carcassone

For the last leg of my trip, I will be driving from Menton to MXP, staying at a airport hotel before the flight home the next morning.

I have tickets for "The Last Supper" at 3p. (That's the easy part.) Now I am trying to decide if my route should be:
1) Menton - MXP, check in to hotel, then go see The Last Supper (by car or public transit).
2) Menton - The Last Supper - MXP.
3) Do the route in 2 days, Menton - MXP first day, then MXP - The Last Supper the next day.

Geographically, #2 makes more sense but I don't know how challenging is it to drive to see "The Last Supper"? Will I encounter any ZTL in Milan? Will I find parking?

If I drive to MXP first, how much time do I need to use public transportation to get the my Last Supper reservation at 3p?



Thanks.

Dukey1

Is it going to kill you to get to the airport hotel with HOURS to spare before you need to see "The Last Supper" or what? It isn't as if this remnant of an artwork is the ONLY thing to see in Milan.

Jean

Do you have to drive the car (back) to Italy or could you return it in France without incurring a drop fee?

Milan does have a type of ZTL, but I believe you can pay a fee (congestion charge) to enter. You'd have to find out how this works (I've never done it) and then research the parking options near the Last Supper. I've been told that traffic around the periphery of Milan is pretty bad, so I think you'd have to anticipate possible delays.

Alternatively, you could drive directly to your hotel near Malpensa, drop your luggage, return the rental car and then take a train to the Nord Cadorna station which is closer to the Last Supper than Centrale. The trains at :03 and :33 after the hour take just 30 minutes. Other departure times to Cadorna can take an hour or more.

If you can return the car in France, you could take the train from Menton to Milano Centrale, store your luggage, and then take the metro or taxi to the Last Supper. Retrace your steps to Centrale, retrieve your luggage and train or bus to Malpensa.

maxima

the distance from Menton to Malpensa is about 184 miles, or at least 3 and a half hours, probably more depending on traffic. There is a ZTL zone in Milan in the historic center. There is also an underground garage near the Last Supper church.

if you do not think that there will be too many time constraints, it is possible to drive from Menton to Milan, park and see the Last Supper. just be sure to get an early start.

If you do the first option, you can drop off the car at the airport, check in and drop the luggage, and then go back to the airport terminal, and take the train from the terminal station to the Cardona Station. Its about a ten minute walk from Cardona to the church. its about a half hour ride on the train.

Do not take the train from the airport to the Centrale station as its not near the church and you will have to take another train or subway from the central station. the airport is a bit of distance from where you want to go, its faster to take the train, than a bus from the airport.


the most relaxing, would be plan 3.. you can get to Milan at your leisure, and can drop off the car.

in any event your visit to the last supper is timed and you are only allowed 15 minutes to view it. if you have the time, see some other things in Milan, such as the unfinished Michelangelo pieta at the Szforza Castle, and the Duomo where you can walk on the roof of the cathedral.

carcassone

MXP is my last stop on this trip so that's where I'll return the car (i.e. not France).

We've been to Milan before and seen the top sites already, just not this one. However, after the Last Supper, I wouldn't mind more sight-seeing close by, or a nice "Last Supper" on our last night in Italy. Just don't want to miss my resv.

Dukey1, it's not that I worry I have too much time at the airport hotel. It's the contrary that I worry I might not have enough time to drive from Menton to MXP, check in, then find my way to the train station to get on the express train and get to the Last Supper by 2:30p. I'll probably have to leave Menton by 8a. That's why I'm thinking seeing Last Supper before MXP will be more logical.

BTW, this will be on a Tue, if that makes any difference. Does anyone know if The Last Supper is in a ZTL? Where do I get a map of Milan's ZTL?

asps

Milan is laid like a bull's eye, with narrowing circles. Any place within the two inner circles (you can google "area c") is subject to an access charge. All license plates are photographed when accessing the zone and if a payment is not associated within a set time a fine is issued.

Your best bet: at the end of the A7 motorway at Piazza Famagosta there is a very large interchange parking with the underground metro, line 2. You just leave your car there (I cannot vouch for safety of luggage in car so try not to have anything visible), you take the underground and in about 20 minutes you are at Cadorna, within walking distance from the Cenacolo. Driving would be slower. Then you go back to your car and through the ring motorway you go to MXP. There is no faster alternative.

maxima

http://www.comune.milano.it

click on for English, unless you are proficient in Italian, and details are given for the ZTL , and a map

.

carcassone

asps, thank you for your helpful reply. This is exactly the info I'm looking for.

maxima, thank you for the link to the Area C map. I can see that Piazza Famagosta is clearly outside ZTL and "on the way" to MXP. I have no intention of driving in "downtown" Milan. Just want to get close enough to take the metro in.

If I get an early enough start and not run into extra traffic, then I might drive all the way to MXP first, check into the hotel, then hop onto the express train (thanks Jean for the time of the express train).

Thanks again, everyone!