Milan Photo Diary: 2 Exciting Days In The Italian capital

Staying in The fashion capital of Italy: A Milan Photo Diary

Alright, here is my Milan photo diary from when we went to Milan for the first time! We went to Milan after our trip to Venice as we were flying out of the Milano airport. We spent two days there and if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I annoyed quite a few people by controversially saying that Milan was only alright. I stand by that! It is not bad, but if you only have a short time in Italy, I recommend you skip this one.

Milan is great for taking photos as there are some gorgeous buildings and architectures, but after two days I was ready to leave as a lot of the town is kind of cookie-cutter big-city-HM-and-Zara-on-every-corner and there is a lot of poverty and not a lot of green areas in the city. If you’ve been to Paris and that was your vibe, you’ll probably enjoy Milan. If you did not like Paris, Milan is not going to be for you.

What you will find here

Now that I’ve given you the rundown of Milan, I should tell you I took some beautiful photos in Milan (which is partially why I wanted to give a disclaimer about the reality of the city). Here you’ll find how I spent my two days in Milan. It is part itinerary, and part photo diary. Love these spots? You can find all my Favourite Spots to Take Photos in Milan here along with the Google Maps locations.

Best places to book your trip

💙 Book a hotel with Booking.com (this is my favourite website to book hotels)

💙 Get an e-sim for your trip with Airalo

💙 Book experiences with Viator.com

💙 Book experiences with GetYourGuide.com

💙 Book a car with Rentalcars.com

💙 Book a train around Europe with Rail Europe (saves you a lot of time looking up trains across countries!)

💙 Book lounge access for your airport with Priority Pass (I’m an airport lounge girlie)

💙 Find somewhere to leave your storage with Radical Storage

How to spend 2 days in Milan

Morning in Milan

Milan's Duomo,Duomo di Milano, looks great in the morning light and the crowds are low.
Milan’s Duomo,Duomo di Milano, looks great in the morning light and the crowds are low.
Afterwards, we went around the corner to the The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is perfect in the morning!
Afterwards, we went around the corner to the The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is perfect in the morning!

Midday in Milan

The crowds at The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II at midday.
The crowds at The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II at midday.

What to eat in Milan

Milan is actually fantastic for vegan food, so if you’re looking for the best vegan food in Milan (and maybe all of Italy!) I highly recommend you check out La Colubrina. They make amazing and unique vegan options that are perfect for a nice dinner out. I also recommend Radicetonda and Panzerotti Luini for a more casual meal.If you’re looking for a cafe, I highly recommend Pasticceria Nepà for pastries and coffee.

Afternoon in Milan

We took the elevator to the rooftop of the Milan Duomo for panoramic city views.
We took the elevator to the rooftop of the Milan Duomo for panoramic city views.
The views of Milano city from the Duomo.
The views of Milano city from the Duomo.
Inside the cathedral.

evening in Milan

During the evening, we had an amazing full course meal at La Colubrina, including this truffle pasta.
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What to see in Milan

During our two days, we managed to see the Duomo (both inside the cathedral and from the top). The Teatro alla Scala museum, and wander Parco Sempione. There are more sights in Milan to see like the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie which houses Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper and Palazzo Reale di Milano if you have more time!

Morning in Milan

This morning we decided to try Pasticceria Nepà, an all plant-based cafe.
Arco della Pace in the morning is nice and empty.
Arco della Pace in the morning is nice and empty.

Midday in Milan

After walking through the park, Parco Sempione make sure you stop at Sforzesco Castle for the Milan photo diary.
After walking through the park, Parco Sempione make sure you stop at Sforzesco Castle.
Then we headed to the Milan Starbucks Reserve Roastery which has some unique drinks (no vegan food).

Where to stay in Milan

If you’re wondering where to stay in Milan, we stayed at Andreola Central Hotel, which is right around the corner from the station and really close to all the vegan cafes. The hotel was good, with a decent sized bathroom and excellent aircon (really important when in Europe during August). The breakfast was included but we skipped it as there were zero vegan options, but honestly with Pasticceria Nepà so close nothing can really top that! We booked our hotel Andreola Central Hotel here, which is where we book all of our hotels!

Andreola Central Hotel.

VERDICT

Milan is a great pitstop for two days

Milan might not be my favourite place in Italy, but it has great vegan options and some beautiful architecture. It is a good option if you’re looking for a transit city as it has a big airport and connected train station.

Did this article speak to you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!

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