Milan, the fashion capital of the world, is not just a destination for shopaholics and trendsetters. This vibrant Italian city offers a captivating blend of history, art, and culture that will leave any traveller in awe. From its magnificent Duomo Cathedral to its renowned museums and galleries housing masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, Milan has something for everyone. Whether you’re strolling through the glamorous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or indulging in delectable Italian cuisine at one of its many Michelin-starred restaurants, Milan promises an unforgettable experience that showcases both its rich heritage and modern allure. So pack your bags and get ready to explore this enchanting city – here are all the reasons why you should visit Milan.
“Why would you want to visit Milano Italy”?
“There is nothing to see in Milan”.
Those are the comments we received from travellers when we mentioned we were going to start our Italian Journey in Milan. Those comments actually made us want to visit Milan more to understand why travellers thought that way and to prove them wrong.
We guess they did not see this drone video of Milan (thanks to Expedia on Youtube). The drone footage is one of the best we have seen that really captures the essence of Milan City.
So is Milan worth visiting? We would definitely say yes! Read on and see if you would like to visit beautiful Milan too!
Travel Milan on the Hop on Hop off Bus
“Explore Milan at your own pace with a ticket for the open-top hop-on hop-off bus. With 4 routes at your disposal, discover all of the city’s top attractions, from the magnificent Duomo and La Scala to the city’s many quaint neighbourhoods.”
Pre-purchase your tickets here48-Hour Milan Pass
Explore Milan according to your own interests with a 48-hour Milan Pass, and enjoy discounts at dozens of affiliated restaurants, shops, museums, shows and more. Get free entrance to city museums, and add on transport options to discover more.
For more information click here
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure for more information. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (if applicable).
So now we say “Why you should visit Milan”.
Can you do Milan in a day? This was another question we would get regularly. Each time we have said no, you need to give Milan at least 3 – 4 nights. There are so many top things to do in Milan that you won’t cover it all in 1 day.
Italy is well known for its cuisine and we all love Italian cuisine. But did you know that Milan is known as one of the best cities in Italy for its food in particular Osso Buco and Risotto all Milanese?
Do You Love Listening to Podcasts?
Check out this Podcast on Milan from our friends at Beach Travel Wine.
Milan Italy Map
Milan City Map
Where is Milan
What region of Italy is Milan in? Milan is located in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is Italy’s second-largest city after Rome.
What is Milan known for? Milan is known as the fashion capital of the world and the design capital of the world. Two of the world’s largest fairs Milan Fashion Week and Milan Furniture Fair are held every year in the capital.
Things to Do in Milan Italy
Wondering what things to do in Milan? There are many Milan attractions some that you can pre-purchase and enjoy skip the line and fast track entrances such as the:
- Milan Duomo and Terraces Fast Track Entrance Tickets
- Da Vinci’s Last Supper Skip the Line and Guided Tour Ticket
- La Scala Theatre Guided experience
which we highly recommend doing especially if you are visiting Milan in the summer or over public holidays.
Places to Visit in Milan
Visit Sforza Castle and Michelangelo’s Pieta Rondanini Tour
Did you know that you can see a statue created by Michelangelo in 1564 “Rondanini Pieta” in the Sforza Castle? It was the last sculpture that he worked on before his death. The marble sculpture was purchased by the City of Milan from Conte Sanseverino in 1952 for 125 million lire. It stands 77 inches high.
But it is not all about Michelangelo. Have you ever heard about his friend Leonardo Da Vinci? During the 1.5-hour guided experience with your monolingual guide, you will hear many stories about him as well. Finally, every secret of the Castle is going to take life, visit the courtyard and the interior of the Castle and learn about Milan’ powerful families.
For more information click here
The Castle was built in the 15th Century by Francesco Sforza Duce Milan and it houses the city’s most important museums and art collections. There are a total of 12 museums, art collections and displays in the Castle and you can easily spend a whole day wandering around.
Simplon Gate
The Main Park of Milan houses the Simplon Gate (Porta Sempione Gate) with its Arch of Peace. Built in the 19th Century it stands proud in Piazza Sempione (Simplon Square). It is a lovely walk from the Castle down to the Gate, past a cafe where elderly men are enjoying the afternoon playing cards with their friends and children playing whilst their mothers are enjoying a coffee. The Hop on Hop off Bus tour includes Simplon Gate and it is a great way to navigate the sights of Milan City.
Visit Santa Maria delle Grazie
Inside Santa Maria delle Grazie you will find on the end wall of the dining hall the “Last Supper” painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1495 and 1498.
Hot Tip:
You will need to book in advance for viewing click here for booking and more information. We turned up on the day hoping that we could visit or that there may be a cancellation, but no such luck.
Milan’s Impressive Cathedral
Milan’s skyline is dominated by its Gothic Cathedral which took over 6 centuries to build starting in 1386 and finally completed in 1965. It is the 5th largest church in the world and Italy’s largest.
Fast track your visit by purchasing tickets in advance here
Milan’s Premier Shopping Centre – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milan is a shopping mecca offering the shopper the world’s oldest shopping Mall – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II built between 1865 – 1877.
Admire the mosaic marble floors and the domed roof whilst enjoying a coffee.
You can enjoy a 3-hour walking tour of Milan that includes a visit to the Galleria.
- Admire Milan Cathedral and visit the archeological area underneath
- Feel astonished by the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping mall
- Enjoy your time browsing the historical objects of La Scala Theatre
- Appreciate the monument dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci
- Take advantage of being just a few steps away from the fashion district
Canals in Milan? Who would have thought that Milan had canals as well as Venice? Of course, we had to pay a visit and we headed down there for dinner. To our surprise, there were canals and restaurants opened along the banks. For 10 euros per person, we had the ‘happy hour dinner’ – a large beer and a selection of pasta, chicken, potatoes and vegetables and you get to sit by the canal watching the tourist boats glide past.
Want to experience a cruise on Milan’s canals?
- Enjoy a typical Milanese aperitivo on a canal boat
- Discover the lively Navigli district from its canals
- Sip on a glass of wine or Aperol spritz
- Enjoy tasty snacks as you cruise
- Admire historic landmarks along the banks
More Milan Attractions:
Where to Stay in Milan
5 Star Milan Hotels
One of the top 5 star hotels in Milan Italy is the Mandarin Oriental located at Via Andegari 9, Brera, Milan close to the fashion district.
Dine at the 2 Michelin Star restaurant Seta for the best of Italian cuisine.
Latest Guest Review: Great location near all the luxury shopping stores and great services with fantastic staff.
A 5 star alternative to the Mandarin Oriental is the Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa Milano
Located at Corso Di Porta Nuova 1, Brera, Milan in the heart of Milan’s fashion district.
Latest Guest review: Luxury hotel taking extreme care of details, located close to the city main attractions, very professional service, exceptional bed and linen, very clean suite with all amenities, including window blinds (support comfort in the night)
4 Star Milan Hotels
The Square Milano Duomo is located at Via Alberico Albricci, 2-4, Centro Storico, Milan.
A great location with only a 5 minute walk to the Milan Cathedral, the La Scala Opera House and the Vittorio Emanuele shopping area.
Guest review: The location was great, breakfast was perfect. The staff were friendly.
Berna Hotel Milan located at Via Napo Torriani 18, Stazione Centrale, Milan
Great location only 200 m from the Milan Central Train Station. A fabulous breakfast is included.
Latest guest review: The hotel staff was the most polite people I’ve met. The hotel was clean. The location is ideal. Oh! The breakfast as well. It could satisfy even the most demanding customer. One thing that I particularly enjoyed is the choice I had to order anything I would need even days before reaching the hotel. Wow!!!
3 Star Milan Hotels
Hotel Gran Duca di York located at Centro Storico – Sant’Ambrogio, Milan close to the Duomo Cathedral.
Set in an 18th-century historic palace with a display of period frescoes in the hall the Hotel Gran Duca di York ticks all the boxes for your stay in Milan.
Latest Guest Review: Wonderful family-run hotel just 5 minutes from Duomo. Special thanks to Oreste! Breakfast was great, something for everybody and service was all in all excellent. The rooms are quite small, but that’s Milan. It was also nice that drinks in the minibar (non-alcoholic) included the room rate
Lancaster Hotel Milan is located at Via Abbondio Sangiorgio 16, Milan a 15-minute walk to the centre of Milan. A great breakfast is included.
Located in the Sempione district, the hotel is just a few steps from the Arch of Peace and Sempione Park. A 5-minute walk will take you to the FieraMilanoCity Exhibition Centre.
Latest Guest Review: Great location helpful friendly staff nice ambience. Tasty breakfast. Great location/base to explore Milan and Lake Como
For more hotels in Milan Italy:
Best Restaurants in Milan
We researched Tripadvisor Milan to bring you the latest best restaurants in Milan.
Ristorante Enrico Bartolini: Via Tortona 56, Museo delle Culture, 20144 Milan – 3 star Michelin restaurant
Sapori Solari: Via Sofonisba Anguissola 54, 20146 Milan
For more restaurants in Milan:
Milan Airport
Malpensa is Milan’s International Airport and it is located 65 km from the city.
You can pre-book your transfer from Linate Airport, Milan’s domestic and European Airport to Milan City.
If you prefer a bus transfer from Malpensa Airport to Milan City book here.
To book your private one-way transfer from Malpensa Airport to the city click here.
Cheap Flight Deals to Milan
Find the cheapest flights with Skyscanner our ‘go-to’ when researching and booking flights.
Car Rental in Milan
Car rental is easy to organise either when you arrive at the airport or from city locations. For the latest prices, information and availability click here.
Day Trips from Milan
If you base yourself in Milan there are several day trips that you can make:
You may want to click here if you want to consider pre-purchasing your Milan 48 Hour City Pass.
Related Reading: 7 Best Italian Lakes To Add To Your Bucket List
Time in Milan
Milan is GMT +1.
When is the best time to visit Milan?
The best time to visit Milan is Spring and Autumn. These are less touristy, as Summer is peak season and the weather will be kinder to you as well.
Are you on Pinterest? We are at To Travel Too and we have many travel-related boards check us out at Pinterest. If you enjoyed our article why not pin it to your board.
Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while travelling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
To Travel Too Travel Shop
Travel smarter and safer with products from our To Travel Too Travel Shop. If you are looking for the latest luggage, guidebooks or travel accessories we have you covered with over 800 travel products to choose from.
Why not take our article with you as you wander around Milan. Click our City Walk banner for more information.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Milan is a city that offers a unique blend of history, culture, and modernity. From its stunning architecture and world-class museums to its vibrant fashion scene and delicious cuisine, there is something for everyone in this bustling metropolis. Whether you are an art lover, a shopaholic, or simply someone seeking to immerse yourself in the rich Italian lifestyle, Milan promises to be an unforgettable destination. So pack your bags and get ready to explore all that this cosmopolitan city has to offer – you won’t be disappointed!
Thank you for bringing this article to our attention. It made me want to go back to Milan even more.