It all depends on what you like. Designer outlets are all far away from Central Milano and I am not sure there is transportation by bus to them. As for shops there are about 4 main areas: 1 is the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, with good quality shops, it's near the Duomo. 2 is Via Spiga-Via Montenapoleone, with the top quality shops, again very central. 3 Corso Buenos Aires, roughly the Oxford Street of Milano, thousands of shops, most of them fairly cheap.4 Corso Vercelli, smaller shopping area, with good quality shops, less central. I suggest you stay in a fairly central area but not too central, like the Fiera area or aroudn there, so that with a few metro stops you can get to the centre but you don't spend a fortune. Eating can be cheap or expensive, depends on where you go. Don't EVER eat in Via Dante or Corso Vittorio Emanuele, that's where all the tourist traps are. If you want to eat at a restaurant or trattoria, you can spend from 20 to 40 euros on average, but you can spend as much as 150 euros if you go to the wrong place. Pizzeria are a good option as a pizza will cost around 7-8 euros and with drinks and a dessert you will end up with about 20 euros each (including service). A sandwich in a bar+a drink will be around 7-8 euros. Taxis are more expensive than elsewhere, but you can easily go around by metro+bus.

One important thing: hotel prices will depend a lot on the dates, when there is a town fair, you could end up paying more than double than in other periods.

Regds

Claudio

Thanks Claudio, that was very helpful.

It's now confirmed that I will be staying in Central Milan. Though I am flying to and from Bergamo. So my next question will be:

My flight back to the UK is at 9.40 in the evening, would you advise that I took a bus back to Bergamo for about 5pm that evening?

Also I'm interested in the closest and nicest places to visit (within easy reach of Central ilan?

Thanks

5 pm should be ok, although it's rush hour and the motorway from Milano to Bergamo is never easy (it never took me more than 1 hr but to play safe with 3-4 hrs you should be ok).

If you mean places near Milano, Bergamo is a nice town to visit, actually you could take a bus or a train earlier in the day and visit Bergamo Alta which is spectacular. As for things to see in Milano, I suggest you look at the different threads in Milano, there's plenty of good suggestions.ciao

Claudio

Can someone who isn't looking to spend ALOT of money enjoy Milan?

Very easily...pasta and/or pizza meals with wine are easily done for under 15 euro per person if you want them to be. Not even paying attention to cost, you'll almost always stay under 25 euro per person with pizza/pasta and wine. Though you should most definately splurge on a nicer meal at least one night.

The sights are cheap. Public transportation is very easy to use. Your big cost factor is going to be shopping....which you will determine. If you go shopping for gucci, prada etc you'll spend a lot of money. But there is also an H&M right by the duomo....whatever you want to spend you can. All in all, because my wife and I aren't big shoppers and anything we'd buy can be had in Chicago for less money, Milan was our cheapest stop in our italy tour.

The other thing is, grocery stores are pretty available in Milan...you can always find nice sandwiches and fruit there as well as cheap bottled water/drinks/wine for meals on the run.