City-Discovery.com Showcases Milan As 2015 World Expo Preparations Gear Up

PARIS, FRANCE, March 10, 2011 (Press-News.org) City-Discovery.com highlights its Milan offerings in anticipation of increased interest from travelers leading up to the World's Fair Exposition in 2015. The online sightseeing tours retailer has a diverse range of products for the city with Skip-the-Line guided tours cited as being the most popular. Other activities include shopping tours, day trips and excursions to nearby areas, food and wine experiences, guided city walks and museum visits.

Winning the 2015 World Expo hosting bid is only one of the significant markers of Milan's recent revival during the past couple of years. After being found to have had the highest smog levels in Europe in 2006, a city-wide urban regeneration initiative created new green spaces, gardens and parks, and implemented a bike share program to help alleviate pollution and traffic jams.

As the fashion and financial capital, Milan is distinctly more modern than the country's major touristic destinations like Rome, Florence and Venice, though, as with the rest of Italy, travelers can still find that old-world charm tucked away in little pockets amidst the busy metropolis, not unlike New York City.

Alessia Bianco, City-Discovery.com's Head Product Manager agrees that the mix of new and old is what sets the city apart. "Milan is already among the Top 15 destinations for City Discovery in terms of sales for 2010. Being selected as the World Fair host and the increased interest is a great opportunity for more travelers to discover a very different Italy from the usual Coliseum, Renaissance palazzos and Roman ruins image."

Most of City-Discovery.com's guided city tours already combine both the Old and Modern sides of Milan. Milan in One Day gives a great overview of the city's main attractions. The combination bus and walking tour covers the Brera Museum, the Duomo Cathedral, La Scala Theater and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie to see Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. The tour includes Skip the Line access and some free time to explore the antique shops, art galleries, cozy trattorias and bars of the Brera district, the so-called 'Montmartre of Milan.' http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/tour.php?id=7134

The Golden Quadrangle is the aptly-named district where flagship stores of the world's most famous luxury brands can be found but savvy shoppers can get deep discounts (from 30 to 70% off) on designer brands like Gucci, Prada, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, Bally, Dolce & Gabbana, Bulgari or Roberto Cavalli through City-Discovery's Outlet Shopping Tours to Serravalle, Foxtown and Vicolungo. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/shopping_and_fashion

Milan gastronomy tours like the Wine Tasting at a typical Italian bar matches traditional Lombardia fare with luxury wines specially selected by a sommelier. The Food Museums tour where travelers visit Felino Castle's Salame Museum, the Museum of Parma Ham and the museum of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is also available a few hours away in nearby Parma. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/food_wine_and_gastronomy

After hours, the Milanese enjoy Happy Hour where the Milan by Night tour starts off with a drink and an appetizer before moving on to the next hot nightclub or bar. Travelers can fully experience the city's nightlife districts from Navigli Canal to the trendy area of Corso Como and Corso Garibaldi and finally the artsy quarter of Brera. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/tour.php?id=3133

City-discovery.com also has excursions and multi-day packages to see Genoa's Romanesque churches, Cinque Terre's hillside terraces, Lake Garda in Verona, Venice and Lake Como. The Bernina Train Tour departs from Milan by bus to St. Moritz where the railway's north-south Alpine crossing passes through wild gorges, soaring bridges, fascinating loop tunnels and ice-age glaciers. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/tour.php?id=3136

Travelers can also save on transport cost by using the city's bike share program at 10% off with the Milano Card. More discounts apply for museum fees, services, restaurants. The card also bundles three days of free public transportation via metro, tram, bus, subway or city train. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/tour.php?id=5646

Clients can also book their airport transfers through City-Discovery.com. Transfers for Linate, Malpensa, and nearby Bergamo's Orio al Serio Airports are available on private basis and can be booked for small to large groups up to 50 persons. http://www.city-discovery.com/milan/airport_shuttle.php

For more activities and things to do in Milan, visit City-Discovery.com. For featured travel experiences and photos by customers, read the City Discovery Travel Blog (blog.city-discovery.com) and follow City-Discovery.com on Facebook (facebook.com/citydiscovery) and Twitter (twitter.com/citydiscovery). The company is giving away $200 Gift Certificates on Facebook, where a winner will be randomly selected for every 1000 new members.

City Discovery is a leading provider of sightseeing tours, activities, and ground transportation worldwide. Featuring over 5,000 travel activities in 400 destinations, it sells directly to consumers with a best price guarantee through http://www.city-discovery.com and through a network of over 7,000 travel agencies and affiliates. Established in 2004, City Discovery is managed by Tours and Co Inc, a leading e-travel service company based in the United States with offices in France, Greece, Italy, and the Philippines.