MILAN - Strolling beneath the towering glass-and-iron dome of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, it’s easy to feel like the king for whom Milan’s most elegant shopping arcade was named. Sip a latte macchiato at the Gucci Caffe, then soak up the 19th-century opulence, from dazzling mosaic scenes gracing large lunettes, to the intricately tiled concourses that Milanese use as a short cut from one piazza to another.
In our few previous trips to this northern Italian city, it was amazing how quickly we felt like paupers once we crossed the Galleria’s back arch and gazed at one of the world’s most famous opera houses, Teatro alla Scala. While five euros (about $7.50) buys entrance to the museum and a glimpse at the stage, we’ve longed for a proper night at La Scala. And not the $88, obscured-view seats that, if we were lucky, we might snag if we queued the morning of a performance.
“One day,’’ my husband said with a sigh.
It takes money - and some advance planning, especially if you’re selling the idea of a weekend in Milan to preadolescent sons who would rather hear Green Day than Verdi.
So in August, precisely when Internet sales opened for a Saturday performance in October, my husband pushed the button for two, first-level front box seats that would be gone in a minute’s hesitation. At nearly $735 for the pair, and another $220 for a hotel in Milan’s trendy Navigli district, we had blown our entertainment budget for the rest of the year.
Fortunately, a half tank of gas could get us there from our home near Basel, Switzerland, in less than four hours. Friends in Milan offered free babysitting. The trick was to make the trip enjoyable for all, without going broke trying to keep up with Milan’s banking and high-fashion crowd.
11 a.m. Saturday
Start at the Duomo, the world’s third-largest cathedral dripping in Gothic detail, with more than 2,200 statues decorating the facade alone. Climb to the roof terrace (or pay about $12 for the elevator) and be rewarded with a look at some 135 sculpture-topped spires, not to mention a great view of the city.
12:30 p.m.
Just off the Piazza Duomo, the line is often long at Luini (Via Santa Radegonda 16), where Milanese have paid homage to the fast-food panzerotti since the bakery introduced the southern Italian snack in 1949. The boys devoured theirs, marveling how the puffed, folded, and fried mozzarella-tomato sandwich reminded them of eating a donut and pizza at the same time. A bargain at about $4.40.
1:15 p.m.
Even if you can’t afford the high-end designer shops of the so-called Golden Quadrilateral streets just north of the Duomo, marvel at the fanciful displays, like the upside-down decor of Viktor & Rolf (Via Sant’Andrea 14), where chandeliers poke out of the floor. Or immerse yourself in all things Armani, whose stores fill a block on Via Manzoni. Naturally, the boys and their father preferred a metro trip far northwest to The Skate Shop (Via Grossich 11), owned by Milan’s most famous pro skateboarder, Joe Onorato, who’s nice enough to give out free DVDs or posters even if you just buy stickers.
3 p.m.
Take the subway to the Garibaldi Station and walk to 10 Corso Como, a three-story cafe-bar-boutique-bookstore-gallery opened by Carla Sozzani, whose sister Franca is editor of Vogue Italia. You’ll feel like you’ve stumbled into someone’s garden leading to the partially-covered cafe. The boutique is full of men’s and women’s clothing, trinkets and shoes, some out of an over-the-top photo shoot. Who knew that miniature black and beige Chanel-style jacket was really an almost $350 hat, with sleeves meant to dangle by your ears?
4:30 p.m.
The salesgirl will wag her finger disapprovingly if you take a picture of the tortas and pastries in the window at Pattini and Marinoni (Corso Garibaldi 95). If you can resist a taste, wander south into the Brera district’s cobblestone streets. You’ll find cozy restaurants and antiques stores, like Robertaebasta (Via Fiori Chiari 16). Manager Danilo Turrina enthusiastically expounds on the history of French and Italian Art Deco, encouraging you to finger the shark skin inlays of a more than $51,000 Dominique secretary from the 1930s.
5:30 p.m.
Walk a mile south of the Duomo to Corso di Porta Ticinese 39 and behold the 16 Corinthian Roman columns that line the square in front of the San Lorenzo Basilica, a Byzantine structure from the fourth century. Walk back to work up an appetite for a $3 two-scoop gelato at Toldo (Via Ponte Vetero 9). If it’s a cold day, order a cioccolata calda, Italy’s thick hot chocolate that’s more like a melted candy bar topped with whipped cream - a perfect sendoff for the kids before they join the babysitters.
7 p.m.
Without a reservation, you probably won’t get a table at il Marchesino (Via Filodrammatici 2) when there’s a performance at La Scala next door. But go shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar with pre-teatro patrons and pay about $12 for a steaming cup of saffron risotto. Or opt for a glass of sparkling Franciacorta and have your fill of dainty aperitivo snacks (but know there are heartier free “happy hour’’ buffets in town).
8 p.m.
Since Maria Theresa, the Holy Roman Empress, gave the command to build La Scala in the late 18th century, this is where Milan’s elite have met to hear opera in breathtaking style. Crimson velvet seats and satin walls set off five tiers of cream and gold-carved boxes. The show continues at intermission, when women clad in luxurious gowns let their escorts snap their pictures beside statues of Bellini and Rossini. Mozart’s “Idomeneo’’ never sounded so wonderful.
11:30 p.m.
On the way to the cab station at Piazza Duomo, we thought we had missed an outdoor performance when an enchanting aria from Puccini’s “Turandot’’ filled the near-empty Galleria. It turned out to be a little white-haired man, singing gustily to his boom-box accompaniment. If he’s there, drop a coin in his hat before heading down to less-expensive nightspots along the Navigli canals (or in our case, to pick up the kids).
8 a.m., Sunday
Tickets to Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,’’ which is painted on the wall of the refectory adjacent to the Santa Maria Delle Grazie church, sell out two months in advance. But show up when the doors open and you might luck into cancellations, as we did. During the wait for your 15-minute time slot (only 25 people are allowed in at a time to reduce humidity), read the foyer display on restoration, including walls damaged by World War II bombs. The $10 entry fee is well worth the intimate look. Don’t forget Donato Montorfano’s Crucifixion on the opposite wall.
10 a.m.
Stroll along the Naviglio Grande canal, which Da Vinci helped design as a means of transporting marble to build the Duomo in the 14th century. On the last Sunday of the month, an upscale flea market floods the streets on both sides. Locals scour the vintage clothing racks for designer labels and fake furs, plus the stalls of furniture, china, and books.
12:30
Lunch at Pizzeria Tradizionale (Ripa di Porta Ticinese 7). There are plenty of good eateries where you can unwind along the canal, but this might be the friendliest. Wear an AC Milan jersey (as my son did) and waiters will beckon you to a wall of photos of famous soccer players who, like you, have enjoyed the moderately-priced wood-oven cooked pizzas, pasta, and fish dishes.
Susie Woodhams can be reached at susiewoodhams@gmail.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING
La Scala opened in 1778 on the site of the church of Santa Maria alla Scala. The Duomo is the third-largest cathedral in the world. The cupola of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
(Marco Brescia/Teatro Alla Scala (Above); Provicnia Di Milano Settore Turismo
