---
okf_version: "0.2"
type: "Article"
title: "EXPO 2015 Milan – Exposition or amusement park?"
description: "Put on some comfortable shoes and know that the site of EXPO 2015 in Milan is gigantic and fantastic! Definitely worth a visit..."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/italy/expo-2015-milan-exposition"
language: en
author: "Letizia Lorenzetti"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 10
tags: ["Culture", "Expo 2015", "Italy"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/italy"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/chile"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/japan"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/zuerich"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culture"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/architecture"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/railtour"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/lorenzettil", at: 2026-07-04T14:28:43+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: expo-2015-milan-exposition.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Letizia Lorenzetti"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/lorenzettil"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:28:43+00:00
---

# EXPO 2015 Milan – Exposition or amusement park?

> EXPO 2015 Milano is a vast world exposition held on a 1.4 km-long main axis in Milan, themed around food and culture, drawing visitors with spectacular country pavilions and continuous live performances — though it sometimes feels more like an amusement park than a substantive exhibition.

## Destination
EXPO 2015 grounds, Milan, Italy — southwest entrance at Rho Fiera, terminus of Metro line M1 (red line).

## Getting there
Take Metro line M1 (red line) to the terminus at Rho Fiera (about one hour from central Milan), or trams 12 or 19 for a more scenic surface route. Day passes for Milan's entire public transit network simplify access.

## When to go
EXPO 2015 Milano runs until the end of October 2015. Afternoon visits to the Cardo and Piazza Italia area coincide with folklore and musical performances.

## Why visit
Spectacular international pavilion architecture, continuous parades and performances on the Decumano, and a showcase of Italy's regions around the Albero della Vita make it a visually overwhelming experience. The sheer scale and variety of country pavilions and theme clusters rewards multiple days.

## What to see
- **Decumano** — The 1.4 km main boulevard lined with country pavilions and theme clusters, with continuous parades and circus-style attractions.
- **Cardo and Piazza Italia** — The cross street at the midpoint of the Decumano where Italy's regions are represented and afternoon folklore and musical performances are staged.
- **Albero della Vita (Tree of Life)** — Italy's centrepiece attraction featuring large-scale shows celebrating Italian culture.
- **Hanging iris garden at the entrance ramp** — A striking vertical iris garden that greets visitors after the security overpass; the scent is notable but the source is not obvious.
- **Country pavilions — Chile, Japan, Vietnam** — Highlighted by the author for impressive and spectacular exterior architecture.
- **Coffee theme cluster** — Notable for its fantastic architecture, though the author found the content of individual country boxes within it underwhelming.
- **Braille information tablet** — An accessible touch-screen information point in Braille format, noted as a first for the author.

## What to do
- **Eat gelato at GROM** — A mobile GROM gelateria stand on the grounds offers what the author calls Italy's best-known and best-tasting gelato.
- **Use touch-screen overview maps on site** — Stations around the grounds display maps, daily event schedules, and pavilion information — useful given the vast scale.
- **Pre-plan performances and pavilion visits** — The grounds are enormous and popular shows fill up; organising a schedule before arrival is strongly recommended.

## Good to know
Security checks at the entrance are thorough — bags, camera gear, and water bottles are all scanned. The EXPO brochure provided by tour operators proved more useful than the smartphone app. All-inclusive packages including travel, hotel, EXPO tickets, and public transit day passes are available from Railtour. A hotel near the fairgrounds is recommended if the focus is exclusively on the EXPO.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_2717_expo2015_chile-1024x683.jpg"
    caption: "EXPO Pavilion – Chile"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_2739_expo2015_japan-1024x683.jpg"
    caption: "EXPO Pavilion – Japan"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_2575_expo2015_vietnam.jpg"
    caption: "EXPO Pavilion – Vietnam"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_2561_expo2015_unfertig_nepal-683x1024.jpg"
    caption: "EXPO Pavilion – Nepal"
```