The Duomo is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world. The Gothic/neo-Gothic exterior is actually more impressive than the interior which is quite gloomy and dark but there are other parts which are more interesting and worth a look.

There is the Crypt which many people like to visit because the tomb of Cardinal Borromeo lies there and the entrance to this is free. For a mere €1 you can also see the cathedral’s treasury (Tesoro del Duomo) which is a must for lovers of medieval and religious art and other beautiful antiques.

Going deeper down under the cathedral you can also visit the foundations of a Paleochristian Baptistery which was revealed by archeologists. This is apparently the place where St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan baptized his student Augustine.

Once you have finished with the inside of the cathedral the time has come for the piece de resistance. You can either climb the many stairs or there is an elevator available to the roof. If you can climb it then it definitely adds to this unique experience. You come out of the dark interior to the bright skies and you can walk around the roof and look at Milan from a birds-eye view. This is really spectacular and definitely on the list of top ten sights in Milan. It is here that you will get your best snapshots of this beautiful Italian city.

Mark Twain who was a great fan od the Duomo wrote, ” They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St.Peter’s of Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands.”

Opera in Milan is a very big deal and every time the opera singers step on to the stage they are shaking in their shoes because of the critics who are in the standing area known as the “loggione”. These critics can be really scathing and cutting in their remarks and it is always interesting to see what is written the following day.

Opera enthusiasts will enjoy completing their operatic experience with a visit to the Theatre Museum where one can learn about the story of the opera house via the large collections of musical instruments, portraits, busts and documents. Through these artifacts many stories are told of famous Italian musicians. Visitors to the museum can also see the auditorium from the boxes and they can also see what goes on backstage.

The museum also has a library called the “Simoni” library which holds 120,000 books connected to opera and there is also a specialized staff available for the young generation to get musical training.

Booking tickets for the opera at “Teatro alla Scala” should be done at least one month in advance to avoid disappointment.

Ok in case you didn’t understand that last paragraph. Its a trolly car with a full service restaurant on board takes by all the sites of Milan, while you dine on food.

The food on the tram cars is excellent and it costs 65 euro per person (so it should be good!). The food is cooked before you set off in a kitchen nearby so everything is ready which means you don’t have to wait long before being served. There is a choice of a meat, vegetarian or fish menus so you should be able to find something that you like. You have to tell them what you want when you make the reservation.

Unfortunately booking is a bit of a problem. You can only book from inside Italy by calling Milan’s Public Transport Authority (ATM) which makes it a bit difficult for foreign tourists in Milan as, unless you are very lucky, you really have to make reservations several months in advance. ATM’s toll-free number is 800808181. This is a worthwhile experience and it is worth making the effort to make reservations if you can.

The famous mural was painted from 1495 to 1497 and it can still be seen on the same wall of the refectory which is now called Cenacolo Vinciano. Straying from the traditional fresco technique Leonardo chose to work with dry plaster as opposed to wet plaster which meant that he had to work slowly and patiently with oil pigments.

The mural has had quite a rocky history starting from before it was even dry because of the walls of the refectory that were full of moisture. In the 18th and 19th centuries the painting underwent some “touching up” which wasn’t particularly effective. Then came war and the roof of this room was blown off leaving the mural completely exposed for three years.

“The Last Supper” by Leonardo de Vinci has certainly been through a lot and has even been called “the saddest work of art in the world” but now after years of careful restoration it is a breathtaking masterpiece which deserves to be seen.

In order to make sure that you don’t miss seeing “The Last Supper” you are strongly advised to book in advance. If you are planning on visiting the church on a weekend you would be wise to book months in advance. Only one small group at a time is allowed to view the mural for 15 minutes so that people can enjoy this important work of art in peace and quiet and no photography is allowed.