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The Glamore Milano Duomo, Milan

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Milan

Updated 1 October 2026 · 14 things to do

Pictured: The Glamore Milano Duomo

Milan doesn't flirt like Rome or Florence; it gets dressed up and gets on with it. Italy's capital of fashion, finance and design hides its treasures in plain sight: a cathedral so ornate it looks spun from sugar, Leonardo's Last Supper on a refectory wall, a 19th-century glass arcade made for promenading, and courtyards and canals that only reveal themselves once you slow down.

Two or three days covers the big sights, with evenings for the city's great invention, aperitivo, in Brera or along the Navigli canals. Then use Milan as a springboard: Lake Como and the hilltop old town of Bergamo are both an easy train ride away.

Don't miss

  1. 1The Duomo
  2. 2The Last Supper
  3. 3Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
  4. 4The Navigli
  5. 5Lake Como

The big sights

Gothic spires, Renaissance genius and a glass-roofed salon.

  1. The Duomo

    Landmark

    The white marble Gothic facade and spires of Milan Cathedral
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Milan's white marble cathedral took nearly six centuries to finish, and every one of them shows. Its Gothic facade bristles with pinnacles and statues, and the cavernous interior glows with vast stained-glass windows.

    The highlight is the roof: climb the stairs or take the lift to walk among the forest of spires, right up beneath the gilded Madonnina, with the city spread out below and, on a clear day, the Alps on the horizon.

    Tip: Book roof tickets online in advance. Shoulders and knees must be covered inside.

  2. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

    Landmark

    The glass-roofed arcade of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
    Photo: Maurizio Moro5153, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Next to the Duomo, this soaring 19th-century shopping arcade of glass and iron is Milan's elegant living room, home to historic cafés and luxury boutiques. Look down at the mosaic floor: tradition says spinning on your heel on the bull's crown jewels brings good luck.

  3. The Last Supper

    Museum

    Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper
    Photo: Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain

    Leonardo da Vinci painted his masterpiece on the wall of the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the 1490s, and it has survived wars, bombing and its own fragile technique. Visitors are admitted in small groups for a short timed visit, and standing before it is unforgettable.

    Tip: Tickets are released in batches and sell out fast: book weeks, or even months, ahead.

  4. Sforza Castle

    Landmark

    The brick walls and tower of Sforza Castle
    Photo: Meri Valenti (TCI), CC BY 4.0

    The great brick fortress of the Sforza dukes now houses a cluster of museums, among them the Rondanini Pietà, the unfinished marble Michelangelo was working on in his last days. Behind it, the Parco Sempione stretches out to the Arco della Pace.

  5. La Scala

    Landmark

    The Neoclassical facade of the Teatro alla Scala
    Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0

    One of the world's most famous opera houses, where Verdi and Puccini premiered great works, looks surprisingly plain from outside. Its museum lets you peek into the red-and-gold auditorium, but nothing beats a night at the opera or ballet.

Neighbourhoods to explore

  1. Brera

    Neighbourhood

    The Brera Palace, home of the Pinacoteca di Brera
    Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Milan's artistic quarter is a pretty grid of cobbled streets, galleries, boutiques and pavement cafés. At its heart, the Pinacoteca di Brera holds one of Italy's finest painting collections, from Mantegna's startling Dead Christ to Raphael's Marriage of the Virgin and Hayez's romantic The Kiss.

  2. The Navigli

    Neighbourhood

    Bars and houses along the Navigli canals
    Photo: Matteo Garza from Gravellona Lomellina, Italy, CC BY 2.0

    In the south-west of the city, the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese canals, once the city's working waterways, are now lined with bars, restaurants, vintage shops and artisans' studios. In the evening the canalside fills with people for aperitivo, and the reflections of the lights dance on the water.

  3. Porta Nuova

    Neighbourhood

    The Porta Nuova skyline with the UniCredit Tower and the Bosco Verticale
    Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Milan's modern face: a cluster of glass towers around Piazza Gae Aulenti and the Bosco Verticale, twin residential towers draped in trees and shrubs. The Biblioteca degli Alberi park and the bars of Corso Como are close by.

  4. The Quadrilatero della Moda

    Neighbourhood

    The Fashion Quadrilateral, bounded by Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia, is where the great Italian and international fashion houses have their flagships. Even if you're only window-shopping, the displays and the people-watching are pure theatre.

Eat and drink

  1. Aperitivo

    Nightlife

    A Negroni sbagliato cocktail
    Photo: Wine Dharma, CC BY 2.0

    Milan made the early-evening drink an art form. Order a spritz, a Campari or a Negroni sbagliato, said to have been invented by mistake at Bar Basso, and your drink comes with snacks, or even a small buffet. Brera, the Navigli and Corso Como are the classic places to join in.

  2. Risotto alla milanese

    Food

    Ossobuco with golden saffron risotto alla milanese
    Photo: pier, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Milan's signature dish is a creamy risotto coloured gold with saffron, often served alongside ossobuco, slow-braised veal shin. Order it in a traditional trattoria, along with the other great local classic, cotoletta alla milanese, a breaded veal cutlet fried in butter.

  3. Panettone and pastries

    Food

    The tall, fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit and raisins is Milan's gift to Christmas, and the city's historic pasticcerie make it with pride. The rest of the year, join the locals for a cappuccino and brioche standing at the counter.

Day trips

  1. Lake Como

    Day trip

    The tip of the Bellagio promontory on Lake Como
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Mountains plunge into deep blue water, and pastel villages and grand villas line the shore. Take the train to Varenna, then hop on the ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio, or head to the town of Como and ride the funicular up to Brunate for the view.

    Tip: Start early and buy a day ticket for the ferries in the central part of the lake.

  2. Bergamo

    Day trip

    The walled upper town of Bergamo on its hilltop
    Photo: Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A short train ride east, Bergamo's Città Alta is a medieval hilltop town ringed by Venetian walls, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ride the funicular up from the lower town, then wander to the Piazza Vecchia and the ornate Colleoni Chapel.

Where to stay in Milan

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Milan →

Getting around

The metro is fast and easy and reaches all the main sights, and the historic trams are a joy in themselves. The centre around the Duomo and Brera is walkable. Trains from Milano Centrale reach Lake Como and Bergamo easily, so you won't need a car.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best times, mild and pleasant. Summer can be hot and humid, and many locals leave in August. Fashion and design weeks fill hotels fast, and winter brings fog, the opera season at La Scala and Christmas markets.

Questions about visiting Milan

What is Milan best known for?
Fashion and design, the Duomo, Leonardo’s Last Supper, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala opera house and aperitivo culture.
How many days do you need in Milan?
Two days covers the Duomo, the Galleria, The Last Supper, Brera and the Navigli. Add a day or two for Lake Como and Bergamo.
Do you need to book The Last Supper in advance?
Yes. Visits are timed, with small groups, and tickets often sell out weeks or months ahead.
Can you visit Lake Como as a day trip from Milan?
Yes. Trains run from Milan to Como and Varenna, and ferries link the lakeside villages, so a day trip is easy.

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