Milan
Milan is a global city, very strong in the fields of art, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance (it hosts numerous banks and Italy’s stock exchange as well), healthcare, media, services, research and tourism.
It is also the wealthiest among non-capital cities and the fourth largest by population of the European Union.
It is both contemporary and ancient, possibly the most modern of all Italian cities but with also many centuries-worth of history and heritage, and a must-see destination when visiting Italy. Do take your time to stroll and explore, because the more you do, the more it will marvel and grow on you.
Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How to get to Milan
Milan has three international airports: Linate, Malpensa and nearby Bergamo airport. The city has excellent public transport and lots of traffic, so it might be useful to leave the car at the airport or at your chosen hotel. Milan Linate is small, and the closest to the city centre (you can get there via numerous buses in a short time).
Malpensa is bigger, with more flights coming and going from/to numerous international cities, and it is well connected to the centre of Milan by a special train express (Malpensa Express) and buses.
Bergamo’s Orio al Serio airport is further away, but is well connected.
For more information, check the airports’ official websites:
https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/en/
https://www.milanomalpensa-airport.com/en/
https://www.milanbergamoairport.it/en/
Things to do in Milan
Milan Cathedral
Also called Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary, it is the largest church in Italy, the second largest in Europe and the third largest in the world. It took nearly six centuries to complete (from 1386 to 1965) and it is made of white marble, with hundreds of spires and thousands of statues on its exterior, a famous façade and many different architectural styles fused together.
Do not be afraid to climb the stairs (or to take the lift) to the rooftop: you will enjoy a fantastic view of the city between the Gothic spires. This wonderful cathedral will make you agree with Mark Twain’s words: “So grand, so solemn, so vast! And yet so delicate, so airy, so graceful!”
© Steffen Schmitz (Carschten) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
Official site  |
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| 9.00 am – 7.00 pm (last admission: 6.00 pm) Duomo Museum: 10.00 am – 7.00 pm |
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| No closing days Duomo Museum: Closed on Mondays |
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| Different tickets according to number of attractions. One example: ticket for Cathedral, archaeological area, rooftops (access by stairs), Duomo museum, Church of San Gottardo and exhibitions (if applicable): € 15 | |
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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Very close to the Duomo, you will see this splendid 19th century structure, with a stunning mosaic floor and glass roof and cupola (the arching glass and cast-iron roof were a popular design for the arcades of the time). Along the gallery, you can find everything a shopper dreams of: luxury retailers selling haute couture (Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton), jewellery, books and paintings; restaurants, cafés, bars, and a luxury hotel too.
The Galleria also houses some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as Biffi Caffè and Borsalino hat-shop (and luckily, no McDonald’s). Among the many places where you can eat something really Italian, delicious and cheap close by, go to Luini for a Panzerotti on nearby Via San Radegonda.
© Steffen Schmitz (Carschten) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| Always accessible | |
| No closing days | |
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Teatro alla Scala
La Scala is one of the most famous opera houses in the world, and many of the finest international and national singers have appeared there. La Scala’s season opens on the day of Saint Ambrose (the 7th of December), Milan’s patron saint.
Professional training in music, dance, stagecraft, and stage management is offered by La Scala Theatre Academy (Italian: Accademia Teatro alla Scala).
The Museo Teatrale alla Scala (La Scala Theatre Museum), which is accessible from the theatre’s foyer and a part of the house, boasts a collection of paintings, drafts, statues, costumes, and other documents regarding La Scala’s and opera history in general.
MarkusMark, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| Theatre Museum: 10.00 am – 6.00 pm (last admission: 5.30 pm) | |
| Theatre Museum: Monday | |
| Standard ticket: € 9 It is possible to book a guided tour of the Theatre in English, available from Tuesday to Saturday at 4.00 pm, for € 25. |
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Sforza’s Castle
This beautiful medieval fortification, built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, houses several of the city’s museums and art collections, among which are: the Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco (with masterpieces by Canaletto, Tiepolo, Titian and Tintoretto), the Museum of Ancient Art (check the armory and the tapestry room), the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Museum of the Rondanini Pietà (with Michelangelo’s last sculpture the Rondanini Pietà) and the Biblioteca Trivulziana (which holds a manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Trivulzianus).
Do not miss the Sala dell’Asse: there, you will find a painting in tempera on plaster by Leonardo da Vinci, a fantastic example of his genius and talent.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 10.00 am – 5.30 pm (last admission: 4.30 pm) | |
| Monday | |
| Standard ticket: € 7 | |
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Sempione Park
This great park is adjacent to the gardens of the Sforza Castle and to the Arch of Peace, and there you will also see the Palazzo dell’Arte (“Palace of Art”, currently housing the Triennale di Milano, which promotes fine arts and Italian avant-garde architecture), the Arena Civica (impressive amphitheatre where concerts and various competitions are currently held), the public aquarium (Acquario Civico Milano), the Torre Branca tower and a public library (the X Triennial Pavilion in the past).
It is a neoclassical landscape garden with lots to offer, perfect for a stroll any time of the year.
Maurizio Moro5153, CC BY-SA 4.0
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Always accessible | |
| No closing day | |
| Free entrance | |
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Church of the Holy Mary of Grace and The Last Supper museum
This church and Dominican convent is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the most famous paintings in the world, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, can be found in the Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper State museum), outside the Church and on the right in the Square.
The Last Supper depicts the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him. Leonardo had a hard time finding the perfect villainous face for Judas, and left Jesus’ face unfinished on purpose. Due to the methods used, a variety of environmental factors, and intentional damage, little of the original painting remains today, but it still conveys Leonardo’s talent and genius.
Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper State museum)
From Tuesday to Saturday: 8.15 am-7.00 pm (last admission: 6.45 pm) Basilica (tourist visits): From Monday to Saturday: 9.00 am-12.20 pm, 3.30 pm-5.50 pm |
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| Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper State museum): Monday
Basilica (tourist visits): no closing day |
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| Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper State museum): Standard ticket: € 15 Basilica (tourist visits): |
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Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology
It is the largest science and technology museum in Italy, and is dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. Born in 1452, Leonardo is famous for his talent as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor and architect. In fact, not just his paintings but also his notebooks are renowned: they hold drawings and notes on a variety of subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting, and palaeontology.
There is a special section dedicated to him in this museum, which shows many machines as thought by Leonardo, reproduced by using his drawings by a group of passionate experts. Take a look at the hydraulic saw, the spinning machine, the flying machine and Leonardo’s Tank.
Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia "Leonardo da Vinci", CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| From Tuesday to Friday: 9.30 am-5.00 pm (last admission: 4.00 pm) Saturday and Sunday: 9.30 am-4.30 pm (last admission: 3.30 pm) |
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| Monday | |
| Standard ticket: € 10 | |
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Basilica of Saint Ambrose
One of the most ancient churches in the city, it was built by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in an area where numerous martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. It is the most important example of the Lombard Romanesque style of architecture and sculpture.
Partly damaged in World War II, it shows many masterpieces, among which are the golden altar frontal by Volvinius, and also two fantastic mosaics on the ceiling of the chapel of San Vittore in Ciel d’Oro and on the apse depicting Christ Pantokrator with Sts Gervasus and Protasus, with scenes from the Life of St. Ambrose at the sides.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
Official site  |
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| Always accessible | |
| No closing days | |
| Free access | |
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Pinacoteca di Brera
The Pinacoteca di Brera is located in the Palazzo Brera, where you will also find the Brera Library, the Astronomic Observatory, the Botanical Garden, and the Lombard Institute for Science and Art and the Academy of Fine Arts.
It is the main public gallery for paintings of Milan, and one of the most important collections of Italian ones, among which are: The Supper at Emmaus (by Caravaggio), the Adoration of the Magi (by Correggio), St. Jerome in Wilderness (by Titian), the Last Supper (by Rubens), the Pietà (by Lotto), the Finding of the body of St Mark (by Tintoretto). It is a true feast for the eyes.
Welleschik, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 9.30 am – 6.30 pm (last admission: 5.30 pm) | |
| Monday | |
| Standard ticket: € 15 | |
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Navigli
The navigli are a system of five interconnected canals: Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese, Naviglio Martesana, Naviglio di Paderno, Naviglio di Bereguardo. They date back to the Middle Ages and were once industrial canals, one of the city’s commercial activities’ centres.
Now it is one of the most fashionable and popular places in the city, especially if you would like to spend an evening out, enjoying a drink (the famous Milan tradition of aperitivo) or a shopping spree in a nostalgic, poetic landscape. Get a taste of the real, old Milan and stroll around: there are many side streets and courtyards that are perfect for a picture.
Steven Lek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
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