1. The Duomo di Milano. This six century old cathedral is the heart of Milan. With its grand Gothic architecture, I could sit and look at this monument for hours. I have sat and looked at this monument for hours, day and night. And that is just the outside. You have to go inside (make sure your knees and shoulders are covered !!!!) to see all the art and if you have time, please climb to the top. On a clear day you can see the entire city and the Italian alps beyond it.
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3. Castello Sforzesco. A 14th century fortress turned 15th century castle, Castello Sforzesco is nowadays home to several of Milan's museums and art collections. The Museum of Ancient Art which includes Michelangelo's last sculpture (the Rondanini Pietà), the armory, the tapestry room and some funerary monuments. The Trivulziana Library holds Leonardo da Vinci's 'Codex Trivulzianus' manuscript. Also in 2012 new paintings attributable to Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio were discovered there.
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Aperitivo - the Happy Hour of Italy, which lasts way more than an hour and I usually eat enough to get me through dinner AND breakfast the next morning. Milan is famous for it's aperitivi where you pay for your drink and with it you get unlimited access to an endless buffet of Italian foods. Some places have just little finger foods, but there are others where you can find an assortment of pizze, paste and dolci. My favorite place to go looking for an aperitivo is around the Grand Canal in Navigli. Just a few minutes walk from Porto Genova (M2) metro station, this romantic neighborhood is chalk full of restaurants, bars, galleries, shops and on Sundays in the summer, there is an antique market. Just walking around the canals, you are bound to find somewhere loud and full of people to sit outside and enjoy.
Colonne di San Lorenzo, or simply colonne, is the place to be day or night. The actual columns are located in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, which were taken from a temple or public bath house dating from the 2nd century. In the day time, this open space is occupied by tourists visiting the shops and restaurants and at night it transforms into a giant party. Students come to this area, alcohol in hand, and simply sit down and hang out. It's a great place to meet new people, I met some of my best Italian friends by starting a random conversation.
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