ITALY - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 341

Milan has an excellent underground transportation system (Metropolitana Milan-
ese). A ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for 75 minutes on buses and trams or for
one underground (metro) trip. There is also a day ticket available for €4.50 and a
two-day ticket for €8.25.
The friendly Milanese devised the “Milano for You” Welcome Card kit to make
your stay in Milan more convenient and enjoyable. The kit includes access to
art tours, cultural theme dinners, Giuseppe Verdi Symphonic Orchestra tickets, a
24-hour public transportation ticket, city map, and an opera music compact disc.
It's available at the tourist information office (€13).
There are times when Milan reaches the visitor saturation point and NO VACANCY
signs go up all over town. Should you arrive in Milan without hotel reservations,
you have two alternatives to consider.
If there is no housing in Milan, you can leave town. A EuroCity train can have you
in Como in 30 minutes, where hotel rooms probably will be more plentiful. In fact,
you may be taken with the idea of residing in this lovely lake location throughout
your stay in the area. There is express-train service back to Milan every morning.
Another alternative is a fast but systematic search of the concentrated hotel area
adjacent to the railway station. There is a covey of luxury and first-class hotels to
the left of it. Dominating the scene is the 17-story Michelangelo, with the Bristol,
the Anderson, the Andreola, and the Splendido close by.
For lower cost but comfortable lodgings, walk 2 blocks on Via Roberto Lepetit,
beginning at the Michelangelo, to Piazza San Camillo. Within this distance, you
pass the Florida, the Colombia, and the Boston hotels. No luck? Turn right at the
Plaza onto Via Napo Torriani. Between this point and Piazza Duca d'Aosta 3 short
blocks ahead (where you can again see the station), you pass several more hotels.
If you have not found a room by this time, head back to Milano Centrale and take
a train to Lake Como.
The main tourist office charges a nominal fee for making accommodations reser-
vations, but they are not authorized to accept deposits to guarantee that your re-
servation will be honored on your arrival at the hotel or pension. If you have made
a room reservation through the tourist office, proceed immediately to your hotel to
confirm your reservation in person. Many Italian hoteliers operate on a “first-come,
first-housed” basis, and even though you have a reservation, someone else may
end up with your room.
Day Excursions