• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Road Affair

Stop Dreaming. Start Traveling.

Hide Search
  • Home
  • Browse
    • Guides & Tips
    • See & Do
    • Tech & Gear
    • Work & Volunteer
    • Places to Stay
    • Blogging
  • Destinations
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Caribbean
    • Central America
    • Europe
    • Middle East
    • North America
    • Oceania
    • South America
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Start a Blog
Show Search
Milan Cathedral with lion statue, Milan,Italy
elesi / shutterstock.com

Italy • See & Do

7 Best Things to Do in Milan, Italy

Margherita
Margherita Ragg December 23, 2021
Share
TwitterPinterestFacebookFlipboardEmail
Road Affair is reader-supported and may earn commission from purchases made through links in this article.

Milan is Italy’s second largest city and the biggest in the northern part of the country. It may not have as many jaw-dropping tourist sights as Florence, Venice and Rome, but it sure has enough interesting places and attractions to fill a weekend.

It’s often dismissed as a grey, unattractive industrial city – yes, in the 1970’s maybe it was. Nowadays, Milan is one of the world’s fashion and design capitals, it has several museums, beautiful parks, great street art and it’s one of the most culturally diverse Italian cities.

Most travelers just breeze through Milan on their way to Cinque Terre, Venice or Lake Como. True, the city may not be as cute as a quaint Italian village, but it does have a lot to offer – and it doesn’t need to be expensive. Check out our 10 free things to do in Milan if you’re on a budget, and our Milan street food guide if you’re a street food lover!

So, without further ado, here are the best things to do in Milan, Italy:

Insider Tip: If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing while in Milan, you might want to get the Milano Card. The pass gives you discounted or free entry to the city’s world-class museums and monuments, as well as free access to public transportation.

Duomo di Milano

If you only have time for one sight in Milan, make sure it’s the Duomo. Milan’s Cathedral is a Gothic extravaganza, a pink-marble wedding cake of spires, columns and statues, overlooking the huge square of the same name.

Make sure you tour the dimly lit interior and marvel at the beautiful stained glass and lofty ceiling before climbing to the rooftop for a view that’s to die for.

Avoid standing in long lines and book your Duomo ticket here in advance. For more information on the different types of tickets available, check out our guide on how to buy tickets to the Milan Cathedral.

Milan Duomo in Milan, Italy
Noppasin / shutterstock.com

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

On your left hand side facing the Duomo, this elegant shopping arcade is known as “Milan’s drawing room”. It’s lined with luxury shops and luxurious cafés, where a cappuccino usually costs more than 5 euros.

Guidebooks read, “The Galleria is where well-heeled Milanese head for an aperitivo before an evening at the Scala”. Yes, maybe that was true 50 years ago. Nowadays there are just tourists at the tables. But nevertheless, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is lovely for a stroll – check out the lovely Prada shop windows, the mosaic floor and the stained-glass ceiling.

You’ll probably notice a small crowd on the left hand side of the Galleria coming from Duomo. People will be taking turns to spin on the balls of a mosaic bull on the floor. If you manage to complete three spins on your heel, you’ll have good luck for the rest of the year!

Luxury Stores in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - shopping mall in Milan, Italy
WeronikaH / shutterstock.com

La Scala Theatre

One of the most famous theaters in the world, a night at La Scala is a must if you’re an opera, ballet or classical music lover. Make sure you dress nicely – no shorts or flip-flops please!

If you don’t want to buy tickets through an agency, you can do so via the theater’s website. Tickets usually go on sale 2-3 months before the performance – be online as soon as they do because they’re snapped rather quickly!

If you fail to secure a ticket in advance, you can queue up on the day of the show for standing tickets (usually costing €10-20) at the evening box office in Via Filodrammatici, right next to the theater. The box office opens between one and three hours before the performance, but start queuing by mid-afternoon to maximize your chances.

Castello Sforzesco & Parco Sempione

This is another one of the best things to do in Milan, a huge castle surrounded by the city’s best park, right in the center of town. You can walk through the castle’s courtyards before reaching the park, or visit one of the 6 museums housed in the castle itself – don’t miss seeing Michelangelo’s masterpiece, Pietà Rondanini.

Parco Sempione is a great place for a run or a picnic, and it includes some real architectural gems – Triennale and Torre Branca, great examples of Fascist architecture, pretty Acquario and its art nouveau exterior, and De Chirico’s Mysterious Baths Fountain.

Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco) in Milan, Italy
Catarina Belova / shutterstock.com

Leonardo’s Last Supper

This fresco is one of Leonardo’s masterpieces; Jesus’s expression (halfway between contemplation and sadness) has baffled historians for centuries.

The Last Supper can be found in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church – the fresco is badly damaged, so attendance is restricted to 15 people at a time. Buy your tickets in advance – or try your luck rocking up without a booking first thing in the morning, when unsold tickets are released at the box office. It usually works unless it’s very high season.

The Last Supper in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy
HUANG Zheng / shutterstock.com

Porta Ticinese/Navigli

If you fancy a stroll through an alternative and vibrant part of town, walk down Via Torino from Duomo and take a left down Corso di Porta Ticinese. There you’ll find indie shops, lots of affordable restaurants, street art and the Colonne di San Lorenzo, a Roman ruin opposite San Lorenzo church where young Milanese gather at night.

Behind San Lorenzo church there’s Parco delle Basiliche, another great place for a sit down or a picnic. It used to be the location of Milan’s gallows, but things have brightened up considerably since then.

Keep walking down Corso di Porta Ticinese until you reach Piazza XXIV Maggio. There you’ll find the Darsena and Navigli, whatever is left of Milan’s waterways. This area is another great spot for a (pricey) aperitivo, dinner or drinks – but it’s really lovely, especially in the summertime.

Ancient Roman ruins, Colonne di San Lorenzo in Milan Italy
Claudio Divizia / shutterstock.com

Isola/Porta Nuova

Isola (M5 Isola or Garibaldi) is a former working-class district, now an up and coming hipster hangout, where you can find many independent shops, some great examples of street art (keep your eyes open for C215 on mailboxes!) and a little-visited, but stunning church called Santa Maria alla Fontana.

Porta Nuova is a new steel and glass district, Milan’s very own Canary Wharf. Piazza Gae Aulenti, the centerpiece of the development, is a modern take on a traditional Italian square, complete with futuristic benches and fountains. Right behind you’ll see Bosco Verticale, two award-winning residential buildings with native trees and shrubs on each balcony.

Where to Stay in Milan

Here are our top recommendations of hostels and hotels in Milan. All are centrally located, highly rated and have excellent facilities.

  • Best Hostel: Ostello Bello
  • Best Budget Hotel: B&B Hotel Milano San Siro
  • Best Mid-Range Hotel: Hotel Berna
  • Best Luxury Hotel: Hotel Principe Di Savoia
  • Best Airport Hotel: MOXY Milan Malpensa Airport

Don’t forget to also take a look at Airbnb. They have many accommodation options available in Milan, and many of them are cheaper than your average hotel. For recommendations check out our list of the best Airbnbs in Milan.

Popular Day Trips from Milan

Below are some popular day trips from Milan that you might enjoy doing.

  • Lake Como Day Trip from Milan
  • Bernina Express & St.Moritz Day Trip from Milan
  • Venice Day Trip from Milan
  • Verona & Lake Garda Day Trip from Milan
  • Genova & Portofino Day Trip from Milan

I hope my list of the best things to do in Milan was helpful in planning your trip to this beautiful city and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. Oh, and don’t forget to check out our detailed Milan itinerary as well.

Share
TwitterPinterestFacebookFlipboardEmail

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

The Gran Cenote in Mexico

20 Best Cenotes in Mexico You Must Visit

See & Do

Woman admiring Plaza de Espana (Spain Square). Built on 1928, it is one example of the Regionalism Architecture mixing Renaissance and Moorish styles. Seville, Spain

10 Days in Spain: The Perfect Spain Itinerary

Guides & Tips

Classic panorama view of the historic Church of Our Lady of Remedy overlooking the old town of Kotor and world-famous Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

1 Day in Kotor: The Perfect Kotor Itinerary

Guides & Tips

Young woman tourist standing back with spanish flag in front of the famous cathedral on the central square during the sunny weather in Zaragoza city, Spain

Common Spanish Phrases Travelers Should Know

Guides & Tips

Nyhavn district in Copenhagen, Denmark

3 Days in Copenhagen: The Perfect Copenhagen Itinerary

Guides & Tips

You might also like...

Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy, Girl looks at the landscape of the city and countryside from the balcony

See & Do

10 Best Day Trips from Florence, Italy

Woman making heart shape with hands on the beautiful view in Venice, Italy

Guides & Tips

10 Days in Italy: The Perfect Italy Itinerary

View over Italian town Lucca with typical terracotta roofs

Guides & Tips

1 Day in Lucca: The Perfect Lucca Itinerary

Night view of the Basilica St Peter in Rome, Italy

Guides & Tips

3 Days in Rome: The Perfect Rome Itinerary

Scenic view of ocean and harbor in colorful village Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

Guides & Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cinque Terre in Italy

Beautiful cityscape skyline of Firenze (Florence), Italy

Guides & Tips

3 Days in Florence: The Perfect Florence Itinerary

Duomo in Florence

Guides & Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Florence on a Budget

Girl with a bicycle in Rome, Italy

See & Do

10 Best Tours in Rome, Italy

Footer

Browse

  • Guides & Tips
  • See & Do
  • Tech & Gear
  • Work & Volunteer
  • Travel Resources

Destinations

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Caribbean
  • Central America
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • North America
  • Oceania
  • South America

Resources

  • Best Travel Backpacks
  • Best Travel Insurance
  • How to Save Money for Travel
  • Packing List for Backpackers
  • How to Start a Blog

Company

  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Subscribe

Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox

© 2022 Road Affair, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest