A classic sightseeing tour on your first day here can actually be a really good way to get a feeling of the city and of which things are in the same area. Here we have a list of the best tours Milan has to offer.
Hop-on Hop-off tours.
With thedouble-deckers you can buy tickets for either 24 or 48 holurs (repspectively €22 and €25) with departure from Piazza Castello (find on map)
In Milan you can also do your sightseeing from a tram, TraMilano, a charming and different way to vist the tourist attractions. This costs €15 and departs from Milan’s central station (find on map) near the Zara shop, check the link above for more precise details.
If you have the MilanoCard you get a 15% discount on tickets.
Segway tours.
See Milan from a segway in small groups with 8 participants, choose between the day tripof 3 hours. or the night tripof 2.5 hours. Both trips are €75 and start on the ´corner of Via dei Chiostri and Via Ancona (find on map) there is a 30 minute orientation before the trip begins.
Tours on the canals (April-September).
You can go on a boat trip round the Milanese navigli and see the city from a different perspective. You can book tickets in advance here: Call Center +39029094242 every day 10 am-6 pm or by email Monday-Friday info@navigareinlombardia.it
The evening tour of the canals costs €10 and is 40 minutes long with departures at 9 pm – 9.50 pm -10.40 pm. You must purchase the tickets at the point of departure but you can book here:,Call Center +39029094242 every day bewtween 10 am and 6 pm or with an email to info@navigareinlombardia.it
If you’d like an aperitivo while sailing through the navigli the the Happy Boat tour is what you’re looking for,it’s on every Friday and Saturday at 7.30 p.m. and costs €22 cocktail and buffet included in the price. You can book tickets here: Autostradale Viaggi – Milano 2, Passaggio Duomo (find on map) 1, P.zza Castello (find on map). Tel. +390230089900 email – info@autostrdaleviaggi.it
Rickshaw tours with VELOLEO
An untraditional and green way to visit the city is by rickshaw or bike taxi, they organize both shopping- and city trips and prices €25-45 for 1/2 and 1 hour respectively. The trips start from both Piazza Castello, Piazza Duomo and Piazza San Babila. You can also book online and personalize your trip here.
The view from the roof of Duomo is breathtaking especially on clear days, were you can see the Alps from up there.It’s a really good idea to reserve tickets in advance so you can skip the line. Book here.
If you’re in Milan for 72 hours or less, you should consider getting a MilanoCard. Read more here.
Milan has an excellent, well-organized system of public transport, which we want to tell you about here, but let’s first take a look at what you do when you have just arrived at the airport.
If you’ve come to Milan by plane you’ve landed in either Linate, Malpensa or Orio al Serio. There are good connections with public transport from all three.
Remember to buy your tickets before getting on either bus, tram, train or metro, they don’t sell tickets on board. Tickets can be purchased at either the Edicola (newsstand) or at coffee shops. In some airports there are automatic ticket dispensers at the bus stop. 1 ticket is €2.00 and is valid for 90 minutes inside Area 1 (light purple on this drawing), which consists of 21 municpalities and has the codes MI1-MI3, on all means of transport including trains. If you wish to go beyond this area, the price increases by €0.40 for each Area from MI4 to MI9. You can also buy a carnet with 10 tickets at €18.00, but you need one carnet per. person. Children under 14 travel for free. You can also get a 24-hour ticket for €7 and a 72-hour ticket for €12.
If your payment card or phone has the contactless function, you can buy tickets in the metro directly at the turnstile , if you use the same card more than 3 times in a day your ticket is automatically converted into a 24-hour ticket at €7.
Linate is the airport closest to the city.The easiest is to take Bus 73 (which is a regular city bus that stops frequently along its route and doesn’t have a lot of space for luggage) or X73 which stops very few times and goes to Piazza Diaz (find on map) behind Piazza Duomo, so just a few steps from Duomo metro station.
Malpensa is Milan’s “new” airport which is about a 1-hour drive from Milan. You can either take the train (Malpensa Express) which goes to Cadorna in the center of Milan, One way tickets are €13 foma both terminal 1 and 2, a return ticket is only €20, if you purchase it online, or you can take the Malpensa Shuttle, which brings you to the central station (Milano Centrale) one way tickets are €10 – return tickets are €16. We recommend that you take the shuttle at the weekend but the train during the week, because you risk getting stuck in traffic jams with the bus.
Orio al Serio is actually closer to Bergamo than Milan and it’ll take you about 50 minutes to get to Milan. There is a shuttle service which goes to Milan’s central station (Milano centrale). Tickets are €5 one way and €9 return. You can also take a the public transport bus (ATB) , which gets you to Bergamo central station in about 10 minutes and here you can get the train to Milan. The trip takes about 40 minutes and one way tickets are between €4-9. Here you must also consider that it’s a better idea to take the train during the week, because of possible traffic jams.
If you want to book train tickets from home you do that here
As in every big city in the world you must keep an eye on backpacks and bags when in the metro, there are many pickpockets that operate there, taking advantage of the fact that it’s crowded. Don’t keep your backpack on your back. Hold it in front of you.
The Central station is another place to be extra vigilant; lots of pickpockets take advantage of visitors’ distraction; one trick, they often use, is to ask if you need help when buying tickets. Refuse politely, but firmly
Get the official app for Milan’s public transport (ATM Milano Official App) – read more about it and find the link to download here.
Taxis with fixed fares Of course you could also take a taxi.There are fixed fares from the airports:
Malpensa: €90
Orio al Serio: €130-150
Linate: €13-15 (normal city rates)
IMPORTANT: Watch out for illegal taxis – the legal ones are white and have the Comune di Milano coat of arms on their front doors.
If you need to call for a taxi and don’t speak Italian the easiest thing is to use the official app myTaxi. Read more about it and find the link for downloading it here.
If you speak Italian the phone number is: +39024040
If, for some reason, you can’t get a taxi or just want a chauffeur in uniform you know is there when you arrive or need to be driven around town you can contact Autonoleggio CAPRIOTTI, mobile number +393482819594 or email address autonoleggio.capriotti@yahoo.it. Transport from the airport is the same rate as the fixed fares above.
MilanoCard If you’re in Milan for 72 hours or less and want to visit a lot of museums while here it is a good idea to buy the Milan city pass MilanoCard which allows you to use all public transport for free and gives a lot of discounts to museums and restaurants. You must order it online hereand then you can pick it up at the airport or central station at the specific MilanoCard points upon your arrival
Milan has 4 metro lines, and a fifth is on the way, plus a lot of buses and trams.
The metro lines that connect the rest of the city to and from Milan’s different stations are:
Central Station (Milano Centrale) – the green and yellow lines (M2 and M3)
Stazione Cadorna – the red and green lines (M1 and M2),
Stazione Garibaldi – the green and purple lines (M2 and M5)
The map also shows where to change between the different lines.
Furthermore Milan has the Passante Railway, an underground railway which runs through Milan and connects to the metro lines at the stops Porta Garibaldi (M2 and M5),Repubblica (M3), Rogoredo (M3) and Porta Venezia (M1).Gem
Milan has several museums worth visiting. But if you can – visit them during the week and leave the queues at the weekend to the others.
If you’re in Milan for 72 hours or less, you should consder getting a MilanoCard. Read more here.
You can visit many of Milan’s museums for free on every first Sunday of every month.
Most museums change their exhibitions frequently so it’s a good idea to check out the calendar for each of them. Read more about the best apps, our event calendar and our weekly recommendations for information.
Below we mention what we consider the city’s most beautiful museums with a short description of each one. Please note that opening hours and days are very varied.
Admission is valid for both Largo Isarco and Milano Osservatorio within 7 days.
Museum for contemporary art and culture co-headed by famous designer Miuccia Prada. The foundation has operated since 1993 and organizes, amongst other things, film festivals. On May 9th 2015 they inaugurated their new venue in Milan – very impressive architecture. FONDAZIONE PRADA’s Bar Luce is designed by film director Wes Anderson. Bar Luce recreates the atmosphere of a typical Milanese café –> 2, Largo Isarco (find on map)
Admission is valid for both Largo Isarco and Milano Osservatorio within 7 days.
Fondazione Prada’s new location in the center of Milan dedicated to photography and visual arts. It is situated at the top of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II with a view of the glass Octagonal at its center.
–> Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (find on map)
This museum, which was inaugurated on April 30th 2015, celebrates Giorgio Armani’s 40-year anniversary as a designer. The museum has been created by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando. 4 floors with historical creations. The museum is located in the Tortona design neighbourhood. –> 40, Via Bergognone (find on map)
This beautiful historical building located within the Quadrilatero della Moda Milan’s exclusive fashion dsitrict houses collections of decorative and fine arts and exhibits about fahsion. The museum is closed on Mondays.
–> 6, Via Sant’Andrea (find on map)
The Diocesan Museum is housed in the antique cloisters of Sant’Eustorgio and contains over 700 art works spanning from the 4th century up till today including some very fine sculptures by artist Lucio Fontana.
–> 95, Corso di Porta Ticinese (find on map)
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece “The Last Supper” is located next to the church Santa Maria delle Grazie in the Cenacolo Vinciano and is a definite must-see, to get in you must book tickets well in advance here. If you cannot get tickets online, don’t despair; you can call this number +390292800360 and press 2 for English. You have to pay by credit card. –> 2, Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie (find on map)
Opposite Santa Maria delle Grazie and “The Last Supper” is a small gem, that has been opened to the public on occasion of EXPO2015; the vineyard, which was given to Leonardo da Vinci by the Duke of Milan Ludovica Sforza in 1498, is located in the garden of the Casa degli Atellanti (Sforza courtiers). The grape variety is the original one from Leonardo’s time . Many days are already fully booked so it’s a good idea to go online (link above in the title) and book a tour. –> 62, Corso Magenta (find on map).
Toti – the first submarine built in Italy after WW2
The Leonardo Da Vinci museum is a must for children from age 6 and up. There is enoughentertainment to last you several hours on a rainy day. The most diversely talented person ever to have lived is painter, inventor etc. Leonardo da Vinci, and Italy’s national technical museum, located in Milan, is also his official museum. It combines the chance to actually try out some of his inventions with the more traditional exhibitions.
–> 21, Via San Vittore (find on map)
Museo Archeologico di Milano
Milan’s archeological museum in the heart of the city next to the incredibly beautiful Chruch of San Maurizio from 1503 famous for its frescoes. Both are absolutel must sees. -> 15, Corso Magenta (find on map)
The children’s musum in Milan. where children can play, paint and create on their own terms. For children aged 2-11. –> 12, Via Enrico Besana (find on map).
The steam factory (literally) is a cultural centre in Milan that organizes art exhibitions, music festivals, theatre, conferences and more. The building complex is huge and definitely worth a visit. –> 4, Via Giulio Cesare Proccaccini (find on map).
This beautiful building dates back to 1251 and is a permanent space for changing photographic exhibitions. This museum is worth a visit not only for photo enthusiasts but also because of the building’s historical value. It is closed on Mondays.
–> Piazza Mercanti (findon map)
The ultimate art collection in Milan featuring masterpieces by the classical Italian masters; Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci just to mention a couple, the building itself is incredibly beautiful. –>28, Via Brera (find on map)
The museum covers the historic events that led to the unification of the different states on the Italian peninsula to the kingsom of Italy between 1815 and 1871.Admission is free of charge. -> 23, Via Borgonovo (find on map).
One of Milan’s most overlooked museums. This museum and library has an astounding collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s cartoons (charcoal drawings) and notebooks. Definitely worth a visit. –> 2, Piazza Pio XI Between Via Torino and Cordusio. (find on map).
The museum of the twentieth century, at Piazza Duomo, opened in 2010 after the collection’s original home in Palazzo Reale had been closed in 1988. It’s Milan’s municipal collection of paintings and sculpture from the twentieth century. The collection opens with Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo’s fantastic Fourth Estate. –> Via Guglielmo Marconi (South side of Piazza Duomo) (find on map)
The museum of Milan’s cathedral was originally opened in 1953 but re-opened in 2013 after a long period of renovation. It is a record of the history of the cathedral and covers a period spanning from the 15th to the 20th century. –> 12, Piazza Duomo (find on map)
The Sforza castle from the 15th century built by .Francesco Sforza is a landmark in Milan and houses a large number of museums (that are closed on Mondays). –> Piazza Castello (find on map)
A wonderful museum for all comic strip lovers! The various exhibitions change continuously, from Disney to Japanese Manga. –> 12, Viale Campania (find on map)
This home belonged to the two brothers the barons Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi who collected 15th and 16th century art to decorate their home so that it reminded themselves and their guests of princely Lombard homes of the 16th century.It was inhabited by their descendants until 1974 when one of Giuseppe’s sons decided to create the Bagatti Valsecchi Foundation and donated the entire patrimony to it, at the same time the home was purchased by the region of Lombardy that opened the museum home to the public in 1994.
–> 5, Via Gesù (find on map)
One of Milan’s most interesting private museums founded by art collector Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli (1768-1833) it contains works by some of the greatest Italian painters e, g. Botticelli, Belini and Hauez. –> 12, Via Alessandro Manzoni (find on map)
This gem which was the private home of married art collectors was opened to the public in 2003 and contains their private collection by some of the finest painters from the twentieth century. A unique look into a private home. –> 15, Via G. Jan (find on map)
Achille Castiglioni who died in 2002 was an Italian designer of furniture, lighting, radiograms a.o. his studio has been turned into a museum and is run privately by the Achille Castiglioni foundation. You must send an email to fondazione@achillecastiglioni.it to book your viat from Tuesday to Friday at ether 11 am – 12 – 1 pm. –> 27, Piazza Castello (find on map)
Situated in a gorgeous villa in Via Palestro. This villa is one of Milan’s finest examples of neoclassical architecture and hosts both contemporary photo exhibitions and paintings from the 19th century..
-> Via Palestro (find on map)
Milan’s permanent exhibition of more than 300 paintings, drawings, sculpture and engravings by Italian artists starting from 1886 all the way up to today. The museum itself was designed by renowned architect Luca Beltrami and was opened in 1886..
–> 34, Via Turati (find on map).
PAC houses a beautiful collection of contemporary art. It was re-opened in 1979 after a thorough restructuring of the building, (the mafia had a bomb explode here in 1993). The exhibitions are changed frequently..
-> 14, Via Palestro (find on map)
This amazing building was the seat for the local government of the city of Milan and is an important cultural center today and houses important exhibitions and events. -> 12, Piazza Duomo (find on map)
Design museum La Triennale di Milano is the main Italian venue for architecture, visual and decorative arts, design, fashion and audio/video. The terrace of Triennale is very cool and has a breathtaking view, good place for brunch and aperitivo, -> 6, Viale Alemagna (find on map)
One of Italy’s largest banks Intesa San Paolo have opened their private collections to the public on Piazza della Scala, right in the center of the city. It is an impressive exhibiton and there is no admission fee. .–> Piazza della Scala 6 (find on map)
Milan’s most experimental contemporary museum. It’s located in an old factory and houses very interesting exhibits and installations. Take the metro out there (purple line, get off at Ponale)
–> 2, Via Chiese (find on map)
Regrettably the English language version of the museum sites aren’t always neither thorough nor updated. But there is nothing wrong with the art so don’t miss out on some great experiences.
Hop-on Hop-off tours.
An untraditional and green way to visit the city is by rickshaw or bike taxi, they organize both shopping- and city trips and prices €25-45 for 1/2 and 1 hour respectively. The trips start from both Piazza Castello, Piazza Duomo and Piazza San Babila. You can also book online and personalize your trip here.
