Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
A magical shopping arcade in the heart of Milan
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Not only is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II the oldest shopping mall in Italy that is still in use, built between 1865 and 1877 it is possibly the most beautifully picturesque places I have ever visited, decorated from the floor to the ceiling. The mall homes an array of the most luxurious Italian boutique shops and designer brands and is bursting with affluent fashionovas and enchanted tourists who wish to experience the intricate paintings and mosaics and the delicate yet robust glass domes.
Aside from the Milan Cathedral, this was the most magnificent place I visited on the trip, to me it’s a sightseeing attraction that shouldn’t be missed. We had lunch and cocktails in the exquisite Galleria Town House hotel that looked over the center of the mall, giving us incredible views and people watching abilities. (I would have recommended but it has recently been closed down) but it was one of many lavishly decorated Milanese cafes and restaurants inside to try.
Galleria Town House Hotel
People watching from the Galleria Town House Hotel
Cocktail and people watching
The magnificant glass ceilings and dome
The biggest tip I can give you when heading there is to have your cameras at the ready! Also to look out for the bull that is on the floor beneath the main dome, legend has it that if you place your foot on it and spin around with your eyes closed you possess good luck for a year. Yes, it is brilliant to watch people do this and is impossible to not find as there is normally a swarm of people crowded around it waiting for their turn!
You can see the lucky bull on the floor where the man is standing
I don’t feel as though any photo does the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II any justice, it is something you just have to witness with your own eyes… just prepare yourself for the jaw-dropping moment of awe.