The first time I went to Milan I honestly didn’t like it. It was on a family vacation, we flew into Milan form Atlanta and had major jet lag, and we only planned on being there for the morning. We stopped at the first place we saw for food since we were so hungry, something very out of character for me since I usually research everything. It was nothing special, touristy and overpriced.

We then went to the Duomo, which was amazing, probably the prettiest chapel I saw in Italy, but it was very hot, we were cranky, and we had to wait in a long line. This was also our first experience with paying for a bathroom, which is very common in Europe, so we were searching without success for atms so we could get a euro to pee, definitely not a great first intro to Italy.

Once, I found out I would be staying in Milan for a much longer time than that one morning on vacation, I was not too happy since I thought it was nothing special. It wasn’t until I lived there and found my favorite restaurants, and spots to visit, that I learned that Milan is an amazing place to visit if you know where to go.

Restaurants:

1. Ravizza dal 1871

In Milan they have a “meal” that is called aperitivo. It is essentially their happy hour where you can buy a drink for 10 euros and get complimentary appetizers for food. When my friend @modelslovefood, told me about it I wasn’t impressed since I thought of an American happy hour, which is nothing special. But when she took me to my first Aperitivo at restaurant de 1975 I was blown away.

Aperitivo here started at 6:30, and the funny thing about Italy is that even though they say it starts then, it usually is much later, since Italians take their time with meals. I ordered a water for my drink, since I don’t drink alcohol, and waited for the food/buffet to come out. I was slightly annoyed I paid 10 bucks for a bottle of water and was hoping that this food would at least fill me up. When I got up to the buffet I was in heaven. They had endless veggies, meats, cured meats, seafood, and pastas. I filled my plate so high with food, I was like a kid in a candy store.

This meal was hands down one of my favorites in all of Italy. The way they cook their veggies and meat at this restaurant could not be beat. They had eggplant rollups stuffed with meat, stuffed peppers, meatballs, prosciutto and salami, grilled peppers and eggplant, eggplant parm, raw veggies and dip, and all the bread you could ever want. I obviously avoided the bread, but everything else was amazing. Their meat stuffed eggplant is one of the best things I have ever had.

I loved this restaurant so much I went back two more times during my three weeks in Milan, even by myself because it was that good. For $10 bucks you get an endless buffet of the best Italian food, that is something you shouldn’t miss out on.

2. Mantra Raw

Even if you are not a vegan, I highly recommend checking out Mantra Raw. If you didn’t guess it from the title, Mantra Raw is a Raw Vegan Restaurant, but you would never tell by how amazing the food is. I think if you take any omnivore there they would thoroughly enjoy it. I went here alone as a treat yo-self meal after Milan Fashion Week and it was one of my favorite meals in Italy.

Mantra Raw is definitely more of a sit down dinner restaurant. You will want to make reservations, like most places in Italy, or else they may not seat you. But if you make it early enough you should have no problem since Italians eat so late. The price of the menu was good for the quality of food, around 10-15 euros an entre, with large portions. They also have a huge menu, from salads, to lasagna, to raw veggie pizza (only on certain nights). They also have a bomb dessert menu, and nothing is better than raw vegan dessert (except maybe Italian gelato lol).

When I went I was craving a big salad since salads are a little harder to come by in Italy. They had a few salad options but I got the one with loads of avocado on it. When it came I was pleasantly surprised by how huge it was. It was big enough where I was satisfied with it and not wanting more, which is rare at a vegan restaurant for me. Lastly, I treated myself to a slice of raw vegan cheesecake. I was going hoping they would have their raspberry one, but ended up getting their banana one and it was amazing! It was sweetened with dates, made with cashew cream, and was delicious. I could have had three more slices!

Definitely check out Mantra Raw if you are wanting some bomb veggies and vegan desserts!

3.La Gelateria della Musica

When I was in Italy I made it my personal mission to find the best gelato there is. I found it in San Gimignano, but La Gelateria della Musica in Milan takes a close second. It is not the top ranked gelateria in Milan, but it is the locals favorite, and I would have to agree that the locals know best.

There are many locations across Milan, making it easy to find. I went on my second night in Milan and was blown away by all the flavor options there were. It ranged from Lemon, to Basil, Hazelnut, and even sorbets. I personally am a nut butter lover, so when I tried the peanut butter I was in heaven. I paired it with the espresso flavor and was depressed when it was over. I loved it so much that I went back two more times before I left Milan, even though I knew it would give me an awful stomach ache from all the sugar.

Definitely check out one of the many locations and avoid the ones that are tourist traps because they are definitely not better than this!

4. Duomo dal 1952

Duomo dal 1952 is another great restaurant for aperitivo. It is right behind Park Sempione and has a great view of the castle there. I only went here once, but it was a fantastic meal. Like the first restaurant on my list, you go around happy hour, 6-8ish, and purchase a 10 euro drink that also covers the buffet of food. If it is nice outside, I highly recomend sitting outside with a great view of the park and castle!

The buffet definitely had more whole meat options. When I went they had a GIANT pig roast that you got to carve your own piece off of. They also had tons of roast chicken, whole fish, and beef liver if thats your thing. They had all the typical Italian vegetables as well, like peppers, eggplant, potatoes, zucchini and even brussel sprouts.

As a whole, it was very good for 10 Euros. But if you had to decide between Ravizza and this one, Ravizza has far better flavors and more creative dishes.

Activities:

1.Duomo 

If you are going to Milan, it is a given that you are going to go to the Duomo. It is in the very center of Milan and you quite literally cannot miss it. But you shouldn’t just go see it and look at it but also go inside and buy a ticket! It is by far the prettiest Cathedral in Italy.

When my family and I went we bought tickets ahead of time and made sure we got the ones where we could skip the line. This probably saved us an hour of waiting, so I recommend doing the same. We also bought the tickets that allowed us to go to the roof which you should definitely do. You not only get to see the Duomo’s amazing architecture, but get the best view of all of Milan. However, you should know that my sister did not love this part since you do have to walk up a large staircase, or wait in a super long elevator line, but a little steps never hurt anybody.

Also when going to any cathedral in Italy it is required that you wear proper clothing. This means longish dresses or skirts (just above the knee), or pants. Also your shoulders must be covered before entering into the cathedral.

2. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Right after you see the Duomo you should head over to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is right next to the Duomo and huge courtyard, it is impossible to miss it.

Here you can find loads of restaurants, shopping, and beautiful architecture. I never really shopped in the main part because it is the very high end designers, but I loved to walk through and look at the amazing architecture. They also have cheaper shops towards the back streets if you walk through the Galleria.

You should at least walk through the Galleria and spend a few minutes to appreciate the beautiful architecture! I would make sure I walked through here almost daily since it is so amazing, especially when you come out to see the Duomo on the other side!

3. The Last Supper

Seeing the Last Supper is a MUST if you are in Milan. It is the best piece of art that Milan has and is located in Santa Maria della Grazie chapel. This is the chapels claim to fame, and even though it is the only thing the chapel has to offer it is worth it. You get to be in the room with a select number of people since they try to control the atmosphere the piece is in to preserve it. You also get to read and hear about the process of making it, preserving it, and restoration throughout the years.

If you want to see Da’Vinci’s greatest (in my opinion) piece of art then you need to get tickets ASAP. The first time I went to Milan I could not get tickets since they book out months in advance. The second time I got lucky and found a decent price through a tour group. But don’t wait until the last minute, it is worth seeing and will get sold out.

4. Prosciutto

 Fact: you cannot eat too much prosciutto while in Italy. When in Milan, or northern Italy in general, eat all the prosciutto you can. Speaking from experience, the best prosciutto is in Northern Italy, like Milan and Tuscany, which means its the best in the world. I had it literally every day and still wish I had more.

The common way for locals to eat it is with melon. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, I recommend getting this as your first course. The salt from the prosciutto pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the melon.

You also MUST buy a large vacuum sealed, unsliced cured prosciutto from a local store. You can find them where they will vacuum pack it right there, which allows you to take it home to the US. Just hide it very well in your suitcase!

Print Recipe