Milan

Best things to do in Milan

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   1. The Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie

   • Each visit lasts 15 minutes
   • Book in advance
   • Couples
   • Adults
   • Rainy day

   Leonardo da Vinci painted this mural around 1495 to 1498 in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It shows Jesus and the twelve apostles as he announces that one of them will betray him, and it is one of the best-known artworks in Western culture.

   Reservations are mandatory for every ticket type. Tickets are released every three months, so book well ahead.

   81,289 readers a month

   Sources

   • Cenacolo Vinciano, official site
   • Wikipedia, The Last Supper (Leonardo)

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   2. San Siro stadium

   • A match day, or a couple of hours
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Adults
   • Families

   The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, usually called San Siro, is a football stadium in Milan holding 75,817 spectators, the largest in Italy. It is the home ground of both AC Milan and Inter Milan, who meet there in the Derby della Madonnina.

   We have not confirmed whether stadium tours run or which matches are open to visitors; check before you go.

   34,070 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, San Siro

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   3. Lake Como day trip

   • A full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Families
   • No car needed

   A glacial lake in Lombardy, the third-largest lake in Italy at about 146 square kilometres and more than 400 metres deep in places. Its three-pronged shape was carved by an ancient glacier.

   We have not confirmed transport or ferry details from an official source; check before you plan the day.

   29,743 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Lake Como
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   4. Milan Cathedral (Duomo)

   • 1 to 2 hours
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Adults
   • Rainy day
   • No car needed

   The Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary is the cathedral church of Milan and the seat of its archbishop. It stands in Lombardy, Italy.

   We have not confirmed entry or rooftop ticket arrangements; check the cathedral's official site before you go.

   27,180 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Milan Cathedral

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   5. A day trip to Bergamo

   • A full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • No car needed

   A city in Lombardy about 40 km north-east of Milan, close to the start of the Bergamo Alps and about 30 km from Lakes Como and Iseo.

   We have not confirmed train or bus details from an official source; check before you travel.

   17,151 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Bergamo

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   6. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

   • About an hour
   • No booking needed
   • Couples
   • No car needed
   • Rainy day

   Italy's oldest active shopping arcade, a four-storey double arcade in the city centre named after the first king of united Italy. Giuseppe Mengoni designed it in 1861 and it was built between 1865 and 1877.

   Free to walk through. Note it is a shopping arcade, so you may be browsing rather than buying.

   10,482 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

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   7. Sforza Castle

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Families
   • Couples
   • Rainy day

   A medieval fortress built by Francesco Sforza in the 15th century on the remains of a 14th-century fortification. It was rebuilt extensively between 1891 and 1905 and now houses several of Milan's museums and art collections.

   We have not confirmed museum ticket arrangements; check before you go.

   7,471 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Sforza Castle

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   8. La Scala opera house

   • An evening, or an hour for the outside
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Adults
   • Rainy day

   The opera house opened on 3 August 1778 with Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.

   We have not confirmed performance or museum arrangements; check the theatre's own listings.

   7,035 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, La Scala
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   9. Bosco Verticale

   • About 30 minutes
   • No booking needed
   • Couples
   • No car needed

   A pair of residential towers, 116 m and 84 m tall, in Milan's Porta Nuova district, designed by Boeri Studio. The complex also includes an 11-storey office building.

   The towers are private homes and are seen from the street.

   5,776 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Bosco Verticale

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    10. Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore

    • A full day
    • Check entry rules before you go
    • Couples
    • Families

    One of the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore, about 400 metres from the lakeshore town of Stresa. The island is roughly 320 m by 400 m and has a palace, an Italian-style garden and a small fishing village.

    We have not confirmed ferry, train or ticket details from an official source; check before you plan the day.

    3,509 readers a month

    Sources

    • Wikipedia, Isola Bella (Lago Maggiore)

Just missed the list: Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio (11th by readers; a Milan basilica); Pinacoteca di Brera (12th by readers; an art gallery)