Canals that rival Venice’s, some of the best art in Europe and, of course, the inimitable duomo: Milan is brimming with culture and history. And the best bit is, with a bit of determination, it’s the perfect city to explore in just one day.
Milan isn’t a big city, and most of the famous historic, cultural and architectural sites are located conveniently close to each other. There are so many cheap flights into Milan’s three (!) airports, and its proximity to Venice, Verona and the lakes makes it the perfect city for a day trip.
Whether you’ve got a long layover or you’re just flying in before seeing more of northern Italy, this itinerary details the perfect way to spend a day exploring Milan.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and, at no extra cost to you, I receive a small commission if you make a purchase via these links. For more information, visit my disclosure page.
It wouldn’t be a trip to Milan without visiting the very impressive Duomo di Milano! I suggest making it your first stop of the day as the Piazza del Duomo plaza gets crowded very quickly. As a disclaimer, I chose to photoshop plenty of people out of my photos at the duomo even though I arrived at sunrise.
If Hogwarts was a church, it would look like this. Each and every brick in the columns and walls is visible. The duomo’s high vaulted ceilings are supported by rows of thick stone pillars that stretch many metres up and are adorned with life-sized statues of saints. The stained-glass windows also caught my eye, dazzling me with their impossibly intricate designs.
Opening hours: 8 a.m.–7 p.m. (last entry 6 p.m.)
Cost: entry to the duomo is €3 (about £2.60) without reductions. However, there are lots of different combination deals to enter other parts of the duomo. See up-to-date prices here.
Dress code: knees and shoulders covered
Restrictions: I avoided bringing my rucksack because I’d heard rumours of refused entry. Though the multiple TripAdvisor horror stories about the bag-checking process seemed unfounded in my case, I wouldn’t bring anything the security staff could consider remotely dangerous.
Time spent here: 30 mins
Climbing up to the roof of the duomo is such a unique experience! From the balcony, I could see through the infinite rows of spires to the tiny Piazza del Duomo below. After squeezing along the balcony’s crevices, you are able to climb a couple of flights of stairs that take you to the duomo’s actual roof. It was incredible to stand amidst the tallest towers and gaze out on Milan.
Opening hours: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. (last entry 6 p.m.)
Cost: there are lots of different combination deals to climb to the rooftops. See up-to-date prices here.
Dress code: although you technically don’t enter the main duomo to access the roof, I would still keep my shoulders and knees covered
Restrictions: I saw small rucksacks being searched by security but they were all allowed inside
Time spent here: 45 mins (including the climb)
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II creates a luxury walkway between two of Milan’s central piazzas. It looks like it could be part of a palace, but it’s actually a shopping centre. Not that I’ll ever be able to afford to shop at the luxury stalls that the galleria boasts!
To match the bougie shops, the galleria itself is very fancy, with high ceilings of arched glass and intricate mosaics decorating the floor. Legend has it if you spin three times on the mosaic of a bull, you’ll be rewarded with good luck! There must be a lot of lucky people out there because the mosaic is faded and worn.
If you want to see it without hordes of other people, go when the shops are closed. As it’s a popular walkway, there’ll always be a steady progression of people, but I enjoyed being able to admire my surroundings without being jostled by hundreds of others.
Opening hours: the galleria is open 24/7 but shop opening times vary
Cost: free
Time spent here: 30 mins
Just a short walk from the galleria is Sforza Castle. Situated in Parco Sempione, the biggest park in central Milan, the castle is home to a series of museums and art galleries. With only one day to see the whole city, I was on a tight schedule, so I decided to forgo these particular museums.
However, the grounds and castle courtyard are free to wander through and make a nice passage from the old town to the park. My visit was complemented by hundreds of climate protesting youths, as the castle was the starting point for Milan’s Extinction Rebellion protests!
Opening hours: the castle itself is open 7 a.m.–7.30 p.m.; the museums are open Tuesday–Sunday from 9 a.m.–5.30 p.m.
Cost: the castle grounds are free; €10 (about £8.50) to visit the museums, although there are some free and discounted tickets available
Time spent here: 30 mins; if I could have stayed for longer to visit the museums, I would have!
Mirroring Sforza Castle on the other side of Parco Sempione is Milan’s Arch of Peace. The stone arch stands at one of the ancient gates to Milan. Built under Napoleon’s short reign, the arch marks the beginning of the old road from Milan to Paris. It reminded me of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, or the arch in Rome’s Roman Forum. There are seats all around the circular plaza, so I can imagine that at weekends and in the summer it’s a hot spot for relaxing in the park.
Time spent here: 15 mins
The convent of Santa Maria Della Grazie is most famous for being home to Da Vinci’s painting ‘The Last Supper’. The masterpiece is one of the most sought-after sights in Milan but, unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to see it; you have to book literally three months in advance if you want to get a ticket!
However, the convent itself is still worth a visit on its own if you can’t get tickets. I always like to escape into the peacefulness of churches when I’m travelling, and Santa Maria was no different. Though the building is unassuming from the front, the inside is painted a calming white and beautifully decorated.
Opening hours: up-to-date opening hours for the convent and for the building containing ‘The Last Supper’
Cost: the convent itself is free to enter, but tickets to see ‘The Last Supper’ vary in price
Dress code: knees and shoulders covered
Restrictions: I had no issues with my 25l rucksack
Time spent here: 30 mins
Though smaller and less intricately decorated than Santa Maria Convent, the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio is no less inviting. A welcoming courtyard pans out to asymmetrical towers that, even for someone like me who loves symmetry, are surprisingly aesthetic. Like much of Milan’s architecture, the basilica’s décor is white with orange brick. I loved that it’s very sparsely decorated with minimalist dashes of mosaic.
Opening hours: the basilica’s suggested visiting hours are different from its actual opening hours. See the official website for up-to-date hours.
Cost: free
Dress code: knees and shoulders covered
Restrictions: I was able to get my tripod out in the courtyard and grounds with no issues. I also had no problems entering the church with my 25l rucksack.
Time spent here: 30 mins
Within walking distance from Milan’s duomo is the neighbourhood of Brera, one of the most touristy areas I visited in Milan. It’s a beautiful neighbourhood full of old houses decorated with flowers spilling off the balconies.
These trendy streets harbour the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan’s main public art gallery. Hidden within the walls of the Palazzo Brera, off which also stems a library, a café and a botanical garden, the gallery has one of the largest collections of Italian paintings. There is also a cool restoration room with glass walls, so you are able to watch as they painstakingly restore the ancient paintings. With only one day to explore Milan, it’s a really good choice of gallery to visit.
Opening hours: 8.30 a.m.–7.15 p.m. (last entry at 6.40 p.m.). Closed on Mondays.
Cost: there’s lots reductions on offer making this gallery potentially a really cheap one to visit! The official website has the latest prices listed.
Restrictions: the gallery is very laid back; they had no issues with me trekking around with a 25l rucksack and tripod, though I didn’t get it out inside the gallery
Time spent here: 1 hour
I ended my day in Milan in the best possible way: soaking in the atmosphere at the Navigli Canals. The atmosphere, though quite touristy, was one of celebration. The sun was setting, the temperature was perfect, everyone was settling down with an aperitif and it made for a really pleasant environment to grab some supper of my own.
There’s a little, cobbled street off the canal called Vicolo Lavandai that’s especially pretty. It’s lined with quaint, old houses painted yellow with shuttered windows and curved tiles on their roofs. It doesn’t take much imagination to picture the Milan of hundreds of years ago. Wandering through these streets as the sun set was the perfect way to end a day in Milan.
Time spent here: 1 hour
Panzerotti are an Italian street food. They resemble a small calzone or an apple turnover and can be filled with a variety of sweet and savoury fillings. Panzerotti Luini, conveniently located next to the duomo, comes highly recommended as one of the most famous eateries in Milan. However, be warned: expect a very, very long queue, especially around lunch time.
Pizzeria Spontini sell cheap and delicious pizza by the slice. There are locations all over the city, including one next to the duomo and one by the Navigli canals. It’s definitely a good option if you’ve only got a day in Milan but you still want some real Italian pizza!
It’s really easy to walk around central Milan, where most of the city’s highlights are. Otherwise, the metro is very easy to navigate and not too expensive either. Depending on how often you plan to get the metro, it might be cheaper to buy a day ticket instead of individual ones.
Milan isn’t too big, so anywhere near a metro station is a good place to stay.
I found that accommodation was all incredibly expensive, even hostel rooms! In the end, I booked an Airbnb in the north-east of the city, near Loreto metro station, which turned out to be a really convenient area to stay in. However, if you don’t leave it to the last minute like I did you’ll probably be able to find a cheaper alternative. See all accommodation in Milan.
Though it might sometimes be overshadowed by its more famous, neighbouring cities, Milan is well worth a visit. There’s plenty to explore, and the city makes the perfect day trip or layover. One day is ideal to get an easy fix of Milan’s art, history and culture.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and, at no extra cost to you, I receive a small commission if you make a purchase via these links. For more information, visit my disclosure page.
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