In May, Expo 2015 has started. A laical Jubilee, where the religion is a mixture between innovation and preservation of natural resources. If you want some tips about what to do at Expo 2015 – and in Milan –avoiding banal touristic itineraries, here you have our tips to take the best from the Expo 2015 experience. We took our backpack and got ready for an entire day spent searching for the most interesting stands and places of the exposition. We have looked around the stands with our camera and a map of the exposition – which you can take for free in the entrance of the structure.
Feed the soul – and the body. What to do and not to do at Expo
A day at Expo 2015 is an experience which puts anyone on probation – even the strongest ones. You have to choose between what to do and not to do. Be aware of the fact that the exposition is set in a huge area – do not overdress, no high heels shoes nor tight clothes. Even though Milan is the capital of fashion, if you want to live – and survive – Expo 2015, all you need is a pair of comfortable shoes. And lots of patience, too. There are many stands and areas, so you have to make a choice and pick those you want to see. Our tip is to start from Padiglione Zero (stand zero), which is worth a mention at least for the huge library you can find as soon as you go in. if you love books, this stand will leave you with a wide open mouth like a child in front of a sweets shop.
Skip stands like those of Spain, Kazakhstan or Vietnam – if the first two are nothing but giant touristic commercials (the second it is even rich with details) in the third stand you will find nothing at all. Literally. Hop in the stands of Czech Republic and China: in the first, you can try one of their typical low cost, delicious dessert – whose name is almost impossible to remember and to pronounce correctly!
Do not underestimate this point, because finding something low cost to eat at Expo is not so easy. As for the stand of China, you can just have a look at it from the outside: that is the most relevant part of the structure. Persist and you will be rewarded: get to the Albero della vita (the tree of life) and enjoy the wonderful spectacle of colors, water, and light which lasts until the closing time. Even though the tree of life is a plagiarism, given that it resembles the tree of life in Singapore, the spectacle is just amazing.
Singing in Milan. Whistling between a corte and a vintage market, with an ice-cream in your hand
Do not waste all your energies only in visiting Expo – Milan is a shy maiden you have to conquer. And which better occasion to do that if not during the “Expo period”, when the first sun rays shine? The corti – i.e. inner courtyards – in the beautiful ancient buildings of Milan and the vintage shops are just some of the many flagships of the city. This is the reason why we warmly suggest you to take a stroll around Milan, like Gene Kelly in Singing in the rain – in this case, a beautiful sun will shine upon you, don’t worry! Start with having a look at the beautiful corti, which you can easily visit in May thanks to the event “Cortili Aperti a Milano” – i.e. open courtyard in Milan. You cannot miss Palazzo Invernizzi in corso Venezia. The main feature of this building are the flamingos in the courtyard. But appetite does not come just with eating, it also comes with walking! This is the reason why you cannot miss the following events. Go to Porta Genova, where you find the Mercato Metropolitano: here you find any sort of Italian delicacy coming from all over Italy – all the products coming from the producer to the consumer. If you want to try more Italian delicacies, go to Piazza Castello from May 28 to June 7, where you will find the real Italian ice-cream: chocolate, cream, pistachio and more flavors on the occasion of the Ice-cream Festival. Enjoy the great ice-cream and do not worry about getting fat – in Milan, you do not have beautiful beaches where showing your bodies.
Life is not a movie. But Milan does is
The gates of Expo 2015 will officially shut down on October 31 2015. Hoping that it will be possible to see the whole space and the stands before the closing ceremony, do not despair: Milan is a city rich with events and shows. Just extend your stay in Milan and enjoy the Milano Film Festival, which will take place from 10 to 20 september. You will be able to relax thanks to ten days of independent cinema and to discover another side of Milan. All the events linked to the Festival will be set in locations and structures around the city – from the Strehler Theater to Parco Sempione and the Auditorium San Fedele. If you want to try first-hand the sensation of feeling in a Fifteen movie but you need to take a break from the darkness of the cinema, the market of Sinigaglia is what you are searching for. Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the most ancient flea market of Milan is set on the gorgeous background of Navigli (Alzaia Naviglio Grande on the corner of Via Valenza). Vintage clothes, ancient coins and old vinyl records – here you can find everything you need to go back to the past. Just like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday!
Milan… as an exhibition
Cinemas, courtyards and markets are not the only attractions of the city. If you want to dive in the Milanese cultural background, you can choose among a great variety of exhibitions and spectacles. Especially in the period of Expo 2015, these events cannot but increasing. In particular, we suggest you three events thanks to which you will be able to live your Milanese stay from another perspective. If you want to do something linked to Expo 2015, you cannot miss the exhibition Food. La scienza dai semi al piatto (Food. The science from seeds to dish) at the Museum of Natural History of Milan which lasts up to July 2015. You may not be properly science-addicted but do not despair: you will enjoy the exhibition thanks to some interactive elements. If you rather shoot photos, we warmly suggest you to go see the exhibition Italia inside out – I fotografi italiani (Inside/out Italy – Italian photographers), set in the Palazzo della Ragione Fotografia and patronized by AIF – Associazione Italiana Foto&Digital Imaging (Italian Foto&Digital Imaging Association). Among the authors, you can find photographers such as Franco Fontana and Guido Guidi. If you are an opera aficionado, at the Museo Teatrale alla Scala you find an exhibition about memorabilia of the first worldwide Turandot show. Coming directly from the collection of Archivio Storico Ricordi, most of these memorabilia are open to the public for the first time. What is more, if you are a real aficionado, you will be happy to find some autograph page of the Turandot by Giacomo Puccini.
