Inter Milan
San Siro stadium, Milan
Tuesday February 24, kick off 20:45 local time
UEFA Champions League last 16 stage, first leg
Before you go
Money
Italy uses the euro.
One euros is currently worth £1.08 (so that's e1 worth 92p) with the Post Office. Later on in the week, we'll publish a list of which companies offer the best conversion rates.
Travel insurance
Money
Italy uses the euro.
One euros is currently worth £1.08 (so that's e1 worth 92p) with the Post Office. Later on in the week, we'll publish a list of which companies offer the best conversion rates.
Travel insurance
Use Cheap Travel Insurance and you can get single-trip policies for £5.98.
From and to the airports
A few groups are travelling via Turin, Zurich, Geneva and other airports, but seeing as though they will mostly be getting trains from those respective cities into Milan, I have listed only the Milan airports.
From and to the airports
A few groups are travelling via Turin, Zurich, Geneva and other airports, but seeing as though they will mostly be getting trains from those respective cities into Milan, I have listed only the Milan airports.
This airport is 45 miles north east of Milan.
There are three ways of reaching Milan from here.
There are three ways of reaching Milan from here.
Coach - e16
It leaves from outside the airport and drops you outside Milano Central train station.
The timetable both ways is here, but generally, coaches arrive and leave in sync with all flights.
It costs e10 one way and e16 return. You must buy your tickets from the Terravision rep by the coach, rather than the driver.
Bus/train - e19.70
I'm not sure why you would want to do this, as it takes longer and costs a bit more than the coach.
But you can get a bus from outside the airport to Bergamo town (it costs e1.70 one way - though it's an easy jib if you get on at the back - and they leave every 20 minutes), walk across the road to the train station and get the train to Milan.
There are plenty outside the airport. The journey takes about an hour by road and would cost about e75.
Linate Airport
Linate Airport
This airport is four miles east of Milan.
There are three ways of reaching Milan from here.
Coach - e5
It leaves from outside the airport and drops you outside Milano Central train station. It leaves and arrives in sync with flights and takes about half an hour.
Bus - e2.50
The number 73 service runs from outside the airport to San Babila Metro station, which is on the red line and one stop from the central Duomo station.
The 73 runs every half hour between 06:05 and 11:45. The journey takes 20 minutes and costs e2.50 each way. Buy your ticket on the bus.
Taxi - e15
There is a cab rank outside the airport.The journey will take about half an hour by road depending on traffic and costs about e15.
This airport is 30 miles north west of Milan.
There are three ways of reaching Milan from here.
Bus - e2.60
There is a shuttle service that leaves from outside the airport to Milano Centrale Train Station, costing e1.30 each way. The first bus runs at 05:54 and the last is at 23:24.
Train - e14.50
The Malpensa Express takes 40 minutes to reach Milan Cadorna Train Station and costs e9 one way or e14.50 for a return. The service runs from 06:45am to 21.45
Taxi - e65
There is a taxi rank at the arrivals entrance. Journey time to Milan is about 50 minutes depending on traffic and you're looking at a fare of e65.
Once you're there...
First thing is first, you'll need to get to know the Milan Metro.
It's one of the easiest European metros to figure out, but beware - locals tend to be pretty rude on the service in that they won't think twice about barging you out of the way or stealing the last seat whether you've got 10 suitcases or not.
Also, the carriages always tend to judder just before the trains stop, so hold on tight.
Print out this map.
If you're only spending a day or two in Milan, you should only need the Red and Yellow lines.
Milano Central Train Station is on the Yellow Line and the stadium is nearest Lotto Fiera 2 on the Red Line. The other central area of note is Duomo, which has its own station, also on the Yellow Line.
Here are the fares:
Single ticket: e11
Milano Central Train Station is on the Yellow Line and the stadium is nearest Lotto Fiera 2 on the Red Line. The other central area of note is Duomo, which has its own station, also on the Yellow Line.
Here are the fares:
Single ticket: e11
One-day pass: e3
Two-day pass: e5.50
Four-journey pass: e4
Two-day pass: e5.50
Four-journey pass: e4
Ten-journey pass: 9.20
Places to visit/drink
Places to visit/drink
It's no exaggeration to say that Milan is overated when it comes to culture and things to do, especially if you're only visiting for a short time.
The best thing to see is the Duomo Milano cathedral. To get there from Milano Centrale, take the Metro four stops south on the Yellow Line.
The best thing to see is the Duomo Milano cathedral. To get there from Milano Centrale, take the Metro four stops south on the Yellow Line.
You'll emerge with the cathedral on your left and the centrepiece Piazza Del Duomo square right in front of you, a decent shopping arcade behind you and some cracking bars to the right of you.
The cathedral is free to go inside (they won't let you in with legs showing though) but you have to pay about e10 if you want to go to the top to see the view overlooking Milan.
The official AC Milan/Inter Milan club shop is immediately behind the Duomo.
Facing the Duomo is a McDonalds and bars including Nepentha, at Piazza Diaz Armando and Nuovo Bar Delle Ore Di Pronzato Valter Renato. In past visits to Milan, reds have congregated here en masse.
Apart from that, the only real culturally significant attraction is the Last Supper painting (pictured right) by Leonardo da Vinci, which is on show at the Santa Maria delle Grazie church.
The easiest way to reach it is to take the Red Line west (in the direction of the stadium) and get off at Conciliazione stop.
While the area around the church is good to explore with there being so many mysterious back alleys and shops, it is pretty much the working part of town, so it can get a bit annoying with urban noise.
Enter to the church costs e6.50 though it is free for over 65s and under 16s. Regardless of the cost though, you must book your ticket at least three days in advance.
Other city centre pubs of note
Pogue Mahone's Irish Pub, at 1 via Samini, near the Porta Romana Metro Station on the Yellow Line will be open from 6pm to 2am the day before the game and 10am until 2am (with a two-hour break at 4pm) for the rest of the week.
It serves Fosters, Guinness, Newcastle Blue Star and McEwans amongst other tipples.
Food wise, there's a decent menu and the fry up ~(puctured), costing e10, is the highlight.
The Madrigal Irish Pub, at 280 Via Giuseppe Rovani, which is to the north of the centre close to the Sesto S.Giovanni Train Station.
It's rated very highly by th locals and is a decent place to stop off at if you're here for a few days, rather than just on the day of the game, as it isn't on the way to the ground.
It's rated very highly by th locals and is a decent place to stop off at if you're here for a few days, rather than just on the day of the game, as it isn't on the way to the ground.
And that, folks, is about it.
On to the game...Take the Metro fom Milano Centrale six stops south on the Green Line get off at Cadorna, then take the Red Line five stops west (towards Molino Dorino) to Lotto Fiera 2.
When you leave the Metro, you're a 15-minute walk from the ground, though you don't need directions - just follow the crowd and the souvenir stalls.
The only problem is that there's absolutely nothing remotely resembling a bar next to the stadium, so you're better off sticking near to the Lotto Metro stop.
One hidden beauty lies in the opposition direction from the ground, but not too far away and it should be quiet enough to guarantee you three or four trips to the bar before heading off to the match.
It's called the Black Bull. From Lotto, follow the main road (Viale Enrico Elia) up for about five minutes until you come to Viale Certosa.
Turn left and you'll find the pub on the right-hand side of the road. It's small but welcoming and definitely red friendly.
The only other option is Mulligan's Irish Pub (pictured right), at 28 via Giussepe Govone, but it's a bit of a walk, so a taxi is probably the best bet.The pub is run by Italians so it's not 'authentic Irish', but it's still a pretty decent place for a pre-match sing-song and its variety of bottled lagers is impressive. than that, it really is slim pickings for drinking by the ground.
A lot of people will be sticking to hotel bars and meeting friends there.
The stadium
The ground holds 80,074 and United have been given 4,393 tickets, priced at £38 each.
All tickets are sold out for both the home end and the away section, though spare tickets are floating about internet forums.
You must take photo ID - preferably your passport - to the game with you, else you will not be allowed into the stadium.
It is expected that United fans will be kept behind for 15 to 30 minutes after the game.
Formal stuff
Using your mobile in Italy
To call English mobiles from your mobile delete the 0 and put 44 in its place. For example: 0787 777 777 becomes 4478 777 777.
To call Italian numbers from your mobile, put 39 before the local part of the number, which begins 02.
Emergency police: 112
Non-emergency English-speaking police: 02 863 701.
Hospital: 02 644 42496. The Ospedale Niguarda hospital is at Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162.
Money: You can draw money out at ATMs all over town. A £2 withdrawal fee will apply in most cases.
The central tourist information office: At Marconi 1, on the corner of the Piazza Duomo. It's open frm Monday to Fri 08:45 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:45 and on Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:45.
The second tourist office: At Milano Centrale Train Station on the first floor near the Gran Bar.
It's open from Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 19:00 and Sunday from 09:0
0 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 18:00.
0 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 18:00.Free internet access: Visit the two tourist centres above or any major hotel.
The British Consulate General: At 7 via S. Paola, 20121. Telephone 0272 3001 during office hours or in an emergency out of hours 335 7516825.
It is open from Monday to Friday from 09:15 to 12:15 and from 14:15 to 15:45.
If you lose your passport, report it to the police and you should only need the consulate in very exceptional circumstances, like if you have been seriously injured or arrested.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published advice for United fans going to Milan, but it's not particularly useful. Here it is.
2 comments:
Great info, thanks for taking the time to write it up.
thanks for making the milan guide for dummies boss
Post a Comment