10 Best things to do in Milan, Italy

Hey guys !! So anyone looking to get away for 2 or 3 days in Europe, Milan is a great choice. Milan is a city in northern Italy, also the capital of the Lombardy region. After Rome, it is the second populous city in Italy. Let’s explore what your getaway list should look like !!

Milan is one of the world’s four fashion capitals. After the Second world war, the city recovered and formed into one of the major cities in Italy. Milan is a mixture of modern skyscrapers and old historic museums, castle, and cathedral. This city turned into one of the major places to invest in terms of fashion retailing. Since the 1800s, Milan has been a major industrial and manufacturing center. It is also the home of the famous AC Milan football team. All these facts make Milan one of the interesting cities to visit and, here are some places to visit.

1.Duomo di Milano

Milan Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Milano) is the largest church in Italy. The cathedral took 6 centuries to complete. The cathedral is the center point of the city and the city of Milan was built around it. Recently, in 2012, the officials announced a campaign to raise funds for the preservation and adopt the spires. Candoliga marble is the material of the facade and the cathedral has a total of 135 spires. The view from the top of the cathedral is outstanding and breathtaking. There are various tickets to visit the cathedral and various exhibitions.

The interiors have detailed decorations and the colored stained glasses light up the cathedral when sun rays fall on them. Furthermore, the central seating area is filled with statues and artwork.

2.Piazza del Duomo

Piazza del Duomo is the central public square in Milan housing the Duomo di Milano, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and the Royal Palace. The tourists often have this location as their starting point to visit Milan. Piazza del Duomo has the statue of King Victor Emmanuel II. Ferrari celebrated 90 years of motorsport racing and 90th Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit. The Monza Grand Prix circuit is just 30 kilometers from central Milan. Also, people can feed the birds because this is a perfect spot to capture the moment. Beware of the tourist traps.

3.Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the oldest shopping mall in Italy. The mall’s roof has four glass-paneled arms meeting up in the central dome. The galleria has many statues and mosaics built-in 1877. The beautiful lightings at night brighten up the whole mall during Christmas with the tree at the center. The mall has the oldest Café Biffi and there are outlets of brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Versace.

The tradition is that if a person puts their right heel on the bull’s testicular region and “turn oneself three times”. Rotate anticlockwise and this will bring good luck. But the locals claim it to be a myth and this tradition has led to the damage.

4.Santa Maria delle Grazie

The Holy Mary of Grace (Italian: Santa Maria delle Grazie) is a church and a UNESCO world heritage site. The most noteworthy thing in the museum is the mural of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. The museum visit costs 15€ for adults and the details of the visit are found here.

The painting of the Last Supper portrays the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock.

5.Sforza Castle

Sforza Castle (Italian: Castello Sforzesco) is a castle built in the 14th century by the Duke of Milan. It is one of the largest citadels in Europe. The Castel stands majestic amongst the streets of Milan even though the original design has been modified quite a few times. The castle now includes some of the best museums namely,

• The museum of Ancient Art
• The museum of Musical Instruments
• The Egyptian museum
• The Antique Furniture and Wooden Sculpture museum
• Michelangelo’s last sculpture

6.Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio

Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio is one of the most ancient churches in Milan built in the 4th-century. It represents the early Christian and medieval era of Milan. St. Ambrogio dedicated the basilica to the holy martyrs. The interior of the church displays very beautiful mosaics and also a wonderful mosaic of Christ on one of the domes.

The exterior of the church is full of brickwork of various colors. The tower on the right side is called the Monks tower because it was used by the monks to chant the prayer. The second tower was built in 12th-century housing canons.

7.Parco Sempione

Sempione Parco is a large city park in Milan. It is located behind the castle and in between two major landmarks in Milan. If you are tired after visiting and want to take a nap or sit, relax, and have lunch or evening stroll, this would be a perfect location. The park is well maintained and has lush green grasses, a little pond with ducks. The park is filled with trees covering the footpath providing shade along with a gentle breeze. There are many sculptures along the way, which educates about the history of Milan too.

8.Torre Branca

Branca Tower (Italian: Torre Branca) is a panoramic view tower located in Sempione Park. It is 108.6 m high. The tower is between the Arch of Peace and the castle which gives a wonderful view of the castle and the city. The tower can accommodate only a few people at the same time therefore you have to wait for your turn. The ticket cost is 5€.

9.Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci

The National Museum of science and technology is the largest science and technology museum in Italy. It was dedicated to the visionary, painter and engineer Leonardo da Vinci. The museum has many permanent exhibitions of his projects which include models of his planes, cars, locomotives and many more. Besides, the museum also includes important scientific inventions and technologies that are being used even today.

The Science and Technology Museum has interactive laboratories for the kids to try out and enjoy. The Toti class submarine is on display and you can opt for a guided tour, unfortunately, it’s in Italian only. The Leonardo da Vinci galleries have 170 historical models, artwork, and antiques of the last period of Da Vinci’s activity. The cost of the visit is 10€ and other details regarding the visit can be found here.

10.Arco della Pace

Arch of Peace (Italian: Arco della Pace) is located near the Sempione Park. The arch is built using the materials from the Church of St.Francis Maggiore. At the end of the Battle of Magenta, Victor Emmanuel II and Napoleon III triumphantly passed under the arch. This is a popular hangout spot for the locals in the evening.

An interesting fact about Milan is, it holds the headquarters of Pirelli. Pirelli is a major tire manufacturer for cars and motorcycles. It is also the official tire supplier for Formula 1.

Milan is also going to host the Winter Olympics in 2026.

What other interesting facts did you guys find out during your travel to Milan? Let me know in the comments, how was your experience in Milan. Have a safe and awesome journey !!

Check out our blogs on the best things to do in Rome and Venice to include in your Italy trip.

Info :

How many days do you need to explore Milan : Maximum of 3 days, 2 nights.

Language spoken in Milan : Italian

Do locals speak English: The restaurants, shops and the receptionists at the museums speak English but the locals do not speak much.

Currency used in Milan : Euros ( € )