← 2022 Italy & France

Milan

An early morning walk near the Duomo catches the city at its quietest — an old man feeding the pigeons, long before the crowds arrive. By daylight, the Duomo's marble facade is the main event: stained glass and statuary fill the interior, and a rooftop tour winds through a forest of spires, close enough to touch. Across town, Castello Sforzesco's brick walls rise behind a fountain, its Torre del Filarete keeping time on an astronomical clock face. Milan's newer side holds its own: the Bosco Verticale's balconies have gone fully wild with trees, and the Excelsior Hotel Gallia's gold lettering marks a different kind of landmark. The day closes at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — a mosaic floor and glass-domed arcade by daylight, its entrance arch glowing gold after dark.

The Gothic marble facade of the Duomo di Milano

Stained glass windows and marble statuary inside the Duomo di Milano — Stained glass and marble statuary inside the Duomo

Walking the rooftop terrace of the Duomo di Milano among its spires — Walking the Duomo's rooftop terrace, spires rising on every side

Castello Sforzesco and its clock tower, the Torre del Filarete, above the piazza fountain in Milan — Castello Sforzesco and the Torre del Filarete, above the piazza fountain

The astronomical clock face of the Torre del Filarete at Castello Sforzesco in Milan — The astronomical clock face of the Torre del Filarete

The Bosco Verticale in Milan, its balconies overtaken by trees and greenery — The Bosco Verticale, its balconies overtaken by trees and greenery

The gold lettered sign of the Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan — Excelsior Hotel Gallia

The glass domed interior of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan by day — The glass-domed interior of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The entrance arch to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan lit up at night — The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II's entrance arch, lit up at night

← 2022 Italy & France