Loreto 1

Loreto is the easiest place to connect to the Milan Metro.

This is a big station with two metro lines, and it has lifts and escalators. They can be hard to spot, though, and sometimes you have to walk quite a way to find them. Pay close attention to the signs, or you could get lost and come out on the wrong side of the street.

This is one of Milan's main stations, where you can switch between the green M2 and red M1 lines. It's quite large, with around six exits, though it doesn't have the same wow factor as the big Japanese stations. At night, the exits by viale Monza and via Padova don't feel very nice, and security around the station is poor. Twice, men have stuck close to me as I went through the ticket barrier so they could get in without paying. I shouted, but nobody seemed to notice, or they noticed and didn't help. Another time, a young man felt unwell while people were trying to help him. I went to the red line's main entrance to ask them to call an ambulance, and they said it was the green line's responsibility. The ambulance came to the red entrance anyway. There are some useful things here: the company's offices are on site if you lose your monthly card, and there are lots of vending machines. The military are sometimes present too, and that's when I feel safest.

This is a huge, often crowded stop for the green and red metro lines. It has lots of exits onto the road, so check which street you're heading toward before leaving. Otherwise, you might end up walking a long way to get where you need to go.