We were in Milan for 3 days.

• The Duomo: This is a gorgeous church that seems as large as a village. The outside looks like a white fairy castle – or like a pre-melting Sagrada Familia. Then, there are statues all along the outside, so that even seeing all of one part of one side of the facade takes fifteen minutes. The doors are similarly detailed, with each one depicting from sixteen to thirty different scenes, with multiple characters. And that’s before you even go inside! The inside has hundreds of sections, with chapels dedicated to specific clergy members – often with their mummies still there. There are stained glass windows of varying styles and marble flooring in star-like patterns. There are multiple sets of pews: some facing a primary altar, but plenty facing side altars as well. More statues and sculptures figure here as well. One particular statue depicted a very muscled bald man, who neither of us could place (religiously). It’s hard to really convey the scale of this place. Looking around, I estimated that, even working from completed plans, it would have taken one thousand artisans and assistants several years to finish the work. Aside from marveling at the structure and artistry, I’m almost a bit sad because of how hard it is to adequately appreciate each glorious piece. Sadly, we did not go up on the roof.
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: This is actually a big mall, with a cool-looking roof and an entrance which resembles the Arc de Triomph. Most importantly – at least for us, since we can’t afford anything there, is that it has a legend associated with it. On the floor in one spot, there is the Torino coat of arms, which prominently features a bull. If you look closely, you’ll find that a portion of the bull’s anatomy is conspicuously absent. If you put your right heel in this sensitive area and spin around three times, it is meant to bring you good luck ( – some say in your sex life). Stories differ widely, with some claiming that locals believe none of this nonsense (especially since the coat of arms isn’t even Milan’s); others are convinced that this is Italians’ closely-guarded secret to happy personal time. B and I split the difference: he spun around, and I did not. That ought to confuse any luck wishing to bestow itself on (or absent itself from) our (sex) life.
• The stores: Yes, there were a million stores in Milan, and we went into exactly one of them: the Gap. I understand the horror, but do you know how hard it is to find cotton underwear made up of more than two strings but less than a full bed sheet? Other than that, we walked past many a story, all promising sales, discounts, and clearances. The higher-end ones confused me with their winter clothing: fur-lined items were on display! The lower-end ones were so packed, I couldn’t imagine making my way through them. Plus, I doubt that even the city of Milan can save my (lack of) fashion sense, so why terrify the poor shopkeepers?
• Cinque Vie historical district: They say that this is the oldest part of Milan: a five street crossing at which Roman-Imperial-era Milan was settled. I was expecting a bit more pomp and/or circumstance. Instead, it’s just any regular intersection of smallish roads or larger alleys. The neighborhood around it is indeed cool, mostly because it has many a decent restaurant. We walked by one in a plaza, with people talking and laughing into the night: exactly how you’d imagine Europe.
• Santa Maria delle Grazie al Naviglio: This is likely my favorite church in Europe so far. That’s because it has many, building-sized stained glass windows depicting stories I know from the Old Testament. Imagine a very bright-colored glass depiction of Miriam playing a timbrel; the color and size seem to make the scene even happier.
• Pinacoteca di Brera: We went here in part because Italy calls this a pretty small museum, and I wanted to ease B into it. The building also houses a small astronomy museum and a number of marble statues, some in ruins. But the primary collection is of Italian 14th century (and thereabouts) art of a religious nature. I lost count of the number of depictions of Virgin with Child, with babies ranging from ascetic to corpulent. There were a few more modern works: a Picasso, a Braque, a Modigliani, and a few more. But mostly, we powered through this museum because there are only so many times we can look at religious scenes with slight differences before our interest wanes.
• Saint Ambrose: This church is second in importance in the city, after the Duomo, they say. It isn’t nearly as big, but it has a bunch of side ‘chapels,’ with altars, mosaics, etc. And of course, the obligatory tomb of a church official with mummified, creepy fingers. Mass was starting, so we hightailed it out of there.
• The Sforzesco Castle: This castle seems to have been passed off among rounds of successive victors of local battles for dominance. There’s a museum inside, supposedly featuring Michelangelo’s statue of the Pietà Rondanini, but the crowds were ridiculous. I did eavesdrop on a Russian tour describing the ceiling frescoes, and I walked through a courtyard that looked to be out of southern Spain or Morocco. In the middle of the castle walls was a big tent playing cool music, but – alas, it was being used for a kids coloring activity. Here, we also came upon the Kennesaw State men’s basketball team, evident initially not from their jerseys, but from their heights. Right outside the castle walls on one side was a sculpture resembling a giant needle and thread. On the other was a gelato place. And off we went.

What We Skipped:

• Pinacoteca Ambrosiana: Another art gallery, with more work by Caravaggio, so we opted out.
• Santa Maria delle Grazie church: One problem with booking last-minute is that it’s difficult to get into places like this, which is the church that has ‘The Last Supper’ painting. There are tours you can book day-of that include a stop in, but they are so very expensive.
• Museo del Novecento: Would have been nice to see this museum of 20th century art, but we ran out of time.
• Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology: Would have been nice to see this museum too, but we ran out of time.
• Saint Maurice: Someone on the Internet described this as the Sistine Chapel of Milan. We’ll aim to see the original.