I just moved from the San Francisco Bay Area, where we had two cars for two of us, despite a good public transit system. Sold them pre-move and now getting settled in here. Was under the impression cars were "not European" and we wouldn't need them.
I live in the 2nd ring of Milan city center, and the buses (trams as they call them) are great for gettting around downtown. But I've not had any luck finding good, big, reasonably priced stores to make big purchases. (Where are the Target's/Walmart's, CVS/Walgreens/Eckerd, etc.!?)
I was in Beirut last week, and right in the heart of downtown they had a HUGE multi-level store dug into the ground that sold everything and the kitchen sink, even bicycles! Why doesn't Milan have that? Or do they?
SO MY QUESTION IS: Have people who've been here a while found a car necessary to get around? Scooter? Public transport?
Where do you do your shopping near downtown if you don't have a car for stuff like home electronics, body/health supplies, household stuff like plates and utensils and appliances, home repair tools, etc?
Car, scooter, feet? Where are the big, cheap stores downtown?
I was wondering about the same thing. I guess Milan is not the city for that. As far as I know there is a mall close by garibaldi area and one in Bovisa which has an electronics store and gym stuff.
Public transport is good tho... if you don't mind taking the 24 hour bus on the ring (might be a bit unsafe looking sometimes late at night).
So far, all I've gleaned from posts here is to go to Ikea or Carossello (in Carugate) for big selection and good prices, both of which are very far from Milan and would definitely require a car.
I retain hope that there is some large store tucked somewhere downtown. The BricoCenter and Simply Market on Viale Corsica 7 are the closest thing I've found so far. They're decent but not as diverse as a "Target" back home.
Articles to help you in your expat project in Milan
Living in Italy also means benefiting from a multitude of leisure activities. Between museums, art cities ...
Pasta, rice, vegetables, good meat and all kinds of sweets, Milanese cuisine is about eating simply but with taste ...
Rome, the "Eternal City", is an open-air museum, a whirlpool of antiquity and modernity, a place of ...
Expats in Rome who like sports will find many activities in the capital, both indoor and outdoor. Running ...
Famous for fashion, gastronomy and design, Milan has much more to offer than glamour. The city is full of renowned ...
Milan offers unlimited possibilities when it comes to activities and nature escapes. Its geographical location has ...
