6 - Milan, BikeMi

Flights to Mlian £63rtn pp Compare all offers

It's true to say that Milan is not one of Italy's top tourist destinations, which is a shame as it has a lot to offer and is a good place to cycle given its flatness and grand architecture.

The city's bike share scheme, BikeMi, has almost 2,500 bikes at around 140 stations. Like similar systems, visitors can subscribe for either 24 hours or a week for 2.50 euro or 6 euro. The first half an hour is free and thereafter a charge is applied for each extra 30 minutes. However, in Milan, the authorities like to keep the borrow time down so if you go over the two-hour limit three times within the period of the one rental, your subscription will be cancelled and you'll have to re-apply via the web or by SMS for your access codes to the docking stations.

One disadvantage of the scheme is that it is only in operation from 7:00am until midnight so if you stay out late you'll have to catch a cab back to your hotel. However, during the day the bikes are great for cycling along the canals, admiring the architectural highlights such as the Milan cathedral or the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church and also great for the thrill of riding between cars and Vespas. Also, as Milan is known as Italy's shopping capital, for visitors on a small budget but wanting to window shop on their bikes, Mondays are usually best as many of the shops are closed so it would be impossible to bow to your temptations!

Find out more on the BikeMi website.

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