Milan vs Rome: Fashion-capital or antieke city?
Milan is fashion + design: Duomo + Galleria Vittorio Emanuele + Quadrilatero della Moda. Rome is 2000 year antieke history: Colosseum, Vaticaan, Trastevere-trattoria's.
Milan
Milan is Italy's fashion- and designhoofdstad: Da Vinci's Last Avondmaal, the giant Duomo, Quadrilatero della Moda for luxury shopping and the best aperitivo-culture.
Flight from NL: €70 return
View Milan →Rome
Rome is a openluchtmuseum: 2000 year history in every street, with Romeinse ruïnes, barokke squares and the best pasta carbonara ter world.
Flight from NL: €80 return
View Rome →Best time to visit compared
Milan
April to June and September to October: 18-25 degrees. Vermijd July/August (drukkend warm, many sluit). Fashion Week (February, September) is more expensive.
Rome
April, May and September-October are ideal, 20-25°C, hanteerbare crowds. July and August are benauwd warm (35°C+) and restaurants/museums are full toeristen. November and January are cheap but wisselvallig.
Flights + transfer from the Netherlands
Milan
Directly from Schiphol to Milan Malpensa (MXP) in 1 hour 45 minutes. KLM, easyJet, Ryanair. Malpensa Express to center €13 in 50 minutes.
Rome
From Schiphol to Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) in 2 hour 30 minutes. KLM, ITA Airways, Vueling. To the center: Leonardo Express €14 or bus €6,90. Locally: metro/bus €1,50 per ride, dagkaart €7.
Costs compared
Milan
Hostels from €25, mid-range hotels €100 to 160, vacation rentals €110 per night. Food: panzerotto €4, aperitivo €10, dinner €25 to 40.
Rome
Hostels from €25, mid-range hotels €100-160, vacation rentals via Vrbo around €110 per night. Food: pizza already taglio €4, pasta-lunch €12-15, traditional dinner €25-35.
Who is it for?
Choose Milan if you are...
Fashionistas, design-junkies, basis for Italiaanse lakes.
Choose Rome if you are...
First Italy-visitors, history-fans, pasta-traditionalisten.
Our verdict
Rome has many lake iconen, Milan is geschikter as business-city. Train 3u, €40.