Is Milan The Most Boring City Of Italy?

Roberto

Roberto

Community Member
May 20, 2013
45
1
8
Many say that Milan is extremely boring, there isn't a lot you can do here, except visiting the Dome in the city's centre.. and walking by the very famous fashion shops, like Gucci or Versace or Prada, just near the Cathedral... well, that's about it. There isn't anything else to do here, it's literally a very boring city.
What do you think? Am I, or other people who agree Milan is boring, missing something?
 
Honestly.. I also think it's not a place for tourists, although the Dome and the city centre are great attractions.
I have been to Milan only twice, the first time I was impressed, but didn't expect to be impressed again. I was wrong, because seeing the Cathedral of Milan is like a new experience every time!

Also, there is much nightlife in Milan, you can't get bored if you're looking to have some fun in the evening.
 
Wow, this has to turn into a big debate..
For me, Milan is a great place to live in, because you can easily find work, you can find a home and live quite an OK life, because the city is overall, prosperous.
As a tourist... I don't know what o say :)
Maybe it's worth visiting at least once, but the second time around you might get bored if you don't find something nice to do. But you can find things to do, you can go shopping, you can take pictures, you can go dancing with your friends, I wouldn't classify Milan as "the most boring", maybe just a little boring :)
 
I spent a weekend there and it was... a bit boring, yeah. We walked around a lot, but we always seemed to end up again at the Duomo. At least there was the Christmas market!
We also walked by a lot of expensive store. We realized we might not be the right people to appreciate Milano. :S

But this one time we went in a pet store and they had squirrels to sell. That was something.
 
Milan is a big city with many restaurants, it is the main industrial, commercial, and financial centre of Italy. I think it is worth a visit as a tourist at least once. Locals can always head out there if it is their nearest city for taste of metropolitan over a weekend. Milan has plenty of museums, theatres and landmarks to visit, not to mention it is the fashion hub.
 
@Joie d'Etre I've also seen the Christmas market in Milan :) It was very cute and very big, compared to the markets in smaller cities :D
And it was full of people, even it I went on the 2nd day of January. The city might be kinda boring, but it's always full of tourists! Always!

At least this time, I get to brag :D I got to enter the Milan Cathedral!
It's free to enter, there are some people at the entrance, military, who will "scan" you for dangerous objects &such, and the inside is actually pretty impressive! It's huge and very gothic like :) I liked it.

I also agree with Regina Juno. It's worth the visit! Even for someone who doesn't have the money to visit museums or the Scala Theater, at least for the Cathedral... totally worth it! :P
 
Rosie said:
@Joie d'Etre I've also seen the Christmas market in Milan :) It was very cute and very big, compared to the markets in smaller cities :D
And it was full of people, even it I went on the 2nd day of January. The city might be kinda boring, but it's always full of tourists! Always!

At least this time, I get to brag :D I got to enter the Milan Cathedral!
It's free to enter, there are some people at the entrance, military, who will "scan" you for dangerous objects &such, and the inside is actually pretty impressive! It's huge and very gothic like :) I liked it.

I also agree with Regina Juno. It's worth the visit! Even for someone who doesn't have the money to visit museums or the Scala Theater, at least for the Cathedral... totally worth it! :p
Click to expand...

Oh, darn it, I did not know the visit was free. I saw tickets being sold on the side of the duomo and the security, I just assumed we had to pay.

To be fair though, even if it's not like we were disappointed, we passed by Como in bus and it looked breathtaking and we wished we had gone there instead. XD
 
If I'm not mistaken - there is an entrance fee of 2 EUR to enter the Duomo, with exception for Sundays when the admission is free. This does not include a trip to the terraces which would set you back 8 EUR if you walk or 13 EUR if you prefer to take the elevator.

I don't agree that Milan is boring - there are a lot of things to do and see depending on your interest. Da Vinci's Last supper, museums & beautiful buildings such as the art academy (which houses an amazing library) or the university are quite impressive. In regards of food you have an abundance of choices, from the best aperitivo bars to dining in an old tram while it drives you around the city.

The city is always moving and there is always something happening - concerts & different events.
 
I also have to admit that I'm also a little shocked that people have said the city is a little boring. A city isn't just about what there is to do or see, it's also about the people, the bars, night life and restaurants and culture that surrounds it.

I've been to a lot of boring cities in my time, I certainly wouldn't say that Milan is one of them.
 
I never found Milan boring when I visited there - but I've been to lots of places globally that perhaps some people would find uninteresting - it really depends on perspective. It's the old saying "it is what you make it". I am the kind of traveler that tries to embrace wherever I am.

One of my favorite things I did when I was in Milan was a cooking class/wine tutorial which was amazing. I just say seek out something different if you think there's nothing to do. You'll find stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pwarbi
Isn't there a saying that goes something like only boring people get bored? Milan is the same as any other city, and there will always be something to see and do, no matter what your interested in.

For me the whole point of going to a different country and city is to experience that way of life, see how other people live aswell as to see the sights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: notyourcommodity
Eh. The question is not "Are you the kind of person to be easily bored if you're going to a place", but whether Milan is more boring than other cities. And let's face it -- if the most interesting thing to do there is to take a cooking class (which can be done anywhere) or just live like the people there (which, from what I saw, is not too different from the other Italian cities -- or many other cities in general), then that leaves the actual rest of the travel stuff: are there many sights? festivals? seasonly events? places where you can easily spend a day chilling with activities around (for instance, in Munich, there's the English Garden where you can swim, surf, picnic, play anything, hang out naked even, and outside theater through the summer -- on top of different festivals).

I don't get bored in the small village where I live because I've got company and tons of work and projects to keep me busy. But travelling to Milan was not quite that much fun when you feel like two days have shown you most places and the locals don't have new suggestions for you. Which this thread is about -- actually figuring out what is fun to do there. Who would want to travel to Milan because it would be "the same as any other city", then? Especially if other cities are actually more fun.
 
The same statement can be applied to any city in the world - it all depends on what you are looking for. Every time I visit Milano, I visit something new that I didn't have time to visit previously or that I didn't know about before.

It also greatly varies between the season, which activities are available and what is happening in the city. Right now, as it is summer, there are a lot of free concerts of classical music in the Sforzesco castle for example which we stumbled upon by chance. It can be easily combined with a visit to the museums of the castle, as a day out in the park. Whilst having a day out in the park, you can also visit the Aquarium and the Planetarium which are both there. If visiting on a Tuesday after 14:00 or other days after 16:00 the entrance is free.

There are a lot of sights and museums around, some of them can be quite pricey - but some of them are free on Tuesday afternoons - another museum which might be worth a visit for families is the Natural History Museum which has quite a large exibit. I personally loved to pay a visit to the art academy in Brera, which houses an art exhibition as well as a stunning library. For something out of the ordinary, there is also a museum in the dark - which also arranges aperitivo in darkness. I haven't visited this yet, so I cannot say anything out if personal experience.

During fall/winter season, a visit to the Scala might be included to see an opera or ballet. There seems also to be a video game tournament/events for those more geekily inclined :)

In regards of shopping, you can spend days in this city without being disappointed. Besides all the high-fashion brands, you can find a bit of everything in this city if you look for it.

Then again, it all comes down to what you are looking for in a city - and your attitude towards it. Whilst I was in love with Vienna, a lot of people that I know found the city to be borning...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joie d'Etre
Thanks @Grybukas ! Especially about the tips for free entrance -- I was beginning to think that maybe it's not that the city was boring, but rather that I had not enough money to enjoy it (I mean, I went in the winter time, I did not experience the summer yet).

I'm especially intrigued by the museum in the dark. It does sound like something I've never heard of! :) Double thanks then! :D
 
Milan might be a bit intimidating when you see the cost of most of the things around... So I can empathize with that! I´ve been lucky to have people to show me around.

When visiting the Duomo, another tip is to ascend to the last floor of the Rinascente as they have a terrace with a terrific view of the Duomo. Whilst going out there doesn´t cost you anything, I would recommend to stay away from the drinks if you are on a budget (9 EUR for a beer, or 15 EUR for a Spritz is to overpriced for me....)

There is a beautiful little bar for old partisans close by Porta Garibaldi, where old men gather and sing old songs and play cards during the aperitivo. Given the laid back main clientel, the prices are extremely reasonable. Unfortunately, I don´t remember the name or the exact place - if anyone is familiar with the place your more than welcome to advice :)

Does anyone have tips on nice places to visit during the aperitivo? (The only ones I know in this moment are around Porta Garibaldi, but I know that there are much nicer places around!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joie d'Etre
artyarson said:
No, it's not boring at all. However, it usually depends on your interests and purpose of the trip.
Click to expand...

I have to agree and any city in the world can be made as boring or as exciting as that person wants it to be.

I think one of the problems with Milan might be the expectations people have before they go, as its often built up to be a city like no other, but when people go, they find that it is in fact, just another city
 
I really don't think Milan is boring but it all depends on your personal interest. If you are into fashion then you should enjoy Milan. There isn't much to do for the average adventurous person though.
 
Top Bottom