Football trip Milan

There is no other city in Europe where two clubs of this size share the same ground. One weekend the San Siro is red and black, the next blue and black, and the stands are literally reset for it with different flags and banners.

That makes planning easy: there is nearly always a home fixture. Which club it is depends on the weekend, and for many visitors that hardly matters; it is about the stadium.

And that stadium is why people come. The San Siro is steep, enclosed and loud. The stands rise almost vertically, which keeps the noise in. Milan's Curva Sud and Inter's Curva Nord are the two ends it comes from.

Milan itself is different from the rest of Italy: more businesslike, more modern, less touristy. The Duomo and the Galleria are breathtaking, but the city really lives around the aperitivo at the end of the afternoon.

The stadiums

The San Siro is officially called the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza and holds 75.817. It is in the west of the city, with metro line M5 running to just outside the entrance.

The ground has been under discussion for years: there are plans for a new build or a major reconstruction. Until those go ahead, matches are played here as normal, but it is worth knowing that this stadium will not stay in this form forever. For anyone who still wants to experience it, that is a reason to go rather than to wait.

The stadium tour and museum can be booked separately and run on non-match days. You see both dressing rooms, Milan's and Inter's, which is not possible anywhere else.

When is the best time to go?

The Serie A runs from mid-August to the end of May. Kick-off times are often late: 20:45 is normal, on Saturdays and Sundays too.

Dates and times are set round by round and usually confirmed some weeks beforehand. That is shorter notice than in England, so keep your trip flexible until then.

The best months are September, October, April and May. In winter Milan is foggy and chilly; in July and August it is hot and the league is largely shut down.

The derby between Milan and Inter, the Derby della Madonnina, is a category of its own in terms of demand and price.

Practical

Milan has three airports. Linate is the closest, Malpensa has the most flights and Bergamo is the cheap option but costs an extra hour. From Malpensa the train takes fifty minutes into the centre.

The most convenient places to stay are around Porta Garibaldi or near the Duomo. From there the stadium is about half an hour by metro.

One practical point that is often forgotten: in Italy tickets for many matches must be issued in the holder's name, and that name is checked at the turnstile. So pass on your details in good time and bring identification.

Do not eat in the centre right before the match; do the aperitivo afterwards instead, because the city only really starts after nine.

Frequently asked questions about a football trip to Milan