Note to Readers
I’m glad you’re here. As you may already know, I started this blog after I moved to Milan, Italy in September 2016 to study at the University of Milan. I wanted a place where I can share first-hand my experiences on living away from home – the birth of Girl in Milan Blog. When I arrived, I wanted to go back home so badly as it was challenging to cope. I didn’t understand a single word in Italian, so as you may have imagined, communicating with the locals was a huge challenge. Also, grocery shopping took longer than usual as I had absolutely no idea what I was looking for in Italian. From getting lost to staying indoors for days in a row, just because I couldn’t deal with the unexpected out there.
If you want to know more, I’ve described my first-day experience in my first post. Perhaps you’ve recently moved here or you decided to follow my blog because you’ve found it intriguing! All the same, I’m sure we are going to have a good time together.
Hellen Akinsiku
USEFUL GUIDES & TIPS
Visit Milan as a tourist and experience the wonders of the city like a local! I have written about top spots in Milan, nightlife in Milan, and much more! If you are on a low-budget trip or traveling solo, I’ve got you covered. Not everyone can afford the luxury of a tour guide and most times you just want to get lost and travel solo – discovering these new places by yourself. I have made an itinerary for how to manage a “One day Tour” around Milan by yourself. There are free Museums and top locations in Milan you can see for free. During the first Sunday of each month, many museums and archaeological sites in Milan and Italy are also opened to the public at no cost. This successful initiative was introduced in 2014 by Italy’s Culture Ministry (MIBACT) and was supposed to be in place until March 2020. However, the new Government reinstated it in October 2019.
Not being biased, but Italy has one of the finest and tastiest cuisines in the world. Most times, I pinch and ask myself how I got so lucky to experience such a grand collection of local cuisines. So each time I travel to a new Italian city, I make it a point of duty to try something peculiar to that city. I have lived in the south and north of Italy. While in the South, I added extra pounds of weight, yes the food is quite addictive and involves a lot of frying. But I didn’t care much. I ate cannoli, arancini, panelle, and crochette like it was no man’s business. That said. Don’t fall for the tourist traps, eat like a local and uncover the best restaurants and places to eat in Milan. My recommendations include typical Italian dishes and Milanese foods you should try.
Discover all the beautiful towns near Milan that you can take a day trip to. One of the perks of living in Milan is its central location to many cities in Italy, and the easy connection to other European cities. You can visit Bergamo, Pisa, Monza, Florence, Como, Lecco, Bologna, Venice, Cinque Terre, and many other beautiful Italian towns nearby. Hopping on the fast train, you will arrive at your destination within minutes, saving you plenty of time to see the city and get back to Milan the same day. There are also other tips that can save you a lot of time and help you have a better day trip experience.
I’m an adventure lover who likes to take spontaneous trips. Today I’m hopping on a bus to Switzerland, the next day I’m catching a last-minute flight to Poland.
Getting away from time to time is my own way of detoxing from stress. I am taking the opportunity I have, thanks to Italy being a Schengen Area to discover other European Countries. This, of course, means I do not need to apply for a visa when heading to other EU countries like Poland, Germany, or Switzerland- just to mention a few. I try to visit two to three new European countries each year.
If you are new in Milan or recently living in Milan, you may want to read about my first days in the city. I decided to document my feelings right after I started my blog because I knew someday it may help someone out there who is new to the city. I bare my soul out here, telling you what it is like to live in Milan and Italy – as a whole. Paperworks like Permesso di Soggiorno can prove tough to handle during your first application. I have answered some questions that are often raised around racism and coping with the Italian language.
My two cents is, that you sure do need to learn the language to have a better living experience and opportunities – in terms of getting a job.