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Rome vs Milan: How to Pick One

Rome is the capital of Italy, and Milan is often confused as such. Both are major European destinations and while they are only separated by just under 600km, they are vastly different places.

If you鈥檙e strapped for time and can鈥檛 do both doing your vacation, you鈥檒l need to carefully consider which city you鈥檙e likely to enjoy more. Having done both Rome and Milan on numerous occasions, I鈥檓 able to offer some guidance on the matter. Read on!

Rome – by Claudio Hirschberger –

An Italian Getaway

The best way to put the different regions of Italy into perspective is to first consider the food. In the western world, most people like pizza. There is little thought or consideration surrounding the style of pizza other than topping preferences or cheese substitutes 鈥� we simply like pizza.

Once you arrive in Italy, you鈥檒l see that the pizza cuisine of the country can be vastly different from place to place. Roman pizza, for example, is nothing like the traditional pizzas made in Napoli.

The pizzas might share a nationality, but their look, taste and even their essence

In the same way, Rome and Milan might share a country but their essence looks and feels very different. Use the following city summaries to make an informed decision about where you鈥檒l probably feel more at home.

Rome

If Italy is shaped like a boot, then Rome sits almost exactly on the knee, while Milan is closer to the thigh.

Rome is incredibly easy to imagine even without having been there before. It鈥檚 everything you鈥檝e ever seen or heard about the city in films, music or general conversation.

The classic song 鈥淥n an evening in Roma鈥� by Dean Martin, comes instantly to mind. Rome is a romantic, nostalgic and incredibly charming little place. It鈥檚 the physical manifestation of all of the hype, all of the rumors and all of the generalizations ever to have existed about the Italian capital.

Rome – by Christopher Czermak –

I often refer to a piece of graffiti I saw once while walking though the ancient city that read: 鈥淩ome, you are a like Disney Land meets a museum. Thank you鈥�. This almost perfectly summarizes how you feel walking through the historic streets; always an attraction around the next bend, or something delectable to put into your mouth.

There is unfathomable light that bounces through this city, creating a perpetual atmosphere of whimsy and wonder. Rome is very much a city best enjoyed at street level and on foot; this is particularly relevant because there is almost no public transport once one crosses the Tiber into the ancient city. The infrastructure simply can鈥檛 handle transportation.

If walking day in and day out is not something you tend to enjoy, then Milan might be a better option for you.

It goes without saying that anyone interested in the ruins and ancient tales of Italy should absolutely have Rome at the top of their travel list. It鈥檚 the one place in Europe where I actually found the 鈥渦nmissable attractions鈥� to actually be more impressive in person and not at all totally underwhelming.

Rome – by Christian Nordmark –

Rome is very much a city where experience and enjoyment are valued above profit and production. Settling down for a meal in Rome is an occasion; it matters not what day it is or who is dining.

Rome is also very much a city that comes to life at night. There is a vibrant nightlife scene, as well as phenomenal global gastronomy, if you know where to look. Crossing into the Trastevere is your best bet for this kind of experience in Rome.

In the summer, Rome makes for a great Italian destination as there are beaches a short way outside of the city center. You鈥檒l catch the train to Ostia region and choose your spot on the sandy coastline from there.

Milan

Our city at the boot-thigh is known as Milano.

Similar to Rome, Milan too has a lively nightlife and foodie scene spanning all corners of the globe. Unlike Rome, however, Milan tends to be far more fast paced and productivity oriented.

Milan has traces of ancient architecture, but for the most part this city is simply a cosmopolitan of apartments and big business. Milan is the fashion capital of the world, making it a much more chic, stylish and straight-edge type of community.

There are parts of Milan that make the city feel like one big outdoor shopping mall. If your idea of relaxation while on vacation is shopping, then you won鈥檛 find a better place to do so.

Milan – by AC Almelor –

Chic and stylish aside, Milan has some very rustic, almost grungy, parts to it. I find it feels a lot like lower ends of Brooklyn, New York, at times. The attitude of the local people is a lot like New Yorkers as well; serious, driven and focused.

To pass the time, you鈥檒l enjoy many different theaters, cathedrals and entertainment facilities. Sempione Park is Milan鈥檚 signature green space and brings a natural element into the concrete hub.

A lot of tourists choose to make Milan their destination of choice as they have opportunity for many different day trips. Lake Garda, Lake Como, Pavia and even Vencie are all but a short train ride from the city center.

Milan by Matteo Raimondi –

Milan doesn鈥檛 have any beaches nearby to keep you cool in the summer, but hotel-culture reigns supreme in this city and a lot of them will have swimming facilities available to guests.

Milan is a lot bigger than Rome, and people tend to walk only within their immediate neighborhoods. Public transport is available in abundance and will get you anywhere you need to go in a matter of minutes. Unlike Rome, you won鈥檛 miss much in terms of city-life if you retreat into the underground transport tunnels for significant periods of time.