I will be going to Milan in sept 2011 for grand Prix(arriving at malpensa airport)....Is it advisable to obtain a milano card for travelling on public transport for 3 days. If so, can thi be purchased at the airport or elsewhere?
We intend to go to lake Como for day trip...how is this best done? Through tour group or can we do ourselves (we have no car though)

Also, Can you recommend some sights in Milan & bars/restaurants.

Ciao

Regarding Lake Como, how is it done is a function of what you are planning to do there. If Bellagio is the only destination, you can do it on your own by Milano Centrale-Varenna Esino round trip train, then car ferry/passenger boat to Bellagio is probably the fastest. Of course, this is not necessarily the recommended way if you planning to do something else there which you have not yet mentioned.

I don't have a feel for the time needed to see Lake Como. Is it realistic to take the train there for the day, do some ferry hoping, visit a couple of the communities and return?

two train lines to Como from Milan - one is the mainline Trenitalia line that continues onto Switzerland - get off at the mainline Como station - St something in the name - Leandro?

But cheaper and better located for touring the lake but slower take the Nord de Milano (sp?) non-Trenitalia train line to a terminus right on the lake, opposite the boat dock - buy a boat pass if taking more than a few trips for the day - can boat to Bellagio and other places of interest around the lake.

If Bellagio is your only destination then do as greg suggests - train to Varenna-Esino and walk down to the boat dock from the station - quicker way to Bellagio probably.

But Bellagio even in September will likely be sardine city - the two times I've been there each time a boat docks and ejaculates its hundreds of day trippers it becomes elbow to elbow as there is very little turf in this ancient town that once lived on fishing but not toally angles for tourists and their euros.

Bellagio is sweet after the day-tripping hoardes are gone but IME like Disney World's version of Italy or Las Vegas' version of Bellagio when they are here. There are lots of lovely places around Lake Como not so ruined IMO by tourists and the town of Como to me is really nice with a lovely old-world atmosphere - tiny lanes - the quintessential Italian regional town that it seems many folks traveling to Lake Como simply ignore.

Most of the usual and easy-to-reach Lake Como destinations will be very crowded during the Grand Prix. Some people will even be staying at the lake and travelling back/forth to race events.

Other possible day-trip destinations are Lugano at the Swiss end of Lake Lugano and Stresa on Lake Maggiore. Both are about an hour's train ride from Milan's central station, and either would make for a lovely day on a lake.

http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html

There are "metro" ticket options that cover the metro, tram and buses, Ticket options Carnet E9.20 for 10 rides. 24 hour pass @ E3, 48 hour pass @ E5.50. THey are avail at Centrale and Cadorna stations for sure. They may be avail at other stations too, I just do not know. Good info at this link:
http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a...lan-metro.html. This site has a link to the milan metro site too

Ciao,
Milan - Como ... best way it's the TRAIN.
From Milano-Cadorna station to COMO-LAGO. Timetable etc. www.trenord.it (regional trains).

BE CAREFUL: from 1 Sept. the city bus/metro tickets are going to be heavely increased, single ride from 1 to 1,50 euro! You can find the new fares on www.atm-mi.it.

Ciao,
Gianni (Milan, Italy)

Gianni,

Thank You for the update. I will visit Milan Sept 7 through 10 and can now pick the best option for me. I am looking forward to the visit and using the ATM metro, bus and tram lines.

Rolo