Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Both cultural travelers and shopping lovers will have to discover the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. An elegant shopping mall named after the first modern King of a united Italy. And I can assure you that having this monument named after you is quite a compliment considering you can see attention to detail is given to every inch of this timeless masterpiece.

The entrance of the building looks like a majestic triumphal arch. The structure has an entirely mosaic floor with portrayals of the coat of arms of Milan and the capitals of the former Kingdoms of Italy. The inside of the monument shows an extravagant renaissance style design. The most notable feature is the monumental glass and iron roof that reaches a total of 47 meters high and adds a new dimension to the structure, as you will find the atmosphere of the galleria seems to change depending on the time of day.

The galleria functions as a luxury shopping mall where you can find haute couture, jewelry and cafes among other things. As it is often used as a meeting place for the Milanese it is often colloquially called the salon of Milan. At Meet The Cities we recommend to follow the example of the locals at least once and sit down for a cup of coffee simply to enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.

In front of the structure is the Piazza della Scala, where you will find a statue of a pondering Leonardo da Vinci. For a good reason as some of the most important museums of Milan can be found here. On the other side you will find the Duomo di Milano.