Designer Shopping with a View in Milan

I’m not one to buy fancy designer items typically. I like sales and good deals, and I almost never pay full price. But even I was excited to see this all-designer shopping mall in Milan, just for the views! The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy’s oldest shopping gallery, dating back to the 1870’s, and a must-see for fans of impressive architecture.

While most of the stores are designer brands, you’ll still have plenty to see even without spending an arm and a leg. It’s free to enter the mall, and the atmosphere alone is worth the visit. The buildings are ornately decorated, and the iron and glass vaulted ceilings are a masterpiece.

If you are fortunate enough to have the resources to shop here, you’ll see big name brands like Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, and many others. Or, you can also window shop and just explore.

I definitely recommend checking out this gallery. It’s a beautiful site to look around. It’s right next to the Milan Cathedral, so you can see both in the same day, which is what I did. It’s all in the same plaza area. So check it out next time you’re in Milan!

The Milan Cathedral

One of the first stops on our trip was the Duomo di Milano, the Milan Cathedral. This cathedral’s construction was started in 1386 and didn’t finish until 600 years later in 1965. It is an incredible work of art, and even for non-religious visitors, it’s a must see just for the history and design.

We arrived early morning when it was sunny and warm, and the sun shined through the colorful stained glass windows. There were many intricate carvings and statues. The entire cathedral was filled with tourists all marveling at the intricate design.

The cathedral is supported by giant columns holding up an ornately carved ceiling. Some parts of the ceiling appear older and rustic, while others are covered in carved design. The floors are even beautifully colored with different marble shades creating a pattern throughout the cathedral.

I’ve also never realized how many colors there are to marble. We saw so many incredible statue displays all carved from marble with different saints and figures. Each of them mixed marble colors and gold to form the perfect display, and each told their own story.

One impressive view was the organ. This was a floor to ceiling masterpiece. There’s an area that can be entered, but it was sealed off to tourists.

The morning light was absolutely perfect for the stained glass. The colors were bright and vibrant as they flooded the halls of the cathedral through these massive windows. The level of detail in these windows was impressive. There were tons of little panels, and each panel was a different image with tons of color.

There are few things to keep in mind. There is a dress code to enter. For women, you cannot wear anything that shows your shoulders. You also cannot wear dresses or shorts showing the knees. If you don’t fit the dress code, you’ll need to purchase a white cover to wear over your clothes for modesty purposes. I did not fit the dress code, so you’ll notice me modeling this lovely fashion in the photo of the organ above. It does appear that different guards enforce the rules differently, however, as after the guard change, we noticed no one else was being asked to cover up.

Despite the wardrobe requirements, this was definitely worth the visit. If you’re a fan of art or architecture, check it out on your next visit to Milan!