Travel Tips - People-watching in Milan, Italy

Piazza alla Scala, which sits at the head of the plaza and is named after the world’s most important opera house is connected to the Piazza Duomo by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Although significantly smaller than the Piazza Duomo, it is a much more comfortable and quite place rest your feet, people watch and bask in the sun.
At the center of the piazza sits a statue dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci surrounded by a grassy area with trees and several benches. Also located in the piazza is the 16th century Marino Palace, considered the city’s most beautiful palace and currently the home of Milan’s City Hall, and the Palace of the Commercial Bank of Italy.

The Piazza del Duomo is the heart of historic Milan, the capital of the Italian region of Lombardy, and its principal square. The piazza’s centerpiece is the gorgeous cathedral for which it is named, a massive edifice made entirely of white marble.
The duomo is flanked by the Palazzo Reale, which houses the Duomo and Contemporary Art Museums, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an upscale shopping mall that connects the Piazza Duomo with the Piazza alla Scala. At the southwest corner of the piazza, tourists can visit the Basilica of Sant Ambrogio.

The piazza is always crowded with tourists and Milanese alike, although it’s a great place to take photographs and feed the pigeons, there aren’t enough places to sit and too much hustle and bustle to relax and people watch. The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Brera Art Museum, La Scala opera house and Ambrosiana Library and Picture Gallery are all a stone’s throw away. Plus the small winding streets that lead in and out of the piazza also lead to excellent gourmet shops, small boutiques and fabulous eateries.