What to do in Milan, Italy

There is a lot to do in Milan, and I can prove it! The second largest city in Italy has historical sights, interesting museums, beautiful architecture and excellent options for an aperitif at nightfall. Here you will find our best tips on what to do in Milan, which is a city full of possibilities and attractions.

What to do in Milan — our unmissable tips!

Many people think that Milan is not an interesting city and end up spending little time there. But, to be quite honest, I have a soft spot for the city! Milan has history, beautiful buildings, is organized, has efficient public transport and several other cities nearby that make for wonderful walks!

1. Visit Piazza del Duomo — where Milan’s Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle are located

Duomo Square (Piazza del Duomo) is the Milan Cathedral square, known as the Duomo. It is the heart of the city, where its main attractions are: the Milan Duomo itself and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II, a beautiful shopping center. If you only have a few hours in Milan, these are the two unmissable attractions in the city: the Milan Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. The Duomo, with its imposing marble façade, is simply unmissable! Don't limit yourself to seeing it from the outside, because it's also possible to visit it internally and even go up to the Cathedral's terrace. A truly spectacular tour! It's not every day that you get the chance to stroll through the roof of one of Europe's main churches.

2. Choose a good hotel in Milan

Milan is a cosmopolitan city, with many hotel and accommodation options, whether you want something more luxurious or simpler. The city center is a great place to stay in Milan, especially if your stay in the city is short. Another option is the Brera region. If you want to enjoy the nightlife more, try to stay in Navigli.

3. Walk through the center of Milan

The center of Milan is a really cool area to explore on foot. In the center, it is worth stopping by the Teatro alla Scala, a very beautiful theater that still hosts important plays to this day. Via Dante and Corso Vittorio Emanuelle II are good places for shopping, and Via Dante also leads to Sforzesco Castle and Sempione Park.

4. Visit Sforzesco Castle

Originally a defensive fortress, Sforzersco Castle got its name because it was built by the Sforza dynasty. The place, which for many years was detested by the Milanese because it was a symbol of tyranny, today functions as a museum. Its internal halls have a huge and varied collection. It is a very interesting visit for those who enjoy ancient art, archaeology, musical objects and other themes that involve the history of Milan over the centuries.

5. Tourists’ favorite activities in Milan:

Milan is a very central city in Northern Italy and has good rail transport. Therefore, many people who visit the city also take the opportunity to use it as a base for taking trips around the surrounding area. Check out the tours that tourists most seek out in Milan below.

6. Explore the streets of Brera and discover the Brera Art Gallery

Brera is a very busy neighborhood in Milan, with many shops, cafes, pizzerias, bars and nightclubs. It's a nice place to take a leisurely stroll, enjoying the shops and stopping for a coffee. The neighborhood's streets tend to get busy during happy hour, or aperitivo, as the Italians say, washed down with lots of Aperol Spritz. In the same neighborhood is the Pinacoteca de Brera, one of Milan's main galleries, housed in a former 14th century convent. For those who appreciate art, it is an incredible tour, as it brings together works by artists such as Rafael, Caravaggio and Piero della Francesca.

7. Admire it live The last supperpainting by Leonardo da Vinci

The last supper is a fresco (wall painting) by Leonardo da Vinci and one of the best-known artistic works in the world! It is located in the refectory of the Dominican convent of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It's usually a very popular attraction, because the number of daily visitors is limited, but it's worth seeing one of the most famous works in the world up close!

8. Enjoy an outdoor walk in Sempione Park

Sempione Park is Milan's main park and is located in the city's central area. It is a pleasant place all year round, especially in the summer, when events take place there and people take to the park's lawns to have a picnic. It's a very enjoyable tour and worth adding to your itinerary. In this park there is also Torre Bianca, a 108 meter high steel tower, accessible via elevator, and which has a panoramic view of all of Milan! The view from the top is beautiful and it's worth climbing to the panoramic point.

9. Discover Milan's museums

Milan, like other cities in Italy, is a destination closely linked to culture and art, and visiting the city's museums is a way to get closer to these themes and also to learn a little about the history of Milan. The city has museums with very different collections and it's worth knowing a little more about each of them to understand which ones might please you. Among the main museums in Milan are:

• Brera art gallery — A museum that has a vast collection of paintings, mainly Italian, and works by great names in art.
• Sforzesco Castle Museums — They encompass several different collections on topics such as archaeology, musical instruments, tapestry, Egyptian art and more.
• Duomo Museum — It is a museum that is part of the Milan Cathedral complex and has a wide and interesting collection, especially with sacred works and those related to the history of the Cathedral.
• Prada Foundation — The Prada contemporary art museum occupies a huge space in Milan and has a wide variety of temporary exhibitions, some of them immersive and interactive. It's worth checking out Fondazione Prada's schedule at the time of your trip. I've been there and really liked it; surprised me!
• National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci — The museum named after Leonardo da Vinci is interesting for people of all ages, including families with children. Its collection is very varied, interactive and, at the end of the scheduled route, there are even planes, huge boats and a rocket!

10. Enjoy an aperitif in Navigli

Navigli is a neighborhood very popular with young people and is worth a stroll, especially at sunset, when the area is filled with people enjoying an aperitif. The aperitivo is like happy hour, a time of day when Milanese people go out for a drink and a chat before dinner. And, in several establishments in the city, it is common for you to receive some free snacks whenever you order a drink. The most popular drink at this aperitif time is Aperol Spritz, but there are those who order other drinks and beverages too. Navigli is a lively, cool neighborhood, with artificial canals that were formerly used to transport goods. Our tip is to choose a day of your trip to visit Navigli and its various bars and enjoy your night there!

11. Go shopping in Milan

Milan is an excellent destination for shopping, because the city has stores featuring dozens of brands known around the world. If you want to find luxury brands, a good place to visit in the city is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Fashion Quadrilateral, where you will find stores from the world's leading brands! For shopping a little more “humble”, so to speak, there are several other points in the city where you can go, such as Via DanteO Corso Vittorio Emanuelle IIO Corso Como, Brera and the Corso Buenos Aires.

12. Discover the churches in Milan

Milan Cathedral, known as the Duomo, is the church you should not miss in the city. However, if your itinerary allows it, the city has some other churches that are also worth including on your itinerary. Between them:

• Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio — A church from 386 AD that has few works, but those that it does have are of high artistic value,
• Church of Saint Maurice at Monastero Maggiore — The temple is impressive due to the enormous number of paintings and frescoes it has. Some call it the “Sistine Chapel of Milan”.
• Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie — Where is Cenacolo Vinciano (The last supper).

13. Visit Piazza Gae Aulenti

Do you want to know a little about the contemporary side of Milan? Then visit Piazza Gae Aulenti, a modern, rounded square, surrounded by tall buildings, shops and cafes, symbolizing this innovative face of the city. It is a place worth visiting for shopping and seeing other attractions around, such as the Corso Como (popular route to enjoy the night), the Garibaldi Gate and the Bosco Verticalea building with many plants, which is so different it has become a point of interest to see in the city.

14. Discover Milan's Monumental Cemetery

This tip may seem a little strange, I understand, but the Monumental Cemetery in Milan can surprise you. Cemeteries are places with a lot of history, a way of understanding the culture of a place, and in Milan this is no different. The Monumental Cemetery, opened in 1866, was born as a civic space and a place of rich architecture, with sculptures and buildings of different styles, many of them majestic. The space is considered an open-air museum, because it houses many artistic works. It was also the place chosen for several Italian personalities to rest. There are guided tours to see the Cemetery, but it is also possible to visit it on your own.

15. Discover the doors of Milan

Milan is a very old city. One of its historical aspects are the doors or portals that were built during the development of the city along the Roman, medieval and Spanish walls that surrounded it. With different construction styles due to the different historical moments in which they were built, these doors were places that served as access to the city.

As the centuries passed and culture changed, new doors were built according to need; To this day, several of the gates built around Milan are still standing. Among them are: Roman Gate, Ticinese Gate, Nuova Door, Porta Venezia, Garibaldi Gate etc.