Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mass. As so much of Milan's urban fabric is made up of gray, utilitarian architec-
ture lining broad boulevards strung with tram lines and teeming with traffic, it
comes as a bit of a shock to realize that the city is also home to some stupendous
churches—a heritage from its 4th-century role as a capital of Western Christianity.
On Sundays, dress to the nines (this is Milan, after all) and take your pick of
churches for Mass, from the huge, echoing nave of the Gothic Duomo (Sun at 7,
8, 9:30, 10, and 11am and 12:30 and 5:30pm—plus lauds at 10:30am and ves-
pers at 4pm), to that hidden jewel box of Renaissance architecture, Santa Maria
Presso S. Spirito (Sun at 10am or 6pm). Perhaps the most evocative spaces,
though, are those 4th-century churches just south of the center: the elegant
Romanesque interior of Sant'Ambrogio (a popular place, with Sun Masses sched-
uled at 8, 10, and 11am—that one's in Latin—and at 12:15, 6, and 7pm) or the
ancient octagon of San Lorenzo Maggiore (Sun at 9:30, 11:30am, and 6pm—
or, for an odd experience, pop into the 4pm Mass in Tagalog; this church serves
as a cultural center for Milan's sizeable Filipino community).
Shop with the Locals
So many people come to Milan for the shopping, but so very few can afford the
prices in the Quadrilatero d'Oro boutiques. That's why the real Milanesi don't
bother buying there; they just window-shop and pause for see-and-be-seen drinks
at Cova. When it actually comes time to break out the credit cards, most Milanesi
head instead for two neighborhoods where prices are cheap, stock shops abound,
and midpriced middle-class goods take precedence over Prada and Armani designs.
To the northwest of the historical center lies the neighborhood for true bar-
gain hunters, the grid of streets southeast of the train station surrounding the
broad Corso Buenos Aires (follow Via Vitruvio from Piazza Duca d'Aosta in
front of the station; Metro stops Lima and Loreto are the gateways to this bargain
stretch). This wide boulevard is home to a little bit of everything, from shops that
hand-sew men's dress shirts to CD megastores. As it crosses Piazza
Oberdan/Piazza Venezia heading south, it becomes Corso Venezia and the stores
start moving up the scale.
Men will want to stop at Darsena (Corso Buenos Aires, 16; % 02-29521535),
where you just might find an Armani suit or jacket at a rock-bottom price.
Calzaturifico di Parabiago (Corso Buenos Aires, 52; % 02-29406851) shods men
and women fashionably at reasonable prices, with an enormous selection and a
helpful staff. For designer shoes at a discount, look no further than Rufus (Via
Vitruvio, 35; % 02-2049648; Metro: Centrale F.S. or Lima), which carries men's
and women's styles from lots of labels for under 100.
Spacci Bassetti (Via Procaccini, 32; % 02-3450125; Metro: Garibaldi F.S., but
closer on tram 33 or 94) is a discount outlet of the august Bassetti line of high-
quality linen, and the huge space offers the luxurious towels and sheets at excel-
lent prices. They also have regular (non-discount) stores at Corso Buenos Aires, 52
( % 02-29400048; Metro: Lima), and Via Botta, 7A ( % 02-55183191; Metro:
Porta Romana), near the Navigli.
The other hunting ground for discount fashions is south of the historical center
in the Navigli district (starting at the south end of Corso di Porta Ticinese; Metro
to Porta Genova, or trams to Piazza XXIV Maggio). Women can shop at Eliogabaldo
(Piazza Sant'Eustorgio, 2; % 02-8378293; Metro: S. Agostino), where some of the
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