The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is not only beautiful with high end shopping but it is much…read morelarger than I expected. I made way over to spinning the bull mosaic and there was a circle full of people just jumping in to spin the bull. It is best to visit the Galleria on a week day for the weekend is super crowded. I experienced both and I prefer the weekday 100%.

What and amazing meal, our server Jaba did a great job in recommending the dinner choices, and…read moredessert. His attention to detail was amazing. This was the best meal that we had in Italy on our vacation. and Jaba made this meal very special for us. Thank you!

Minimalist architecture along a tree-lined street. I was excited to check out this museum since the…read moreproliferation of fashion exhibits in recent several years in major cities has provided fantastic insight into garments from these high end and often couture design houses. Upon entry, you are greeted by very tall, well-groomed men--it seemed a little too specific that there were barely any women and the exhibit attendants all looked like male models that needed side gigs. Nothing against good looking people (and modeling is not the easiest industry to get into, so not detracting from them needing work), it just felt excessively deliberate and superficial though I suppose that's the image they want to portray as an old school high end fashion company. The first 2 floors of the museum were basically photographs blown up larger than life poster size from various shoots and campaigns through the years. Nice shots though it felt a bit self-congratulatory and pretentious--like I understand maybe one floor dedicated to photos,--two just felt like too much, also it was just a lot of photos of beautiful people looking beautiful, which is really not that impressive. Any better than decent photographer with a good eye for composition could shoot these given the right resources. I guess it's supposed to make you want to aspire to that impression of beauty, contrasting images of both the girl/boy next door and high fashion shots, both with that sort of unobtainable perfection, exoticism or sex appeal displayed by alternatively a super casual or aggressive pose, or a carefree or mysterious smile, or intense expression. I would've appreciated the photos more if they were about the clothes but really the way a lot of the compositions were framed the clear focus was on the people's faces, bodies/poses and emotions they evoked while they just happened to be wearing Armani which honestly detracted from my appreciation for the fashion itself. On to the top 1.5 floors with actual garments--it looks like they switch up what's on display since from the photos posted several years ago I'm pretty sure not all of these were on display when I visited. I appreciated that you could walk around the exhibit and see the garments and some accessories up close, there are a lot of details you can't see from behind a glass display case! Overall enjoyed the variety and creative design elements. There is an archive "research" area where they have computers and desks set up on the top floor for visitors to look thru archive collections which was nice. Bathrooms were clean and lowkey tastefully designed. There were elevators but not accessible to the general public bc they made you walk up 3 flights of stairs and back down (I tried pressing the elevator button/touch pad but couldn't get it to work?). Aside from top floor, not really any place to sit on the first 3 floors, I saw a couple ladies sit down on the stairs between the floors bc they wanted a break.

Loved this! The gowns are presented as art and the intricate design, fabric, and construction are…read morevisible. I was able to get close (Not touch!) the gowns and really see the artistry. This was a very welcomed surprise enjoyment. Spent about 2 hours going through the four floors. Layout is very well done - with arrows pointing the way around each floor, which helps with flow and crowd control. We went on a Sunday, so it was free (another bonus). The staff was very friendly and helpful and kept an eye on everyone to make sure no one touched anything. Nice variety of colors, fabrics and styles made each section interesting in itself. The videos were good too, although in Italian, so I did not understand them except for the English parts. Very well worth the time for fashion and non-fashion people.

This is a museum/school. It was a bit hard finding the museum, but pretty amazing once you find…read moreit. Tons of religious paintings that are larger than life and I mean large! Couldn't believe the size of some of these. It is strange that the exit is the entrance, so you will have to walk ALL the way back. Still, an amazing place and check out my pictures!

This museum is a must see when in Milan. It is so wonderful that I would even recommend a trip to…read moreMilan just to see it. The art is mostly religious but the setting is what makes it special. The wall color is different in each room and the scale of the art is unlike anything I have ever seen in either the Uffizi, Prado, the Louve or the Met. Paintings the size of Times Square billboards cover walls of intense blues, teals and magenta. We had the good fortune of seeing a spectacular exhibit featuring the work of Giorgio Armani whose elaborate creations were on display in almost every room. The building itself was a marvel. Timed tickets are a must.

Everybody heads to "The Last Supper" while in Milan but I liked this museum much more. For fans of…read moreda Vinci here are some reasons to head here: 'Portrait of a Musician": unfinished da Vinci painting, his only known male portrait and to me has a similar emblematic and mysterious facial expression as the Mona Lisa. There was a printed Last Supper mural in this room that everyone was taking photos of and ignoring this real da Vinci! Codex Atlanticus: Collection of writings and drawings by da Vinci. There are scans online but they have been recolored blue so you could see them better but nothing can beat the well-lit originals where you can see finer details, erase marks, and small mistakes. The pages rotate every 6 months so you can see new pages. Whole I was visiting there were oages on mayh, machinery, and gears. Museum was founded in 1618 and has 24 rooms. You can easily spend an hour and a half here minimum. If you buy the dual ticket there is a crypt right at the museum exit you can also go to though that is much faster than the museum. Here are some other things I enjoyed: Caravaggio Basket of Fruit: painted on an empty background, I'm not sure if this was the intent but it makes the painting more timeless and draws the eye to the detail on the plate of fruit. The apple is rotting and the leaves have bits of decay, the grapes are opaque but have an amazing translucent quality to them. Napolean Bonaparte gloves: made from buckskin and worn by Napolean at his definitive defeat at Waterloo. I love how casually these are displayed in the box they were gifted to the museum in. Dolce and Gabbana da Vinci clock recreation: mechanical and functioning, created from a da Vinci sketch. The building itself is red brick and stunning from the outside. You can see different masonry techniques from different eras and the imperfections in alignment and depth give it a nice human touch.

4.5 and rounded up. For a smaller museum, it packs a punch! I purchased this ticket in combination…read morewith the Duomo cathedral, rooftop and Duomo Museum for €35,50, which was a good value since individual tickets for this place are €15. Since it's located a short walk (10ish minutes if you aren't really familiar with the area) away from the Duomo Museum, I came here toward the end of the day after also visiting the Palazzo Reale. There's something about antique and unique libraries that draws you in. Taking in the sights, sounds, smells of tomes older than most buildings in Manhattan, and the architectural details of the spaces they are housed in--knowledge and history come alive. In the case of this museum, the 12 volumes of the Codex Atlanticus are housed here, which are the most extensive compilation of writings and drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, compiled posthumously by sculptor Pompeo Leoni in the late 16th-early 17th centuries. By combining some of da Vinci's loose notes and pages from notebooks onto large-dimension paper, used to print atlases at the time, the compilation became known as the Codex Atlanticus. Subjects covered by da Vinci fall into the categories of: 1) geometry and algebra, 2) physical and natural sciences, 3) tools and machines, 4) architecture and applied arts, 5) human sciences. Aside from above, there are a few other noteworthy displays of art by mostly Italian masters, da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli and Caravaggio included, with a couple Dutch painters like Brueghel and Bosch sprinkled in. Arriving at close to 4pm on a Saturday, it was a bit rushed to try and get thru everything in roughly 45 minutes (they start to usher people out starting around 15min before the museum closed), though the floor plans and direction of exhibits were pretty straightforward--the exhibits start on the second floor and you make your way down back to the first floor again. The exit of the museum is separate from the entrance so it took a few minutes to walk back around.

So much fun diving into all these great places to see and absorb as much as possible. One thing…read morethat seems to be common with tours is the lack of headphone quality. I would suggest having your own pair or stay close to the guide.

This is a campus of museums- you could spend an entire day here alone!…read more We visited prior to another tour so only explored the campus itself not any of the museums- impressive! Many many various courtyards that all have a different purpose & feel. I am sad we did not have more time here to explore but we had not researched the area enough to... shame on our loss

Terrible experience last Friday. I was literally hounded by the staff over a tiny backpack, despite…read morethe empty rooms and the total lack of checks at the entrance. Meanwhile, there were women with oversized bags, and I was carrying my backpack at my side with full respect and awareness of my surroundings. I was forced to leave after only three rooms due to what can only be described as 'harassment,' despite having paid for a ticket. The treatment was rude and illogical, especially toward someone like me who has studied and loves art. I hope management takes action.

4.5 stars but rounded down. TLDR synopsis: stellar exhibitions, well put together and curated with…read moreample descriptions and detail. What detracts from overall experience is needing separate tickets for each exhibition, at €15 a pop they aren't cheap if you see more than one. But above all, signage for entry is not clear. If you didn't buy tickets in advance (highly recommended to do this), the line at front of the building is only for ONE of the exhibitions, not all of them. There is no main lobby like in a regular museum. So make sure you get in line at the particular entrance of the exhibit you came to see, or you'll waste time in line for nothing. To the unfamiliar visitor you might assume the line in front of the building is for the entire museum (which is generally how entry lines work in a museum). BUT NO, DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE :) Walking up to the entrance area I saw signs for that particular exhibit, which I just assumed was marketing to feature that exhibit. The museum attendants don't specifically mention that this ticket line is for only one of the temp exhibitions either, they only kept asking if everyone in line had yet to purchase a ticket. Basically I wasted time waiting for an hour, then paid for the ticket and ended up only noticing then it only had the Cezanne and Renoir image on the ticket. This wasn't the one I came to see (although I had a mild interest), and unfortunately they don't let you switch tickets once you purchase them. So I had to purchase a separate ticket at the entrance to the Dolce & Gabbana exhibit which HAD NO LINE which I saw afterwards at a different entry. If you buy tickets in advance then do it before the day of your visit, bc the website can be finicky when loading on your phone. I tried to buy tickets while standing in line but when it came to entering the timed security code they texted to my phone, the website kept saying it couldn't send the code, while meanwhile I kept receiving a code but not being able to enter it to complete the transaction. It may be an issue related to using international phone numbers in Italy bc I overheard a couple other people in line having the same issue. The only good thing about buying tickets in person is you save the €2.50 online service charge. Online it's €17.50, in person it's €15pp. Also, there is a free portion of the museum (in Apr 2024 this was for the accessories portion of the D&G exhibit) which no one (I asked 3 different museum attendants) could point me to -_- tho to be fair it could've been a lost in translation situation since I have zero Italian competency. I finally went to the gift shop for one of the other temp exhibits and they mentioned it's actually the same entrance to the main D&G exhibit, you proceed up the stairs but it's on the other side of the ticket counter. It's def confusing bc the timed ticket line for D&G is cordoned at the base of this same stairwell, with a couple attendants manning this line. So unless you knew that there's no one barring you from straight up going upstairs, you might think you have to get in line to go upstairs. Exhibitions: Cezanne and Renoir: they put a lot of attention into construction and descriptions of each painting, and audio guide came included for free in the ticket price, which was informative and took about 30-40 minutes to listen thru in entirety. The number of rooms and artworks was a couple fewer than I would've imagined though overall well curated. Dolce&Gabbana: MIND-BLOWING. I've seen all the major Met fashion exhibitions in NYC and a couple in London, and this one stands out in every way. Talk about over-the-top! So amazing bc all of these garments are shown in fully themed rooms, not behind glass displays. Jaw-dropping to see that level of detail up close. If you're a lover of fashion, fabrics and design or even just curious this is a must-see. I'm sure you could walk thru all the rooms in 30-40 min but I spent 3 hours here just taking it all in.

Dining in Milan has been delightful! Today's meal at Verso, a Michelin restaurant, was one of the…read morehighlights of the trip. It was an unforgettable experience...watching two brother chefs cook this meal along with a bevy of other chefs and kitchen staff was like watching an artist create a master piece. Each course was meticulously executed...each item and sauces/purees were cooked or prepared separately with deft precision. Each course was served on a new and an aesthetically pleasing serving plates . Each course was discussed with exquisite detail. Each course was more fantastical than the last. Verso has a modern vibe with extremely personable, attentive and friendly wait staff. Your dining area was kept impeccable clean. In addition new utensils were set out for every course. The flavors, textures and visually appealing courses were captivating. I've dined at other Michelin restaurants but this is the first time a meal has been prepared before me. My rating is 5++++++.

I visited Verso in August 2024 (one year ago). It was a very unique experience that me and my…read morehusband still talk about. My husband found a last minute reservation for lunch and we didn't look at the menu prior. The menu was very seafood heavy. I don't like seafood and my husband is impartial to it. The staff was on top of every aspect, creating a curated experience. If you drop your napkin, no worries, you've got a dedicated waiter to hand you a new one. Unmatchable service. Now the Food - some items were really good and some were down right nasty. They started us off with an assortment of little bites, again most of them were seafood heavy so I personally wasn't a fan and my husband thought it was so-so. Almost everyone around us was ordering from the tasting menu but again, being so seafood heavy we opted to order a la carte. I ordered the lamb - it was delicious! My husband ordered the almond ravioli. He hated it. Halfway through our meal, they brought out the a dessert menu for us to look at. The soufflé needed at least 30 mins to cook so we had to order early. Once we were done eating our mains, our server came around with a large briefcase to present our dessert napkins, this time to an orange scented napkin which was to complement our dessert choice. They also changed out our water cups to chalets that a medieval king would have. The presentation was everything. The soufflé was not too sweet but not too bland or eggy either. After all this, we still had one more dessert course to go through which arguably was the best part of the whole meal. The dessert presented at the end was absolutely delicious. I still think about the cream puff. All in all, while the food palate wasn't what we're used to or like; the service, ambiance and some of the food made up for it. It was one of the most memorable experience in Milan for us.

Seeing The Last Supper is one of those Milan experiences you kind of feel obligated to do, and…read morehonestly, it's worth it -- just don't expect fireworks. Even with prepaid tickets, you still have to go to the building next door to redeem them, then wait until your exact assigned time to enter. They run it super precisely, moving groups of about 20-30 people through a few climate-controlled rooms before you reach the main hall. You wait around five minutes in each section, then get about 15 minutes with the mural itself. Total experience is roughly half an hour. The process feels like airport security meets museum logistics, but it's designed to protect the painting. Having a tour group in my slot actually helped a lot: I unintentionally learned a ton by listening in, which made the experience more interesting. Without context, it's easy to just stand there like, "Yep, that's the painting." As for the mural itself, it's cool, historic, and obviously iconic -- but it is pretty faded in real life compared to photos. It's not visually mind-blowing, but knowing you're standing in front of something Leonardo painted over 500 years ago hits differently. Not thrilling, not overrated either. More of a quiet, respectful "wow, this actually exists" moment.

It was a very cool place in Milan! We went a few months ago but it was hard to purchase tickets…read moredirectly without a tour group (they get the tickets) The " Last Supper"