In
the bustling city of Milan 75 minutes are a lifetime.
We suggest you spend them on the Number 4 tram and
discover a new laidback side to this busy metropolis.
The
first thing you'll notice about the trams in Milan
is that they are orange, slow and extremely noisy.
Daunting, to say the least, for a foreign tourist.
Even the Milanese think of getting the tram
as a mini -odyssey through a city they never really
take the time to explore. Nineteen tram lines in
all cross Milan, bringing you off the beaten track
through streets and squares that even the most intrepid
tourists never discover. For our trip today we've
picked the Number 4 tram, which, since 1927,
has been zigzagging for almost ten kilometres through
the centre. The tram exudes old-fashioned elegance
with its wooden seats and interior and glass lamps
hanging from the ceiling.
The
Number 4 route takes us across the Isola quarter
of Milan, famous for its political protests, left-wing
alliances and, to keep the balance straight, as
the birthplace of Silvio Berlusconi. It starts
its journey heading over the bridge at Via Carlo
Farini, passing in front of Garibaldi Station
and then along the Cimitero Monumentale
before turning off into the bustling streets of
Milan's Chinatown. It then cuts through the
trees of Parco Sempione and ambles down the
busy shopping streets of Via Mercato and
Via Broletto with their wonderful churches.
Next stop is the magnificent Piazza Cordusio
(just a stone's throw from Castello
Sforzesco), and then it's off again - this
time for an even more illustrious square -Piazza
Duomo.
The route now takes us through the centre of Milan,
along Via Mazzini and Corso di Porta Romana,
where, if we look from the window, we can see Palazzo
Annoni and the Basilica of San Nazzaro.
But don't get off yet. The Number 4 will
take you through a myriad of streets and squares,
uncovering a busy vibrant city, before it reaches
the end of its line at the colourful fruit and
vegetable market. All this for the modest price
of a 75-minute tram ticket, 1,500 lire. Not
bad for Italy's most expensive city, eh?
Castello
Sforzesco A quick guide to Milan's most famous
castle with lots of history-related links. A
holiday in Milan Roland tells us about his
holiday experiences in Milan. Tourist
Tram If you prefer you can take the official
tourist tram. Pros: you can listen to a description
of the route on the headphones provided. Cons: it's
for tourists and costs 30,000 lire rather than 1,500. Milano
Practical information on visiting Italy's commercial
capital from the Rough Guides. Sandokan
A portal dedicated to free spirits the world over.
Sandokan is the site where this article by Elisa
Pierini was originally published. (In Italian only)
THE SURVIVOR'S 
The
Number 4 route takes us across the Isola quarter
of Milan, famous for its political protests, left-wing
alliances and, to keep the balance straight, as
the birthplace of Silvio Berlusconi. It starts
its journey heading over the bridge at Via Carlo
Farini, passing in front of Garibaldi Station
and then along the Cimitero Monumentale
before turning off into the bustling streets of
Milan's Chinatown. It then cuts through the
trees of Parco Sempione and ambles down the
busy shopping streets of Via Mercato and
Via Broletto with their wonderful churches.
Next stop is the magnificent Piazza Cordusio
(just a stone's throw from 
