom. Instead of a doorbell or a knocker, the visitors would announce their arrival by shouting into this ear. It would still be functional, but the occupants of the house were so annoyed by passers-by constantly trying if it works, that they decided to disconnect the ear. No wonder. But we had to try as well 🙂
