Ah, Milano! I am near the end of my semester abroad in Italy and I still cannot believe I have spent the past four months in this amazing place. If you are looking for great food, awesome people, and close access to everything else in Europe, Milan is the place to be!
I arrived in Milan from Vancouver in January after a 15 hour journey and I remember looking outside on the way to my flat and thinking, “Wow, this is definitely not Vancouver anymore”. I settled in, began classes at Bocconi, and started making new friends; then before I knew it, Milan became “home”.
Milan is a land of fashion, food, and gorgeous architecture. Some of the first things I noticed about the city were how fashionably people were dressed, how so many people rode bicycles and Vespas, and how, no matter where you are, there are tons of places to eat. A very popular area is Navigli where you can find many restaurants, pizzerias, and gelaterias. There are many places that offer traditional Milanese “aperitivo”, which is like happy hour, where you pay between €8-12 and get one drink and access to a huge buffet, with various types of salads, pastas, sandwiches, and other items. A popular place to go is Maya, where they have the best aperitivo I have had in this city!
So, you are probably thinking, “What about the famous Italian pizza and pasta?” Well, I can say from first hand experience that it is the best! Italian pizza is thin crust and loaded with any toppings you desire (even fries!) and people usually order the whole pizza to themselves. The pasta is also amazing, the fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and other toppings make my mouth water just thinking about them! Lastly, a day is not complete without visiting a gelateria for authentic Italian gelato – the countless flavours and creamy texture is something that regular ice cream just cannot beat! There is nothing quite as nice as enjoying delicious gelato, while sitting on the steps of the Duomo!
The Duomo is Milan’s breathtaking gothic cathedral that took almost six centuries to build. The entire structure is made of pink hued white marble and it stands in the center of the city, glowing, no matter what time of day it is. When you climb up to the terrace of the Duomo on a clear day, you can see the whole city. Beside the Duomo stands Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, full of shops and restaurants and it also houses the original Prada store. This entire area is bustling and lively and it is one of my favourite spots in Milan.
Milan’s geographically central location also makes it an ideal travel base for the rest of Europe. With everything in such close proximity, going to a different city or country every weekend is completely possible – I have visited nine counties and over 25 cities already and I have much more traveling coming up in the summer! Finding the cheapest flights, trains, and busses requires a bit of effort but is more than worth it when you realize how much that Europe has to offer – the culture, the people, and the history.
Living in Milan, learning about Italian culture and customs, and being able to travel throughout Europe has easily made my exchange term the best four months of my life. If you want to meet new people, learn about history and culture, try new food, and gain tons of experience, exchange is the ideal way to do it!
BIO:
Lara is in her 4th year at the Beedie School of Business concentrating in Human Resources and Management Information Systems, with a minor in Psychology. She is currently on exchange at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy and is enjoying every minute! She has traveled all over Europe and it has opened her up to many new experiences, food, and people. Email her at lahmad@sfu.ca if you have any questions!