Our overnight layover in Milano turned into a few hours of exploration!

Heading back to the US from our last trip to the homeland (Italy), we had an overnight layover in Milan. Originally, we were planning on a cozy evening in the hotel to catch up on rest and work. However, last minute (perhaps it was the nap on the flight up), we decided to #yolo and catch a train to downtown Milan for dinner.

Boy, are we glad we went!

Before I get into the touristy part, let’s review a few travel logistics (my favorite).

The Airport:

Our flight arrived in Milan from Sicily around 3pm and our flight to the US was departing the following day early in the morning.

Keep in mind, when flying into Malpensa (MXP) airport from a domestic flight you arrive in Terminal 2, whereas International flights arrive/depart from Terminal 1. This information will come in handy.

Pro Tip: If you are piecing flights together, be sure to verify which Milan airport you are arriving/departing from – there are 2 Linate and Malpensa. They aren’t super close to one another but there are busses and shuttles, if you are in need.

Lodging:

Initially, I booked a room at the Hilton near Terminal 1 since we’d be leaving from that terminal the following day. However due to their shuttle services not aligning with our early flight time, we ended up staying in Terminal 2 at a Marriott property. Without knowing it, that was the perfect place for us to stay. The entrance to the train that would take us to downtown Milan was right across the street. Not to mention it was a cute property and they gave us cocktails #winning !

The Train:

Getting to downtown Milano from the airport actually is quite simple and not super expensive! Because we weren’t planning on going out, we didn’t really research how to get around, we saw signs, asked around and it worked out.

The train that takes you from MXP to downtown (and a bunch of other places) is the Malpensa Express and it takes about an hour to get there. There are plugs at each seat so be sure to pack your chargers and converters!

Once we arrived in Milano at the Stazione Centrale, (basically Grand Central Station), we walked downstairs to connect to the local Metro. To get to our location, we took the Duomo exit (yellow line from San Donato). If you’ve ever taken the Metro in NYC or any other country, you’ll easily navigate it in Milan. For any questions, there are folks in the booths that you can ask, sometimes.

Please note: there are also people who will try to help you… for a fee.. be weary of lingerers who approach you.

Pro Tip: take pictures of your train stops & the maps that way you can easily reference them and find your way back.

Now that we’ve gotten the logistics out of the way, I’ll add some pictures of the views!

In just a few hours we saw, the Duomo, the Galleria, the Scala, and all the surrounding piazzas in the area. That might sound like alot of site seeing, however, everything is pretty much in the same area and accessible on foot.

As soon as we walked out of the subway, we had a big “Welcome to Milano” moment as the Duomo was right in front of us, greeting us.

Since we did not really plan out this outing, we decided to eat dinner in the Galleria… like true tourists 😉 And while the culinary experience was subpar at best, the view is really what we came for (but do better Motta ristorante).

Actually, I need to go on a rant here. I really wish that restaurants in tourist areas (and I’m speaking for everywhere in the world) would realize that they contribute to the tourists’ perception of the local cuisine and culture. Why not take pride in representing your country and the food you serve customers and actually give a great culinary and hospitality experience? After all, these tourists (that are helping to pay your bills) will leave your country with the perception you’ve helped shape.

Ok rant over, I feel better!

Let’s look at some pretty pictures, shall we? These were all taken on my iPhone – can you get over that?!

Getting out of the airport for these few hours was so worth it! I highly recommend leaving the airport if you have a layover and checking out the sites, even if it’s only for a few hours.

Have you ever taken time to explore during a layover?! Let us know!

Cheers & thanks for reading.