A day in Milan in August

I get up far too early to be at the station in Rovato for the 7.37 train to Milano Centrale. There’s a large car park just to the right of Rovato station following the parking signs where we park for 12 hours for just one euro. The train arrives in Rovato 15 minutes late but makes up time along the way. At Centrale station we go down stairs and escalators to the M3 line of the underground system, buying tickets from a booth on the way. Tickets cost 2.20 euros per person for the single ticket which lasts 90 minutes. The ‘Duomo’ stop is the fourth and by just past nine o’clock we are standing in front of Milan’s most famous landmark. 

It’s a weekday in the middle of August so there are some tourists around but not that many locals. Many shops and other activities are closed for the summer break around ‘Ferragosto’ which is the main summer public holiday on 15th August. Two years ago we did a similar day trip on August 13th but it was a Sunday and seemed busier. That time we visited Pinacoteca Brera, Milan Cathedral and the roof terraces and the Museo del Novecento.

We walk from Piazza Duomo through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to our first destination today - La Scala Theatre which opens punctually at 9.30. There’s just a family in front of us in the queue and a handful of people behind. A staircase lined with old posters of past operas takes us up to the Hall which gives access to the balcony seats. Several are open to allow visitors to have a look at the theatre. 

Yes, it’s grand, but not quite as large as I expected. There are some explanation panels and then we have a look at the museum which hosts pictures of famous opera singers through the centuries and some musical instruments and other items. There’s also a small exhibition about Maria Callas. We take our time but are back outside in under an hour.

We walk down Via santa Margherita and then cross Piazza Mercanti and reach the Pinacoteca and Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Entrance to the museum, the library with the DeVinci Code and the Cripta di San Sepolcro costs 20 euros, but we have our Abbonamento Musei Lombardia subscription cards. There are some fine paintings, especially "Santa Famiglia con sant’Anna e san Giovanni" and "Gesu' Bambino con l'agnello" both by Bernadino Luini and the "Madonna del Padiglione" by Botticelli although the most famous basket of fruit by Caravaggio does not make a big impression on me. The air-conditioning is so cool as to be cold. I also like the paintings by Jan Brueghel especially Allegoria del fuoco and Vaso di fiori con gioiello, monete, conchiglie, but not the large stained glass window depicting Dante by Giuseppe Bertini. In the annex part of the museum around the courtyard there's a fine staircase and there are some nice paintings by Hayez in a far corner. The courtyard itself is pretty while the library is very dimly lit. 

We also visit the crypt which is empty except for the custodian who walks up and down frequently appearing unexpectedly mid-photo.

We come out at 12 o’clock and head for the convenient PAM supermarket to buy Focaccia and spek which we return to the shade of Piazza Mercanti to eat. 

There are a few groups of tourists with their guides, some workers, couples or families picnicking like us. Yes, it’s hot, but there’s a breeze and it’s a shady place with a great view. After we go for a cappuccino, nothing special but tables in the shade with a cool breeze.

Next stop is Gallerie d’Italia back opposite the Scala Theatre, elegant palazzi storici 

which host temporary exhibitions, in this case one by Felice Carena, as well as a nice collection of 19th and 20th century art. 

Again, it’s cool and relaxing with dim lighting. The website says the Arnaldo Pomodoro sculpture is being restored so we don’t go all that way, only realizing it would have been possible to see it when we are back outside. The toilets downstairs are smart and clean and we realise we should probably have had our cappuccino in the adjacent bar/bistro Aimo e Nadia which looks nice.

Last stop of the day is the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, a few hundred metres along the same street. This would probably have deserved a visit in the morning when we are more awake and less tired. Apart from paintings by Mantegna, Botticelli and Luini, there are also interesting collections of small items such as tiny sundials as well as the studiolo with a smaller and less alarming version of the Dante stained glass window we saw in Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. There are practically no tourists, and the fountain at the bottom of the stairs, complete with goldfish, makes an interesting photo.  

It's about 15,30 but we’re tired so we head back to the Metropolitana. From the Museum to our train takes about 45 minutes, the underground is fast but walking down to it, getting a ticket, waiting for a train and then walking up and through Stazione Centrale all takes time. We arrive back in Rovato just before 5.30 pm. 

I nearly didn’t go because the forecast was for 35°C but in the end we didn’t suffer the heat in Milan. The train was air-conditioned, so is the underground and all the museums, so the only heat we felt was walking between the various places. It was quiet in the morning, then busy, but not impossible as regards crowds. The underground too, was busy but not packed. We didn't book or queue for any of the places we visited. A fantastic day.