Milan travel guide

Milan Cathedral (Duomo)

Six centuries in the building, the white marble cathedral bristles with spires and statues, and you can walk on its roof among them, below the golden Madonnina on the highest spire. On a clear day you can see the Alps from up there. Reach the roof by lift or by stairs; book a terrace ticket on the official site, and cover shoulders and knees to get in.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

A glass dome soars over the crossing of this 19th-century arcade, which links the cathedral square to La Scala opera house. In the mosaic floor beneath it is a bull, and Milanese tradition says spinning on your heel on it brings luck. Walk through even if you buy nothing.

The Last Supper

Leonardo painted the apostles reacting to Christ’s words in a single rippling line, on the wall of a monks’ dining hall. His experimental paint began flaking in his own lifetime, and the room was hit by a bomb in 1943, so it is a wonder the painting survives at all. You see it in small groups for 15 minutes in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Booking is mandatory and tickets are released in three-month blocks that sell out quickly; it is closed on Mondays.

Sforza Castle

The Sforza dukes’ red-brick fortress holds Michelangelo’s last sculpture, the unfinished Rondanini Pietà, which he was still working on days before he died. Its courtyards are free and open every day, and the museums inside are closed on Mondays. Sempione Park stretches out behind it.

Pinacoteca di Brera

Mantegna’s Dead Christ, seen feet-first in startling foreshortening, Raphael’s Marriage of the Virgin and Hayez’s The Kiss are the paintings to find in this palace gallery. It is closed on Mondays. Afterwards, the narrow streets of the Brera district are good for an evening walk and a drink.

Navigli

Barges once carried marble for the cathedral along these canals; the two that survive are now lined with bars, small restaurants and vintage shops, and the water turns gold in the evening light. Come at dusk for aperitivo.

Lake Como

Steep green mountains drop straight into a long, deep lake, with villas and gardens on its shores and Bellagio sitting where its arms meet. Regional trains from Milan reach Como town and Varenna, on the lake’s eastern shore; from either, ferries cross to Bellagio. Go on a weekday and catch an early train to beat the crowds.

Aperitivo in Navigli

Campari is a Milan company and the Negroni Sbagliato was first mixed in a Milan bar. From early evening the city’s bars serve a drink with snacks, sometimes a whole buffet. Along the canals it is how the city ends the working day, and the canal-side tables fill fast on warm nights.

Risotto alla milanese and cotoletta

Saffron turns the city’s risotto a deep gold, and its cotoletta is a breaded veal cutlet on the bone, fried in butter until it covers the plate. These are Milan’s two signature dishes. Order them at an old-fashioned trattoria rather than near the cathedral.

Luini

Panzerotti here are small fried turnovers that burst with hot tomato and mozzarella, eaten from a paper bag in the street a minute from the cathedral. The bakery has been there since 1888. It opens Monday to Saturday and closes on Sundays; expect a short queue at lunch.

Peck

Since 1883 this delicatessen on Via Spadari has been Milan’s great food shop, with long counters of hams, salami, cheeses and ready-made dishes. Good for picnic supplies or a gift to take home.

Panettone

Milan’s tall, domed Christmas bread is rich with butter, raisins and candied orange, and a good one takes days of slow rising. Bakeries sell it from November. Buy one from a pastry shop rather than the supermarket.

Best: Mid-April

The Salone del Mobile design fair, 13 to 18 April 2027, fills the city with events and books out hotels; reserve early or pick another week.

Best: Late April to May

Mild weather, active streets and a strong evening scene, before the summer heat sets in.

Harder: July to August

Hot, humid days with sudden storms and the biggest tourist crowds.

How do you get around Milan?

• Tap to payContactless bank cards or phone payments work on metro, buses and trams, with no queue at a ticket desk.
• Metro linesFive metro lines cover the city, and the M4 links Linate airport to San Babila, near the cathedral, in about 12 minutes.
• Buy ticketsIf you don’t tap a card, buy tickets from machines in every metro station, from authorised resellers such as tabacchi, or in the ATM app. A single ticket lasts 90 minutes.
• Airport transferThe Malpensa Express train runs every 30 minutes to Milano Cadorna and Milano Centrale, taking about 40 minutes to the centre.
• Daily capAfter four journeys in one day on a contactless card, the system stops charging single fares and applies the daily price instead.

Do you need cash in Milan, and do you tip?

• CardsVisa and Mastercard are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and established stores.
• Cash for small spotsKeep some euro notes for cafés, markets, public restrooms and small tips.
• Choose eurosWhen a terminal or ATM offers dollars, choose euros to avoid a costly conversion markup.
• ATMsUse ATMs attached to recognized banks where possible, rather than standalone machines in shops.
• Cover chargeMany restaurants add a coperto, a small per-person cover charge listed on the menu. If the menu says servizio incluso, service is already in the price.

Useful phrases

• Good morning / helloBuongiorno
• Good eveningBuonasera
• PleasePer favore
• Thank youGrazie
• Excuse meScusi
• Do you speak English?Parla inglese?

Local manners

• DressItalians dress neatly, even for a casual day out.
• ChurchesCover shoulders and knees when you go inside.
• CoffeeOrder a coffee at the bar; standing is cheaper than sitting.
• MealsDinner usually starts after 7:30, so do not rush it.
• GreetingsSay buongiorno or buonasera when you walk into a shop.
• TippingTipping isn’t expected. Leaving a euro or two, or rounding up, is a kind extra.

Useful apps

• Uber: Rides, eats, and moreRide-hailing around Milan, pay in-app
• Google MapsWalking directions and metro routes in Milan
• Deliveroo: Food & ShoppingFood delivery to your Milan accommodation
• Google TranslateReading Italian menus and signs in Milan

Download links for these are in the Milan guide in the Journey app.

Before you book

Check your government’s travel advice before you book.