Last-minute adventure near Milan

July 8, 2012 9:51 AM

I missed my flight back to the states, and have an unexpected day to kill in/around Milan. Does anybody have suggestions for where to go / what to do?

I have searched other travel questions, but didn't find anything that really resonated with me. To give an idea of what I like, I spent my other 2 free days here:

* Walking between the villages in Cinque Terre

* Using the bus/ferry/train to get to Montissola on Lago Isea and wandering around

I don't speak Italian, but I'm comfortable using the local public transit. I'm not interested in renting a car, or spending my day in museums. I'd much rather find somewhere beautiful and wander around, and nice cafes are a bonus.

posted by Metasyntactic to travel & transportation around Milan, Italy (9 answers total)

I passed Milan's duomo on the bus to the airport and was really sad I didn't visit it.
posted by Sara C. at 10:15 AM on July 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

I don't know if you're into photography, but according to Scott Schuman (AKA: The Sartorialist) Milan is one of the best places in the world to...

1. People watch and/or photograph people in the streets.
2. Get a sense of what sort clothing will be fashionable and/or styleish.
3. Buy clothing.

I've also heard from a friend who has been there that the coffee is simply amazing. It might be worth it to just hit up a few places and get some espresso.
posted by neilgorman at 10:16 AM on July 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

Lago Maggiore is gorgeous. It's a train ride away and there is lots to see without a car.
posted by Marauding Ennui at 10:32 AM on July 8, 2012

Well, Hangar Bicocca is a museum, but not a typical one. It's a converted airplane hangar full of very large-scale installation art, and it's a good way to escape the crowds -- we were literally the only people there when I went. Can't say the surrounding area was particularly exciting, though.
posted by pete_22 at 11:08 AM on July 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

I wonder if this is already too late? But Como is a wonderful little town within commuter-distance of Milan. I dreamt of it yesterday :-)
posted by mumimor at 12:00 PM on July 8, 2012

I love Milan. You should consider seeing DaVinci's famous "The Last Supper," painted on a wall of a church in Milan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_%28Leonardo_da_Vinci%29

I found the piece to be oddly compelling in real life. There is a reason that it is so famous. ...And I'm not a religious man, so this was not because of the iconography. It was the piece itself. I was overwhelmed.

There is also a Da Vinci museum worth seeing.
posted by dr.duus at 12:24 PM on July 8, 2012

I last did this when I was 12 and I'm 28 now, so check to see if it's still possible, but take a tour of the roof of the duomo.
posted by ocherdraco at 12:31 PM on July 8, 2012

(I'm not going to decide what to do until the morning ... so keep the suggestions coming)
posted by Metasyntactic at 2:08 PM on July 8, 2012

Unfortunately, the science museum and the last supper exhibit appear to be closed on Mondays, so those are out.
posted by Metasyntactic at 3:01 PM on July 8, 2012