City orientation and communication
The plan of Milan resembles a spider's web, because the streets radiate from the central Piazza Duomo. Most of the city is covered by three concentric ring roads, although the suburbs and industrial sites are constantly expanding towards the fourth, connecting the public transport system with the motorway system, Tangenzianale bypass. However, the city center is quite compact and most of the places of interest to tourists are located within the first two ring roads (They run along the city's historic borders from different eras).
Because the streets are often crowded and polluted with exhaust fumes, sooner or later you will use the public transport network, which efficiently connects tram lines, bus and metro routes. The easiest way to get to know the metro system, which is also the fastest and most useful. It currently consists of two lines, red MM 1 and green MM2, and the third, yellow MM3, is under construction (it is planned to be put into use in the early nineties). The MMI line runs from the northern suburbs through the center (Piazza Duomo i Piazza Cairoli), and MM2 connects the three main railway stations, Central, Garibaldi i Lambrate, and takes you to nearby Navig!i Porta Genova station. The future MM3 will run from the Stazione Centrale via Piazza Cavour and Via Manzoni to the southern suburbs.
MMI and MM2 connect at Loreto and Cadorna stations. The metro network covers only part of the city, but it is enough for sightseeing. Tourists usually use a network of buses and trams well-organized and in tune with the metro only for that, to get to the hotel. Buses, trams and metro run from 6.00 into 24.00, then the night buses leave, which run along the metro line until one in the morning.
It is best to find answers to questions about public transport at the information office in the Duomo metro station, where you can also get free maps of the communication network. Tickets valid for 75 Minutes (800L) can be used for a single metro ride and unlimited bus and tram journeys. You can buy them at kiosks, bars and metro stations, but because after 20.00 most of the points of sale are closed, it is better to obtain more tickets in advance. There are ticket machines at some stations, but only their newer type is suitable for spending the rest. In the event of inability to purchase a ticket, it is also possible to pass through the barriers with the use of an already used ticket, but in the event of a translation check, that you are a foreigner, it won't be of much use. A sure way to avoid such troubles is to buy a valid ticket at the Centrale or Duomo station 24 Hours (2800L).
Accommodation
Because Milan is a city more commercial than touristic, hotels are geared towards businessmen, which their parent companies pay for their accommodation. They are held here often (especially in April and October) trade exhibitions, which means, that the hotels are full even in low season. Cheap, but decent hotels hard to find, and most cheaper guesthouses charge for every hour of stay. Accommodation, in any of the hotels listed below, he is only sure then, if booked in advance. Otherwise, it's best to go straight to the APT office in Stazione Centrale or Piazza Duomo (Mon-Sat. 9.00-12.30 i 14.15-18.00), where, admittedly,, officially only a list of hotels is available, but in practice, the staff are happy to make reservations at no extra charge. The SEA Viaggi office provides these services at Linate Airport.
In the area between the Stazione Centrale, Viale V. Veneto and Corso Buenos Aires houses most of the cheaper hotels in the city, although the clientele of many of them do not boast a good reputation. It is safer to stick to the edge of this area, and single women shouldn't show up here at night. Hostels in Milan are better than hotels, but most of them are led by men or women religious and locked up by Fr. 22.30. There are three campsites outside the city, access to which, however, is inconvenient, if a car is not available. You can save some money by stopping in nearby Pavia and commuting to Milan.