Milan travel guide
Tours, attractions, events and places to stay, picked by people who know the city.
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Main airports
- Malpensa (MXP), about 50 km from the centre; Linate (LIN), about 7 km; Milan Bergamo (BGY), about 50 km
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
- Paying for transport
- €2.20 ticket (90 minutes) or contactless bank card; day ticket €7.60
- Tourist tax
- €3 to €12 per person per night depending on the property; under 18s exempt
Milan is Italy's capital of fashion, design and finance, but it is also a city of extraordinary art. The marble Duomo, with its rooftop terraces, rises over the centre, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper survives in a convent refectory, and La Scala remains the world's most famous opera house. Between the sights, Milan is a city of elegant arcades, cobbled Brera lanes and canal-side aperitivo on the Navigli, with Lake Como an hour away by train. Book the Last Supper well ahead, and leave time for the Milanese ritual of an early-evening drink.
Most-booked tours
Ratings and prices from verified bookings.
ViatorMilan Duomo & The Last Supper Skip-the-Line Small Group Tour
3 hoursFrom €109
ViatorBernina Red Train, Swiss Alps & St Moritz From Milan
12 hoursFrom €139
ViatorGnocchi, Pasta, Tiramisù and Wine Class
3 hoursFrom €53.40
ViatorMILAN: Private Golf-Cart Experience
3 hoursFrom €290
ViatorMilan Super Saver: Skip-the-Line Duomo and Rooftop Guided Tour
2.5 hoursFrom €42
ViatorSmall-Group Lake Como & Lugano: 2 Countries in 1 Day, Boat Cruise
10 hoursFrom €139
ViatorMilan Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class With Wine by Cooking Italy
3 hoursFrom €69
ViatorFull-Day Private Tour of Lake Como from Milan
8 hoursFrom €1150
Top Milan attractions
The sights most visitors build a trip around.
Duomo di Milano
From €10; rooftop from €16 by stairs
Tickets from €27The Last Supper
€15; book weeks ahead
Tickets from €59.40Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IIFree
Free; open at all hours
Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco)
Courtyards free; museums €10
Tickets from €49.90Teatro alla Scala
Museum €12; view into the theatre
Tickets from €38Pinacoteca di Brera
€20 with Palazzo Citterio; book a slot
Tickets from €64.90
More attraction tickets
- Duomo di Milano: Rooftop Access4.4 (3,715)From €19.50
- Duomo di Milano: Fast Track Ticket + Rooftop Access4.4 (1,485)From €40
- Leonardo3 Museum - The World of Leonardo4.5 (845)From €16
- Mondo Milan Museum4.7 (782)From €20
- Duomo di Milano, The Last Supper & Teatro alla Scala: Entry + City Walking Tour4.4 (366)From €119
- Milan: Guided Walking Tour + The Last Supper Skip The Line Ticket4.5 (148)From €59.40
- Duomo di Milano: Guided Tour + Rooftop Access4.4 (65)From €52
- The Last Supper: Skip The Line Ticket + Guided Tour4.8 (20)From €95
Tickets via Tiqets. Prices checked at each build.
Where to stay
Pick a neighbourhood first. Each one suits a different kind of trip.
Duomo and the Centro Storico
First-timers who want the Duomo, the Galleria and La Scala on the doorstep, with two Metro lines at Duomo14 places we rate
Brera
An elegant, artistic base of cobbled lanes, galleries and wine bars, close to the Pinacoteca and the Castello13 places we rate
Navigli and Porta Genova
Food lovers and night owls, with canal-side aperitivo and restaurants and the M2 Metro at Porta Genova10 places we rate
Porta Nuova, Isola and Garibaldi
Modern Milan, with design hotels near the Bosco Verticale, easy rail links from Porta Garibaldi and lively Isola restaurants10 places we rate
Local guides
Plans and tips for getting the most out of Milan.
Christmas in Milan 2026
Christmas in Milan 2026: the Piazza del Duomo market, the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair, La Scala’s 7 December opening, panettone, lights and opening hours.
Read the guide · 3 minThe best day trips from Milan
The best day trips from Milan by train: Lake Como, Bergamo, Lake Maggiore, Verona, Turin and the Bernina Express to St Moritz, with times and tips.
Read the guide · 3 minFirst time in Milan: a three-day plan
A three-day Milan itinerary for first-timers: the Duomo rooftop, the Last Supper, La Scala, Brera and the Navigli, with booking tips and transport advice.
Read the guide · 3 minFree things to do in Milan
The best free things to do in Milan: the Galleria, Sforza Castle courtyards, frescoed churches, the Navigli, Porta Nuova and free museum days.
Read the guide · 3 minDay trips from Milan
Easy days out by train or coach.
- Lake Como (Varenna and Bellagio)About 1 hour by direct train from Milano Centrale to Varenna, then ferry
- Como townAbout 40 minutes from Milano Centrale or 1 hour from Milano Cadorna by regional train
- Bergamo Città AltaAbout 50 minutes to 1 hour by regional train from Milano Centrale, then bus and funicular
- Lake Maggiore (Stresa and the Borromean Islands)About 1 hour by train from Milano Centrale
- VeronaAbout 1 hour 15 minutes by high-speed train from Milano Centrale
- TurinAbout 1 hour by high-speed train from Milano Centrale
- Bernina Express to St MoritzAbout 2 hours 30 minutes by train to Tirano, then the Bernina line
Getting around
Walking
The historic centre is compact. The Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala and the Museo del Novecento are within five minutes of each other, the Castello Sforzesco and Brera are about 15 minutes' walk from the Duomo, and the Last Supper about 20 minutes. Streets are flat, but trams and cobbles call for care.
Metro, trams and buses
ATM runs five Metro lines, trams and buses. Line M1 (red) serves the Duomo, the Castello (Cairoli) and the Last Supper (Conciliazione); M2 (green) serves Milano Centrale, Cadorna and the Navigli (Porta Genova); M3 (yellow) serves the Duomo and Milano Centrale; M4 (blue) links the centre with Linate airport; and M5 (lilac) serves Porta Garibaldi, the Monumentale and San Siro. A single ticket costs €2.20 and is valid for 90 minutes on the Metro, trams and buses within Milan. A day ticket costs €7.60, a three-day ticket €15.50 and a carnet of ten tickets €19.50. You can also tap a contactless bank card or phone at the Metro barriers and on board: the system charges €2.20 per journey and switches to the €7.60 day fare from the fourth journey. Tap in and out on the Metro. Paper tickets have been withdrawn; use the RicaricaMi card, contactless or the ATM app.
Trains
Milano Centrale is the main station, with high-speed trains to Turin, Verona, Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome. Regional Trenord trains to Lake Como, Bergamo and Lake Maggiore leave from Centrale, Porta Garibaldi and Cadorna. City tickets are valid on suburban S lines within Milan, but not on the Malpensa Express.
Airport transfers
From Malpensa (MXP), about 50 km from the centre, the Malpensa Express train runs every 30 minutes to Milano Cadorna in about 37 minutes and to Milano Centrale, via Porta Garibaldi, in about 51 minutes; a single costs €15 and a return €25. Coaches to Milano Centrale take about 50 to 70 minutes for around €8 to €10. White taxis charge a fixed €114 from Malpensa to anywhere in Milan. Linate (LIN), only about 7 km away, is on Metro line M4, about 15 minutes from the centre on a standard €2.20 ticket; taxis are metered. Milan Bergamo (BGY), at Orio al Serio, has no train: direct coaches reach Milano Centrale in about 50 minutes from about €5 to €10, and the fixed taxi fare to Milan is €128.
Compare Milan airport transfers and book ahead →
Tourist tax
Milan charges an imposta di soggiorno per person per night, paid at the property. Since 1 April 2026 hotels pay by star rating: €3 at 1 star, €4 at 2 stars, €7 at 3 stars, €10 at 4 stars and €12 at 5 stars. Bed and breakfasts, holiday apartments, guest houses and short-term rentals pay €9.50, and youth hostels and campsites €3. Under 18s are exempt.