Destination Milan, Italy

This is not a paid post. Flights were curtesy of British Airways

Milan, the capital of style and sophistication pulsates with an energy that stimulates all your senses. It has plenty to shout about. Besides having a reputation for luxury fashion and design, it is Italy’s financial hub. The football and food are not bad either.

Milan
Courtesy of British Airways

The streets are punctuated with artistic and architectural wonders as well as museums. The old favourites continue to dazzle the crowds. I defy you not to stand in the Piazza del Duomo with the statute of Victor Emmanuel ll, the first king of Italy, reining in his horse and gape at the sight of the Duomo, Milan’s Gothic Cathedral. This most renowned symbol, sparkling white in the sun, will make you stop and catch your breath. 

The Duomo, Milan’s Gothic Cathedral

There are plenty of art galleries housed in gorgeous old buildings to enjoy. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is the painting that most tourists want to see. Getting a ticket is as hard as obtaining a front row seat at Prada during Fashion Week so book in advance.

Opera buffs will want to ensure they reserve their seats before they travel if they want to attend a performance at Milan’s fabled Teatro alla Scala. If you are visiting outside the season go and take a look at the building.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Arguably, the best show that Milan puts on is in the streets themselves. Populated with people elegantly dressed, each district stages its own performance. 

Wherever you go you will find shops. People flock to this city for retail therapy. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a domed- shopping arcade running between the Duomo and La Scala Theatre, is a work of art in itself. It is a taste of another era. The long glass roof delights today as when it was built in the second half of the 19^th century.  

Navigli District

With designer shops including Prada and Gucci as well as cafés and restaurants, it is the perfect place to mix with locals and indulge in an aperitif – a ritual in Milan. Your drink invariably comes with rather good nibbles so relax and watch the world go by. You may just pick up some style tips.

For good luck, according to old Milanese tradition, you should spin your heels on the mosaic bulls’ “private parts”. You cannot miss the spot as you will see plenty of tourists patiently waiting their turn.

No visit to Milan would be complete without sauntering around the Quadrilatero d'oro della moda, the golden rectangle of fashion that is the city's beating heart. Consisting of four main streets: Via Monte Napoleone, Via Alessandro Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia you will find all the luxury brands here. Walking around is inspiring even if you do not flex your credit card.

Brera is a treasure trove of speciality boutiques and chic restaurants. It has an arty almost bohemian feel. However, it is not just home to museums and galleries as you will realise as you take in the heady smells of brioche and cappuccinos that fill the air in the pretty, narrow, cobbled streets first thing in the morning.

Milan at sunset

From here I discovered several more interesting shops as I made my way to 10 Corso Como. This style emporium, a favourite with the fashion crowd since it opened in 1990, is tucked away in a quiet courtyard off what is often said to be Milan’s coolest street. Goodies include leading designer labels, accessories, and books. There is even a small boutique hotel as well as a lovely café/restaurant where you can refuel.

For a complete change of pace I ended my day in the Navigli District where edgy collides with the industrial past. Leonardo da Vinci reputedly helped overhaul this network of canals. Today the banks of the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese canals are littered with bars which come to life in the evenings. Not quite Venice or Amsterdam, the area exudes a certain charm where you can escape the throngs of the city and feel as if you have escaped to the countryside. Just what is needed after a day hitting the shops.

By Daralyn Danns

British Airways flies from London City to Milan Linate up to twice a day during the week with one flight on Saturdays and Sundays flying-from-london-city-airport-to.html

(In addition BA has services from Heathrow with connections also available from across the UK and Ireland.)

Advance purchase each way. Basic fares are available from £47 and are available to book on www.ba.com/londoncity

Club Europe fares include a generous baggage allowance, complimentary refreshments and drinks on board and no debit card charges 

Customers have a quick and easy journey through the Docklands airport, with hand baggage it takes just 15 minutes to get from kerbside to airside. (It did not take me much longer to get airside despite having luggage to check in.)

I combined a stay in Turin (destination-turin-italy) with one in Milan. (You could also visit the beautiful Lake Como.) 

Stay at Hotel Dei Cavalieri Milano Duomo (spacehotels.it)
Just a few minutes’ walk from the Duomo, this modern hotel is a good base for exploring Milan. The rooms were comfortable and spotlessly clean. Service is good, staff attentive and helpful. The rooftop bar and restaurant has fabulous views over the city. While it is not cheap, the views are worth it especially if you like watching sunsets

For more information about Italy visit italia.it/en

Destination Turin, Italy

This is not a paid post. Flights were courtesy of British Airways.

Staunchly proud of its past, glowingly happy with today and revving ahead to tomorrow, Turin is as invigorating as a glass of Italy’s finest sparkling wine. 

When you think of this city what usually springs to mind is the Shroud of Turin, Fiat cars, Juventus Football Club and perhaps vermouth. An image of being an industrial, dull town did nothing to entice tourists. Maybe it was like that once. But today Italy’s fourth-largest city is one of the country's most spectacular jewels to have come out of hiding. 

Turin
Courtesy of British Airways

Sitting on the River Po, flanked by the Alps, Turin is swathed in elegance and beauty. Lashings of culture and history, accompanied by exceptional food and wine as well as superb shopping, this suave and dignified city has it all. 

In 1861, the various states that made up the Italian peninsula united and became one nation, Italy. Torino (the Italian name for the city) was pronounced the capital. It held the title for four years. Torino’s response on losing its status was to promote industrial development. It is that fighting spirit to keep reinventing itself that is so evident in this city that was once the stamping ground for Nostradamus and the seat of the Savoy royals. 

Turin
Courtesy of British Airways

Turin went through trying times in the 1980s and the decades that followed. The city had once again to think about where it was heading. The 2006 Winter Olympics was the catalyst that ignited its rebirth. Its industrious spirit yet again came shining through. Now contemporary art and architecture fuse harmoniously with the old and regal in this ever-evolving city.

Thanks to the Romans who planned the orderly street grid, walking round the city’s wide avenues, grand squares and 11 miles of arcades is a delight. If only they were around to plan today’s large towns life would be so much easier.

I started my day exploring the beautiful Baroque squares and royal palaces. The Piazza Castello is home to the first Italian parliament, Palazzo Madama, now a museum, and the Savoys’ grand Palazzo Reale. While Piazza San Carlo, Turin’s beating heart, is fringed with beautiful Baroque buildings watched over by the statue of Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Savoy on his horse. In the distance I could see the Mole Antonelliana, the revered symbol of the city.

Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Savoy on his horse

The Turin Shroud is obviously a crowd-puller but it is rarely seen in public. You can generally only see a replica but it is worthwhile dropping in at the Turin Cathedral as it is a stunning piece of Renaissance architecture.

For a taste of the exotic you may want to visit the Egyptian Museum, which dates back to 1824. Other than the Cairo Museum, it is the only one that is dedicated solely to Egyptian art and culture.

After indulging on royal palaces, churches and museums it was time to walk along the city’s imposing boulevards and sample its café culture. Lavazza coffee hails from here.

Chocolate has been top of the league in Turin for hundreds of years. (Nutella is from the region.) The magical arcaded-shopping streets are overflowing with palatial 19th-century cafés. You have to stop to soak up the atmosphere and have a bicerin, a delicious concoction of cocoa, coffee and cream. 

Gianduiotti are hard to resist. These lovely inverted boat-shape treats are made, as they have been for hundreds of years, by grinding Piedmont hazelnuts into a paste and combining them with chocolate.

After a stroll along the river, it was time for an aperitif which I was told was a ritual in this town. Italy’s Piedmont region, of which Turin is the capital, produces some wonderful wines. The barolos and barbarescos are regarded as some of Italy’s best. Cinzano and Martini & Rossi hail from here. As you would expect vermouth is a key ingredient of cocktails. I headed to Casa del Barolo, a lovely intimate wine bar where the customers are as friendly as the staff.

All drinks come with mouth-watering savoury appetizers, a norm in this town. A classic dish from this region to try is vitello tonnato, cold thinly sliced veal covered with a creamy tuna-flavoured mayonnaise. 

Your taste buds will definitely go on a culinary journey in Turin. The city is littered with superb restaurants. This is the place that gave birth to the Slow Food movement. Its aim is to preserve traditional, regional cuisine using fresh produce from local producers. 

Before I left there was time to fit in some shopping. You will find the ubiquitous brands but there are plenty of gorgeous rather chic boutiques to lure you in.

Turin engages you from the moment you arrive and makes you feel immediately at home. This city really does have it all.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there 

British Airways flies from London City to Milan Linate up to twice a day during the week with one flight on Saturdays and Sundays

Advance purchase each way. Basic fares are available from £47 and are available to book on www.ba.com/londoncity

(In addition BA has services from Heathrow with connections also available from across the UK and Ireland.)

Club Europe fares include a generous baggage allowance, complimentary refreshments and drinks on board and no debit card charges

Customers have a quick and easy journey through the Docklands airport, with hand baggage it takes just 15 minutes to get from kerbside to airside. (It did not take me much longer to get airside despite having luggage to check in.)

I combined a stay in Turin with one in Milan

Rooftop terrace, Turin Palace

Stay at the Turin Palace (spacehotels.it)

A perfect combination of old and new, this gorgeous hotel, housed in a 19^th-century building, is warm and welcoming. Rooms are decorated in shades of pink and cream with grey and burgundy upholstery, set off with black-lacquered wood furniture. The Art Deco bathrooms are lovely and spacious.

Soft drinks from the minibar are complimentary. The buffet breakfast is a good spread. The hotel’s star attraction is the rooftop terrace where you can relax with a drink and take in views of the city. The hotel’s restaurant puts its own creative spin on Piedmontese dishes. Situated opposite Porta Nuova, the city’s main railway station it is only a five-minute walk from the city centre.

The Turin Palace is part of Space Hotels, an Italian independent hotel company. To find more information click here spacehotels.it/en

For more information about Italy visit italia.it/en