Milan has quietly raised its prices. Since 10 May 2026 the Castello Sforzesco museums and the Museo del Novecento both charge €10 instead of €5, the Galleria's rooftop walk is now a paid ticket, and The Last Supper is still the hardest booking in northern Italy. Most of the lists you'll find were written before any of that.
This list of things to do in Milan is built for a first trip. We grouped the 22 picks by neighborhood so you walk from one to the next, and every entry says what it costs, whether you need to book, which day it's closed and what we'd skip. It's based on official ticket pages and the venues' own listings, checked in October 2026, plus the questions first-time visitors ask Google most. For the bigger picture (how long to stay, where to sleep, what a trip costs) start with our Milan travel guide.
Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Updated October 2026.
Short on Time? The Milan Bookings to Make First
If you only have a day or two, these are the entries that sell out or lose you time in a queue:
- Duomo rooftop: a timed cathedral and terraces ticket lets you skip the ticket-office line. Details in item 1.
- The Last Supper: tickets go on sale in quarterly blocks. Missed the release? A guided tour that includes the entry is the backup. See item 6.
- Castello Sforzesco and Brera: both are closed on Mondays, so plan them for Tuesday to Sunday.
- Lake Como: the easiest day trip from Milan. A Como, Bellagio and Varenna day trip with a boat ride covers the ferries for you (item 21).
- Hotel: book early if your dates touch Fashion Week or the Salone del Mobile. Our favorite bases are in the where to stay section below.
Things to Do Around the Duomo
1. Climb the Duomo Rooftop Early in the Day
Milan's cathedral is the one sight nobody skips, and the rooftop is why. You walk among the spires and statues on the cathedral's roof, with the city spread out below and, on a clear day, the Alps behind it.
Go when the terraces open at 9 a.m. The light is better, the crowds are thinner and the marble is still cool.
Cost: combination tickets that bundle the cathedral, terraces and museum run €22 by stairs and €26 by lift. Hours: the terraces open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dress code: shoulders and knees covered, including on the roof.
If you'd rather not queue, a cathedral and terraces entrance ticket is rated 4.6 from more than 74,000 reviews. Our Milan Duomo guide covers every ticket tier.
2. Walk the Galleria (and Skip Lunch There)
The glass-roofed arcade that links the Duomo to La Scala is a public street, so walking through is free and always open. Look down at the mosaic bull near the center: locals spin on it for luck.
Since February 2026 you can also pay to walk the Highline, a rooftop path above the arcade. It reopened on 7 February, runs Tuesday to Sunday and costs roughly €15 to €17, depending on where you buy.
Our verdict: walk the arcade, skip a sit-down meal under the dome (you're paying for the view) and only buy the Highline if you want the rooftop angle on the Duomo.
3. Step Inside La Scala
Opera fans will want a performance. Everyone else can see the theater's museum, which has costumes, instruments and a view into the auditorium when no rehearsal blocks it.
Cost: the museum is €12. Hours: daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It closes on 7, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
The season traditionally opens on 7 December, and this year's premiere is Otello. Tickets for that night are famously hard to get, and some theater seats are reported to go on sale on the day, so ask at the box office. A La Scala theater and museum tour with entry tickets is rated 4.7 from more than 2,200 reviews.
4. See Italian Art at the Museo del Novecento
A smart museum for a hot afternoon, set in the Arengario overlooking Piazza del Duomo. The collection covers Italian 20th-century art, including the Futurists, and the windows frame the cathedral's façade better than any viewpoint.
Cost: €10 since May 2026 (it was €5). Free: the first Sunday of the month. It's a one-stop walk from the Duomo metro station, so it pairs well with the Galleria. Allow 90 minutes, and check the day's opening hours before you go.
5. Window-Shop the Quadrilatero della Moda
The fashion quadrilateral is the grid of streets north-east of the Duomo, with Via Montenapoleone as its spine. It's free to walk, and you don't have to spend anything to enjoy the window displays and the courtyard palazzi.
We'd walk it once, in the late afternoon, on the way to an aperitivo. It's the least "essential" entry on this list unless fashion is the reason you came.
Things to Do on Leonardo's Side of Town
6. See The Last Supper (Book Early)
Leonardo da Vinci's mural in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie is the best reason to book ahead in Milan. You see it in a 15-minute slot, in a group of up to 40 people, and booking is mandatory.
Cost: €15 for adults, €2 for visitors aged 18 to 25, free under 18. Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m., last entry 6:45 p.m.; closed Mondays.
Tickets are released in quarterly blocks at noon Italian time (the September to December 2026 block opened on 23 June), and a small batch of extra tickets goes on sale every Wednesday at noon for the following week. Set an alarm.
If you miss both, the reliable backup is a guided visit. This Last Supper guided tour is rated 4.7 from more than 10,000 reviews. Our Last Supper tickets guide has the full playbook.
7. Pause at the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
One of Milan's oldest churches, with a quiet atrium and a 4th-century foundation. Entry to the basilica is free, though it closes for a few hours in the middle of the day, so check the posted hours.
It's a 10-minute walk from The Last Supper, which makes a tidy pairing.
8. Find the Frescoes at San Maurizio
Sometimes called the Sistine Chapel of Milan, this church is covered floor to ceiling in 16th-century frescoes. It's free, but opening days are limited (volunteers staff it), so confirm before you walk over. Don't plan your day around it.
9. Visit the Leonardo da Vinci Science Museum
Italy's biggest science and technology museum is built around Leonardo's machines and models, and it's a good rainy-day choice, especially with kids. It's closed on Mondays, and it closes in the late afternoon on weekdays.
The guided visit to the Toti submarine needs advance booking. A standard museum entry ticket is rated 4.5 from nearly 8,000 reviews. Skip it if you're short on time; it's a "second visit" museum.
Things to Do Around Castello Sforzesco and Brera
10. Explore Castello Sforzesco
The red-brick castle is Milan's best free outing and one of its best-value museums. The courtyards are open daily and free; the museum rooms inside house Michelangelo's unfinished Rondanini Pietà.
Cost: museums €10 since 10 May 2026. Free: the first Sunday of the month. Closed: Mondays. Courtyards: free daily, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
If you're pressed for time, walk the courtyards and skip the museum rooms unless the Pietà is the point.
11. Cross Parco Sempione to the Arco della Pace
The park behind the castle is where Milan comes to jog, sunbathe and walk the dog. Cross it from the castle to the neoclassical Arco della Pace on the far side. It's free, open from early morning until evening, and the best place for a picnic after a morning of sights.
12. See the Masterpieces at the Pinacoteca di Brera
The best art gallery in the city: Raphael, Mantegna, Caravaggio and Hayez's The Kiss, in a compact set of rooms that you can finish in two hours.
Cost: €20 (€4 for EU visitors aged 18 to 25, free under 18). Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., last entry 6 p.m.; closed Mondays. Free: first Sunday of the month, with a reservation. Reserve a slot online.
Afterwards, wander the cobbled streets of Brera itself: galleries, wine bars and the best old-town atmosphere in the center.
Things to Do in the Navigli and South Milan
13. Stroll the Navigli Canals at Dusk
Milan's old canal district is the nightlife hub, and it's prettiest in the hour before sunset. Walk along the Naviglio Grande to the Darsena, where the two canals meet, and stay for the evening.
On the last Sunday of most months an antiques market fills the canal bank. We'd skip the touristy sit-down restaurants right on the water and eat a few streets back.
14. See the Roman Columns of San Lorenzo
Sixteen Roman columns stand in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the most visible leftover of Roman Milan, and they're free to see at any hour. It's a quick stop on the way to the Navigli, and a popular spot for a drink in the evening.
15. Visit the Bone Chapel of San Bernardino
A small church near the Duomo whose side chapel is decorated with human bones. It's free (a small offering is customary). The ossuary may be closed on Sundays, so don't plan this one for the weekend.
16. Wander the Cimitero Monumentale
An open-air museum of sculpted tombs that Milan families commissioned from the leading sculptors of their day. Entry is free, and it's open Tuesday to Sunday, not Mondays. Take metro line M5 to Monumentale. It's a calm morning for people who like art without crowds.
Things to Do in Porta Nuova and Modern Milan
17. Look Up at the Bosco Verticale
The two "vertical forest" towers are private apartments, so you can't go in; you admire them from the street. That makes it a free, 20-minute stop: walk from Garibaldi station to Piazza Gae Aulenti, then to the towers. It's the best view of 21st-century Milan.
18. Spend an Afternoon at Fondazione Prada
An old distillery turned into a contemporary art space, with a cinema, a tower and the movie-set café Bar Luce, designed by Wes Anderson.
Cost: €15 (€12 concessions, free under 18, plus a €1 online fee). Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Bar Luce needs no ticket. Take metro line M3 to Lodi TIBB or tram 24.
Things to Do Around Milan: Food and Day Trips
19. Do Aperitivo the Milanese Way
Between about 6 and 8 p.m., bars across Brera, the Navigli and Porta Venezia serve a Negroni or a spritz along with snacks or a buffet. You pay cocktail prices and the food is included at many places, so it can replace dinner.
Look for crowds of locals, not a menu board outside. A guided street food tour is the easiest way to taste your way around if you'd rather not choose.
20. Eat Risotto alla Milanese, Cotoletta and Ossobuco
Milan's food is northern: butter and rice rather than tomato and pasta. Order the saffron risotto, the breaded veal cutlet (cotoletta) and the slow-braised ossobuco, and finish with panettone in winter.
Restaurants may add a cover charge (coperto) per person. It's legal if it's printed on the menu or displayed in the restaurant, so check before you sit down. Tipping isn't expected; our tipping in Italy guide explains when to round up, and our best restaurants in Milan list names the tables.
21. Take a Day Trip to Lake Como
The lake is the most popular day trip, and it works on public transport. From Milano Centrale the direct train to Varenna-Esino takes about 64 minutes, and Como San Giovanni is about 40 minutes away. Check the schedule on Omio's Milan to Como page and read our Milan to Lake Como guide.
If you'd rather not plan ferries, the Como, Bellagio and Varenna day trip with a boat ride is rated 4.8 from nearly 500 reviews. For more than a day on the water, see our Lake Como travel guide and the things to do in Lake Como.
22. Take a Day Trip to Bergamo
A walled hilltop old town, 48 minutes from Milan by direct train. Fares start from €6.30. Take the funicular up to the Città Alta, wander the old lanes and have lunch before heading back. Compare times on Omio's Milan to Bergamo page and read our Bergamo travel guide. More options are in day trips from Milan.
A Tip: Do You Need the Milan City Pass?
Probably not for a short first trip. The official Milan City Pass includes the Duomo and more than 10 attractions, and it only pays off if you'd visit several paid sights in a day or two. The Last Supper is not part of it. Add up the entries you actually want from this list first (most are €10 to €20) and compare.
Free Things to Do in Milan
Milan is cheaper than its reputation if you know where to look. Here is what costs nothing, and when.
| What | When it's free |
|---|---|
| Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Quadrilatero della Moda, Navigli canals | Always (it's a street) |
| Castello Sforzesco courtyards and Parco Sempione | Daily, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the courtyards |
| Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, Roman columns of San Lorenzo, Bosco Verticale from the street | Always (basilica closes midday) |
| Cimitero Monumentale | Tuesday to Sunday |
| San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, San Bernardino alle Ossa | Free, but limited opening days; check first |
| Castello museums, Museo del Novecento | First Sunday of the month |
| Pinacoteca di Brera | First Sunday of the month, with a reservation |
How Many Days in Milan Do You Need?
Wondering what to do in Milan with limited time? Two full days is right for a first visit. That covers the Duomo and its terraces, The Last Supper, the Galleria, the Castello and Brera, plus an evening on the Navigli. Add a third day for Lake Como or Bergamo.
Is four days in Milan too long? For the city alone, yes; most first-timers run out of must-sees. Use the extra days for day trips. Our Milan itinerary has day-by-day plans, and is Milan worth visiting gives the honest verdict.
Getting Around Milan
Most of the things to do in Milan sit close together, so you rarely need more than a few metro rides.
Is Milan walkable? In the center, yes: the Duomo, the Galleria, La Scala, Brera and the Castello are all within about 20 minutes on foot. Use the metro for the Navigli, Porta Nuova and the stations.
ATM runs the metro, trams and buses on one ticket:
- Single ticket: €2.20, valid for 90 minutes.
- Day ticket: €7.60 for 24 hours.
- 3-day ticket: €15.50.
You can also tap a contactless card or phone at the gates. From the fourth journey in a day the day fare applies, so you never pay more than €7.60.
Don't hire a car for the city. Area C, the central congestion zone, charges €7.50 a day on weekdays. Arriving from the airport? Our Milan airport guide compares the three options, and a pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer takes you straight to the hotel.
Best Time to Visit Milan
April to June and September to October are the best months: mild weather, everything open and good light for the rooftop. Salone del Mobile, the design week, runs 13 to 18 April 2027, and the women's Fashion Week runs 23 February to 1 March 2027; both push hotel prices up.
December is magical but busy. The Oh Bej! Oh Bej! Christmas market runs 5 to 8 December 2026 at the Castello, and 7 December is both Sant'Ambrogio's day (a local holiday) and the opening night of La Scala. Our best time to visit Italy guide covers the rest of the country.
Where to Stay in Milan
Stay central, near a metro line, and you save more time than any other choice makes up. Here are the areas we'd pick, with one hotel each (ratings as shown on Booking.com in October 2026):
- Duomo and Centro: Room Mate Collection Giulia, on Via Silvio Pellico beside the Galleria, rated 9.2. Best for a short first stay.
- Station area, value: WorldHotel Casati 18, rated 9.4, or the simpler Hotel Nettuno, rated 7.4, if you want the cheapest base near Milano Centrale.
- Corso Venezia and the fashion district: Portrait Milano, rated 9.6, the splurge pick.
- Navigli: 21 House of Stories Navigli, rated 9.0, for nightlife.
Milan's tourist tax went up on 1 April 2026: per person per night, €3 at one-star hotels up to €12 at five-star hotels, €10 at four-star hotels, and €9.50 at B&Bs and short-term rentals. More in where to stay in Milan and the best hotels in Milan.
Plan Your Milan Trip
Ready to turn this list of things to do in Milan into a plan? Book in this order:
- Hotel: book early around Fashion Week and Salone del Mobile. See the picks above.
- Tickets: The Last Supper on the day tickets are released, plus the Duomo rooftop, and check Milan tours for guided options.
- Day trips: by train to Lake Como or Bergamo; see trains in Italy for how booking works.
- eSIM: a Yesim plan keeps maps and tickets working from landing; our Italy eSIM guide compares options.
- Insurance: Visitors Coverage compares plans for US travelers. Budgeting the whole trip? See Italy trip cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one thing to do in Milan?
The Duomo and its rooftop terraces. Combination tickets run €22 by stairs and €26 by lift, and the terraces open at 9 a.m. Go first thing, when the light is good and the crowds are thin. The Last Supper comes a close second, but it needs advance booking.
How many days do you need in Milan?
Two full days covers the Duomo and its terraces, The Last Supper, the Galleria, the Castello and Brera, plus an evening on the Navigli. Add a third day for Lake Como or Bergamo. Four days in the city alone is too long for most first-timers.
Is Milan worth visiting?
Yes, if you like art, food and design more than ancient ruins. The Duomo, The Last Supper, Brera's gallery and the aperitivo scene are all worth a trip, and Lake Como is a train ride away. Milan is less romantic than Rome or Venice, so go for a short stay.
Is Milan walkable?
In the center, yes. The Duomo, the Galleria, La Scala, Brera and the Castello are all within about 20 minutes on foot. Use the metro for the Navigli, Porta Nuova and the stations. A €2.20 single ticket is valid for 90 minutes across metro, trams and buses.
What are the best free things to do in Milan?
Walk the Galleria, the Quadrilatero della Moda and the Navigli, and enter the Castello courtyards, Parco Sempione, Sant'Ambrogio and the Cimitero Monumentale at no cost. On the first Sunday of the month, the Castello museums and the Museo del Novecento are free too.
Do you need to book The Last Supper in advance?
Yes, booking is mandatory and slots sell out. Tickets cost €15 and are released in quarterly blocks at noon Italian time, with a small batch added every Wednesday at noon for the following week. If you miss both, a guided tour that includes entry is the reliable backup.
What is the best day trip from Milan?
Lake Como. The direct train to Varenna-Esino takes about 64 minutes, and Como San Giovanni is about 40 minutes away. Bergamo is a good alternative: 48 minutes by direct train, with fares from €6.30 and a walled old town on the hill.
What day are museums closed in Milan?
Most major sights, including the Castello Sforzesco museums, the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Science Museum and The Last Supper, are closed on Mondays. Fondazione Prada closes on Tuesdays instead. Plan your Monday around the Duomo, the Galleria, the Navigli and Parco Sempione.
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