Milan

Is Milan worth visiting?

Yes, but not for the reasons most people assume. Milan is not a postcard city like Florence or Venice. It is a working city with a gritty edge, incredible food markets, and some of the best art in Europe. If you want Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, the Duomo rooftop, and a proper negroni in a vintage bar, it is worth three days. If you only want canals and cobblestones, go to Verona instead.

How many days do you need?

Two full days are enough for the big sights. Three days let you add a day trip to Lake Como or an afternoon in the Navigli canals. One day feels rushed and leaves out the Last Supper or a good museum visit.

When to go

What to see

Duomo di Milano, 2 hours. Roof terrace access EUR 15, full ticket including museum and baptistery EUR 20. Book rooftop tickets online. Walk up the stairs (250 steps) instead of the lift. The lift line is twice as long. Skip the Duomo Museum unless you love old stone fragments.

The Last Supper, 15 minutes inside, 45 minutes total with security. EUR 15. You must book weeks ahead online through the official site or a tour operator. No walk-ins. Do not buy from scalpers outside. If sold out, try a guided tour that bundles Brera or the Castle.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, 20 minutes. Free entry. Walk through it to see the mosaic bull. Do not spin your heel on the bull's testicles for luck. That is a TikTok myth and locals find it embarrassing. Admire the glass roof instead.

Brera Art Gallery, 2 hours. EUR 15. Less crowded than the Duomo. Houses Raphael, Caravaggio, and Mantegna. Go on Tuesday or Thursday mornings. Closed Mondays.

Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione, 1.5 hours free for the grounds, EUR 5 for the castle museums. The park is a good spot for a picnic or a rest. The castle museums have Michelangelo's last sculpture. Skip the aquarium inside Sempione park.

Navigli District, 1.5 hours for a stroll. Free. The canals are pretty in the evening but the bars are overpriced. Go for a walk, have one drink, then leave for dinner in another neighborhood. The taxi drivers near Navigli love to overcharge.

Santa Maria delle Grazie, 30 minutes for the church and cloister. Free entry to the church. The famous Last Supper is in the refectory attached to the church. Do not confuse the two.

3-day itinerary

Day 1: The Core, 9:30am Duomo rooftop (booked the night before). 11:00am walk through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. 11:30am coffee at a bar on Piazza della Scala (avoid the ones with white tablecloths, they charge double). 12:30pm lunch in the Brera district. 2:30pm Brera Art Gallery. 5:00pm aperitivo in Brera. 7:30pm dinner near Porta Romana.

Day 2: History and Art, 9:00am The Last Supper (booked weeks before). 10:00am Santa Maria delle Grazie church. 11:00am walk to Sforza Castle (15 minutes via Corso Magenta). 11:30am castle grounds and Parco Sempione. 1:00pm lunch near Cadorna station. 3:00pm choose one: Museo del Novecento for modern art (EUR 10, 2 hours) or the Leonardo da Vinci Science Museum (EUR 10, 2.5 hours, great for families). 7:00pm dinner in the Isola district.

Day 3: Day Trip or Fashion, Option A: 9:00am train from Cadorna station to Como (1 hour, EUR 13 each way). Stroll Como town, take the funicular to Brunate. Return by 7pm. Option B: stay in Milan and visit the Quadrilatero della Moda (fashion district, window shopping only) and the Fondazione Prada (contemporary art, EUR 15, 2 hours).

Where to stay

Getting around

Buy a 72-hour public transport pass for EUR 17.50. It covers metro, tram, and bus. Validate it on your first ride. The fine for an unvalidated ticket is EUR 100. Do not buy single tickets from random newspaper stands. Use the official ATM machines at metro stations or the ATM app (app requires a card). The metro runs from 6am to midnight (to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays). Tram 1 goes through the center and is scenic.

Avoid taxis outside main train stations. They often refuse short trips or charge a flat fee of EUR 20 instead of the meter. Use the official taxi app (free Uber-like service) or walk to a nearby taxi stand.

Walking is the best way between the Duomo, Brera, and the Castle. That triangle is only 1.5 km across. Wear flat shoes. Milan has cobblestones and puddles.

Budget

Mistakes to avoid

Buying the Milan City Pass. It costs EUR 60 for 48 hours and covers the Duomo and public transport. The Duomo plus two metro days costs around EUR 40. You save nothing and you queue at the same windows. Buy Duomo tickets separately.

Renting a car. Do not. Milan has limited traffic zones (Area C) that charge EUR 5 per day just to enter. Parking costs EUR 30 per night. The metro is faster.

Eating in the Galleria. Every restaurant there pays high rent. You pay for the view with mediocre pasta. Walk 200 meters to Via Monte Napoleone or Via della Spiga for better food at lower prices.

Not booking the Last Supper far enough ahead. Tickets sell out 3 to 4 weeks before in summer. Check 6 weeks ahead for 2026. If you cannot get them, take a guided tour that includes the church and the Leonardo Museum.

Thinking the Navigli are romantic in the daytime. They are nice at sunset. In the morning you see trash floating in the water and empty bottles. Go between 6pm and 9pm.

Ignoring the dress code at churches. No bare shoulders or shorts above the knee. The Duomo staff will turn you away, no exceptions.

Buying from street vendors near the Duomo. Those rose sellers and bracelet men will tie a bracelet on your wrist and demand EUR 10. Shake your head and walk away fast.

Forgetting that many restaurants close for lunch between 2pm and 7pm. Milan eats late. Lunch runs 12:30 to 2:00pm. Dinner starts at 7:30pm but most locals eat at 8:30pm or later. If you walk into a place at 6pm, they will offer a coffee, not food.