Europe String

Sometimes the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is referred to as the world’s first indoor shopping mall, but that’s a comparison that doesn’t do this magnificent structure justice. It connects the Piazza del Duomo to the piazza in front of La Scala opera house in the center of Milan. The ceiling consists of a glass dome, while the floor is sumptuous marble.

While most of the shops (including Prada’s flagship store) in the galleria are pretty high-end, the galleria does offer one great budget-travel activity (besides being an attraction in and of itself): a good luck spin on the bull’s balls is completely free. Look for the divot in the tile mosaic near the center of the galleria. There’s often a small crowd of tourists and locals waiting to take a spin. Watch how it’s done, then jump in and take your turn.