Airlines Aer Lingus, Galleria Passarella 2 (tel
02.7600.0080); Alitalia, Via Albricci 5 (tel 02.2499.2700); Air
Canada, Viale Regina Giovanna 8 (tel 02.2940.9189); American
Airlines, Via Vittor Pisani 19 (tel 02.6791.4400); British Airways,
Corso Italia 8 (tel 147.812.266); Qantas, Piazza Velasca 4 (tel
02.864.287).
Airport enquiries tel 02.7485.2200 (daily 7am-11pm) for
both Linate and Malpensa airports.
American Express Via Brera 3 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel
02.876.674).
Books The American Bookstore, on Largo Cairoli, is the
best source of English-language books in the city centre.
British Council Via Manzoni 38 (library open Tues-Fri
10am-6pm, Sat 2-5pm; general enquiries tel 02.772.221).
Bus enquiries tel 02.4803.2403 (Mon-Sat 8am-8pm).
Car rental Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Maggiore all have
desks at Stazione Centrale, and at both airports.
Car parks Central car parks include Autosilo Diaz, Piazza
Diaz 6, just south of Piazza Duomo; Garage Traversi, on Via
Bagutta, close to Piazza San Babila; and Garage Venezia, Corso
Venezia 11, near Piazza Oberdan.
Consulates Australia, Via Borgogna 2 (tel 02.777.041);
Canada, Via V. Pisani 19 (tel 02.67.581); UK, Via San Paolo 7 (tel
02.723.001); USA, Via Bigli 11 (tel 02.771.9031).
Doctors English-speaking doctors: Dr A. Waygood, Via
Visconti Venosta 5 (tel 02.5501.1538); Dr J. Weston, Via San Paolo
15 (tel 02.7200.4080); Dr G. Gottardi, Via Boscovich 31 (tel
02.6707.5732).
Exchange Out of normal banking hours you can change money
and travellers' cheques at the Stazione Centrale office (daily
7am-11pm), where there's also a 24-hour automatic currency-exchange
machine, or at the Money Shop on Piazza Duomo 17 (daily 9am-8pm).
Both airports have exchange facilities.
Football Milan's two teams are Inter Milan and AC Milan.
They play on alternate Sundays at the G. Meazza stadium (San Siro),
Via Piccolomini 5 (tel 02.4870.0457); MM Lotto, then a longish
walk. There are hourly guided tours around the stadium (Mon-Sat
11am-8pm from Gate 4, Piazalle dello Sport; Sun 9am-noon from Gate
21/22, Piazzale Axum; L12,000/€6.20). You can buy match tickets
here or, for AC Milan games, from branches of Cariplo banks (tel
02.88.661) and from Milan Point, on Via Verri 8 (tel 02.796.481);
and for Inter games from Inter F.C. Admin office, Piazza Duse 1
(tel 02.77.151) and branches of Banca Popolare Milano (tel
02.77.011).
Gay Milan Milan is something of a focus for gays, with
northern Italy's only gay bookshop, the Babel Bookshop, Via San
Nicolas 10 (tel 02.669.2986), making for a good meeting-place for
gay men. Run by a Milan-based gay publishing house, Babilonia, it
issues a monthly magazine of the same name that is available at
most newsagents. After Line Disco Pub , Via Sammartini 25,
is a popular bar not far from the Stazione Centrale;
Querelle , Via de Castillia 20, is a gay bar with snacks and
music; Nuova Idea , Via de Castiesa 30, is the biggest gay
disco in Italy; and Transfer Club, at Via Breda 158, is also
a very popular nightclub.
Hospital There is a 24-hour casualty service at the
Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza 35 (tel
02.551.0809), a short walk from Piazza Duomo.
Internet access Terzomillennio , Via Lazzaretto (Mon-Fri
9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm; tel 02.205.2121); Internet Enjoy , Via
Medici 6 (Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; tel 02.7209.4544). Both L10,000/€5.17
per hour.
Laundries There's a coin-operated laundry in the Brera
district, Via Anfiteatro 9, and another, the Lavanderia Automatica,
on Via Lombardini 4. Near the Stazione Centrale, try the Lavanderia
at Via Tadino 6.
Pharmacy The Stazione Centrale (tel 02.669.0935), which
has English-speaking assistants, and Carlo Erba, on Piazza Duomo
(tel 02.8646.4832); both have 24-hour services. Bracco, Via
Boccaccio 26 (tel 02.469.5281), is sometimes open all night. Rotas
are published in Corriere della Sera , and are usually
posted on farmacia doors.
Police tel 113. Head office at Via Fatebenefratelli 11
(tel 02.62.261), near the Brera.
Post office Via Cordusio 4, off Piazza Cordusio - not the
building marked "Poste", but around the corner (Mon-Fri
8.30am-1.50pm, Sat 8.30am-noon).
Shopping The "Quadrilatero d'Oro" - Via Monte Napoleone
and around - is the place for the big fashion designers (and their
sky-high prices), while on the peripheries are youth-oriented shops
like Fiorucci on Piazza San Babila; Corso Buenos Aires is home to
most of the more middle-range clothes stores and chains. You can
get designer cast-offs at the (early) Saturday morning market on
Viale Papiniano, near the Porta Genova train station. If you're on
a budget, and can't make the Papiniano market, check out the
blochisti , or warehouses selling last season's lines at
half-price: try Gastone, Via Vanzetti 20, Emporio, Via Prina 11, or
Il Salvagente, on Via Bronzetti.
Swimming pools Cozzi, Viale Tunisia 35 (tel 02.659.9703),
is perhaps the most convenient place if you're dying for a swim,
close to Stazione Centrale. There's also the Lido di Milano,
Piazzale Lotto 15 (tel 02.366.100), which has both indoor and
open-air pools.
Telephones International calls can be made either from
Telecom Italia offices in Galleria V. Emanuele II (8am-9.30pm) or
at the Stazione Centrale (8am-8pm).
Train enquiries Ferrovie dello Stato (daily 7am-9pm; tel
147.888.088); Ferrovie Nord (daily 9am-6pm; tel 02.20.222).
Travel agents CTS, Via Sant'Antonio 2 (tel 02.5830.4751),
and CIT in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (tel 02.863.701), are
the best source of train tickets, discounted flights, etc.
Women By Italian standards, Milan is not a difficult
city for women. The Libreria delle Donne at Via Dogana 2, close to
the duomo, sells feminist literature and has information on women's
groups, events and publications. Cicip e Ciciap , Via Gorani
9, is a women-only café/bar/restaurant with occasional exhibitions
and readings. There's also a women-only disco at Sottomarino
Giallo , Via Donatello 2.