Milan's metro system is typical of what you'd find in any large city. It's a bit dirty, rough…read morearound the edges, and littered with graffiti -- think of it as more New York City than Washington, D.C. The metro system is easy to understand and well laid out with color-coded lines. Make sure you ask at your hotel before setting out which stops you want. There are plenty of useful stops all over the city and most are less than a few steps from the stations! You'll encounter lots of interesting folks riding the rails, including impromptu musicians who'll give a concert of varying quality and then pass the hat. Of course, tourists should be on the lookout for pickpockets. Keep your ticket because you need it to enter the turnstiles and also to exit! Once you insert it into the turnstile, it'll pop out the top. Take your ticket and enter. After your ride, you do the same thing at the exit gates. You can buy your ticket in the machines located in each station but beware that they are in various states of disrepair. Try to have exact change because sometimes the machines run out of change and you're out of luck. They are very slow too, especially when giving back coins so be patient. Each ride is a reasonable 1.50 Euros, but check out the special all-day pass that gets you unlimited rides for 24 hours. It's a bargain if you're planning on using the metro as your primary means of transportation.

Mind the doors. On…read morea recent family trip to Milan, we used the subway to cross the city. Always making sure to enter each subway car in a timely manner. At the Duomo M3 a lady ran to make the train, but her long braided hair got stuck as the doors shut and she could not pull it from the closed doors. I pulled the emergency brake before the train started to move. This opened the doors and allowed her hair to be released from the tightly closed doors that had trapped her hair. Of course this caused a delay in transit, but someone just came to our car, reset the lever and once again the subway was back in service. Thank goodness she was okay, but definitely mind the doors.

The Duomo metro stop is larger underground than it appears. There are many, and I do mean many,…read moreentrances/exits to this station. Some has chair lifts to navigate steps but most entrances have many steps and some have long hallways leading under the Piazza del Duomo. Exiting you will end up in one corner, or another of Piazza del Duomo or near Via Torino if you walk a bit further along. Once underground, you will see several automated ticket machines near the underground entrance turnstiles. Sometimes you will find a person there who wishes to 'help' you purchase your tickets. These folks are looking for a tip. If you don't need help, just say 'no grazie' and go about your business. The machines have language options to help. Once you have your ticket, scan at the turnstile and make your way down the escalators. There are maps throughout the underground to check you get on the correct train. If you prefer to purchase your tickets from a person, head up the ramp (turnstiles will be on your left) and here you will find a small area with some shops and a ticket area. Many shops in subways throughout Milan will sell tickets. Just look for the "Biglietti" sign and have cash ready. The is often a line. If you look around this area, you will see underground walkways leading off to the left. This long corridor is lined with cafe's and stores. Eventually, you will end up in the San Babila metro station where you can exit behind the Duomo shopping area. Lots of shops and some churches between San Babila and the Duomo. Exiting at Piazza del Duomo you will find the Duomo, Duomo museum, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele the oldest indoor shopping arcade in Italy, Museo del Novecento, shopping and restaurants behind the Duomo, across the street from the Duomo you will find Piazza dei Mercanti a medieval square off the pedestrian zone that leads to Castello Sforzesco. You will find many stores, restaurants and theaters in the pedestrian zone. Teatro alla Scala, a statue of Leonardo Di Vinci and Palazzo Marino are on the other side of Galleria Emanuele, just walk through. Panzerotti Luini, Milan street food, is on Via San Radegonda where you'll get a sweet or savory 'panzerotto' for just a few euro. In the west corner the metro station exits onto Via Falcone, one block south of Via Torino which includes many clothing stores. Wander the streets off Via Torino into the Centro Storico section of Milan where you'll find cobble stone streets, archeological sights, many churches and ancient piazzas. Good metro stop.