You get a tbreathtaking view of all of Milan from the Torre Branca (find on map) in Parco Sempione right next to Triennale Design Museum. Opening hours are 10.30 am-12.20 pm and 3-6.30 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10.30 am-2 pm, 2.30-7 pm and 8.30 pm-midnight on Saturdays and 10.30 am-2 pm and 2.30-7 pm on Sundays.
You could combine your vist with a visit to the Triennalemuseum and from here take a walk through Milan’s big park Parco Sempione to Castello Sforzesco, for the second beautiful view.
The battlements of Castello Sforzesco
Another hit is the tour of the castle’s battlement, the Panoramic Merlate, you get some astounding views of Milan from this place.
From here you have a short walk to Piazza Duomo and the third vantagepoint.
The Cathedral Rooftop
This is a truly spectacular point to enjoy the view of Milan from, on a clear day you can see the Alps from up here. Read more and book your ticket here.
Highline Galleria
The fourth palce to enjoy a wonderful view from is only a short walk from the Duomo; Highline Galleria which has opened the terrace above Galleria Vittorio Emanuele with a spectacular view over Piazza Duomo and extended access to the old Room of Clocks, get more informations and tickets here.
If you’re with your children in Milan then buy 3 day’s access to the civic museums for just €12 an adult (under-18s don’t pay). You can get it online or, easier, at the ticket sale at the first museum you visit. There are lunch ideas mentioned after every museum.
If you are here between the months of June and September there are public swimmingpools in Milan. Read more here.
Check also our post on classic sightseeing here. Milan offers canal tours and double-deckers.
Rent a different bike for the kids at the park
In the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli (find on map) and Parco Sempione (find on map) you can rent the beautiful originale 3-wheel take bike Alternative Byki from 1959.
Museo nazionale scienza e tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci
The Leonardo Da Vinci museum is a must for children from age 6 and up. There is enough entertainment 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.
Museo di Storia naturale – Dinosaurs and other monsters
Museo di Storia Naturale is yet a perfect place for children from age 6 if they like dinosaur skeletons and everything to do with wild beasts.
It’s located in a great park with a wooden jungle gym and a really cozy outdoor café, Bar Bianco where you can get coffee, ice cream, frozen yogurt, soft drinks and lunch. The park also houses a genuine old-fashioned merry-go-round, a little train and bumper cars for very young kids.
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).
In the Rotonda della Besana where the children’s museum is located is a very nice restaurant with kids’ menu, it is called Rotonda bistro (find on map)
Milan Cathedral (Duomo)
The city cathedral is very impressive on the outside and rather gloomy on the inside. You should spend your time visiting the roof which has an extraordinary view of the whole city and when the weather is clear you can see the Alps in the background. Either take the elevator up or get a fun experience walking all the way up the crooked old stone staircase
You can go get lunch at Luini (find on map) a very good cheap lunch place.
The city’s impressive medieval castle Castello Sforzesco where you can choose to just walk right through the beautiful courtyards to the Sempione park, which contains playgrounds and ample lawns where you can have your sandwiches, you can eat at Bar Bianco (find on map) or try the incredibly vast choice of sandwiches at the kiosk on Piazza Castello left of the fountain when coming from Piazza Cairoli.
But you could also visit the inside of the castle, where there are several art museums, displaying historical weapons, paintings, musical instruments and furniture. Especially the weapons tend to appeal to kids.
Another hit with children and adults alike is the tour of the castle’s battlement, the Panoramic Merlate, you get some astounding views of Milan from this place.
On the other side of the park the entrance to the design museum Triennale di Milano is located.
Take a trip on the tram
It’s really kind of awesome and cheap entertainment and children under 14 don’ pay. Milan has old, very elegant trams that were built between 1928 and 1932.
You probaly know the Italian men’s wear Boggi, here is their outlet store at 28, Viale Vincenzo Lancetti (find on map) lots of great deals in both casual and elegant clothe and accessories, the shop is located right across from railway link station Lancetti just one stop from Garibaldi station.
Great fashion items – clothes, shoes, bags – for both him and her right next to Boggi Factory Outlet (for direction see above) at 28, Viale Vincenzo Lancetti (find on map)
Visit this shopping center in Locate di Triulzi (find on map) just 30 minutes from Piazza Reppubblica in the city center bythe railroad link S13 (passante) and a 2-minute walk from the station. There are great brands like Cavalli, Liu-Jo, G-Star Raw, Twinset, Adidas, Nike, Boxeur des rues, Bomboogie, Kartell, Alessi and many others at outlet prices. You can also get there by shuttle service from Largo Ciroli three times a day. The centre is open Mondays-Wednesdays 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Thursday-Sundays 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Outlets outside Milan and where to get the bus to go
Websites based on users’ own experiences, where you can read what they think . Ratings are based on what they thought was good and bad. Remember that you cannot be sure of the authenticity of the reviews, neither positive nor negative – so read it all with your critical radar on. The most popular ones are:Tripadvisor and Yelp.
Find the cheapest and best hotels
Then we’ve got websites that compare prices and find the best deals for the period when you visit. Remember to check out our shopping guide to find the area you’d rather stay in. The best in the this category are:Expedia and booking.com
Airbnbs and traditional Bed & Breakfasts
If you are out for an alternative experience, you can either get a room in an apartment or rent an entire apartment. This will give you a completely different experience of Milan. You must absolutely check out: Airbnb – please beware that you must update and accept Airbnb’s conditions on your phone app or the website on your computer in order to get access.
There are many options for you if you want to stay in a Bed and Breakfast in Milan. Find your bed and breakfast at bedandbreakfast.eu
Stay at a hostel
There are some amazing hostels in the center of Milan; Der er tre fantastiske ungdomsherberger i centrum af Milano: Queen Hostelnear Porta Venezia at 9, Viale Regina Margherita (find on map) book here Ostello Bello tæt på Duomo i Via Medici 4 (find på kort) Ostello Bello Grande lige ved hovedbanegården Stazione Centrale i Via Roberto Lepetit 33 (find på kort), I kan booke her COMBO Milano i Navigli området Ripa doi Porta Ticinese 83 (find på kort) I kan også booke via Booking.com uanset hvor I booker skal I booke i god tid.
The Agritourism Cascina Madonnina is located in beautiful surroundings outside Milan at 17, Via Arluno in Pregnana Milanese (find pn map) but is still so close to the city that you can go there by metro at just €2,50. The perfect solution if you’re travelling with your children.
City Tax
Visitors (over the age of 18) to Milan have to pay a city tax – or tourist tax as it is also known – as well as the price of the accomodation and which differs according to the tyoe of accomodation you have chosen: 1 star hotels and hostels – €4 per person per night 2 star hotels and guesthouses – €5 per person per night 3 star hotels and guesthouses – €7,40 per person per night 4 star hotels and guesthouses -€10 per person per night Lombard guesthouses / guest houses – €9,50 per person per night All holiday homes – €7 per person per night B&Bs – €9,50 per person per night Youth hostels and camp sites – €3 per person per night
Piano City Milano is a celebration of the piano and pianists that takes place for the three days of the penultimate weekend of May with non-stop performancdes and has so for the past 16 years.
During this window of time there are countless piano concerts – both free and paid – in the city’s parks, gardens, appartments, courtyards and more traditional concert venues.
The music spans all genres from electronical, jazz, pop and classical.
This year’s Piano City
This year’s Piano City Milano takes place on May
Where Piano City takes place and where you find the program
Headquarters are located at the museum GAM at 16, via Palestro (find on map) where you can pick up a program and see concerts in the beautiful gardens behind the museum.
The festival is not located just in the city centre nor just in traditional concert venues, it is literally everywhere for three days: In private homes, on the squares all over the city, in the city’s parks and in the more traditional concert venues. Check for performances here.
See Milan from a different perspective with bike tour rentals. You can also rent a bike for the entire time you spend here or use one of the many electrical scooters.
Cycling in Milan is a risky business. Milan is a car city, and cyclists are not respected as equals in the traffic.
So remember to signal your intentions in the traffic clearly, so the drivers have time to give you space. Take it easy and don’t insist too much.
Two important tips: Keep an extra eye on the tram rails (believe you us; it is the voice of experience telling you this) and remember that the cobble stones get extra slippery when it rains.
Rent a bike
If you prefer to have your “own” bicycle while you’re here, you can rent your own at the historical bicycle shop Rossignoli,which you have here
71 Corso Garibaldi.(find on map) open Monday 2.30-7 pm Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-12.30 pm/2.30-7 pm
Rossignoli also organizez bicycle sightseeing in Italian and English, to book and get more information call +3902804960 a couple of days ahead.
BikeMi is a bike sharing service a bit like Boris-bikes in London. It’s a great feature in public transport, but beware Italian traffic habits.
BikeMi is part of the public transport system, you must register at ATM (Milan’s municipal transport agency) and to do that you need to have a valid credit card (so they have security for the bike and possible damages) read about the legal and practical issues here. You can get a card for either 1 week or for a single day,.
Short trips are the cheapest BikeMi is meant to be used for short trips and it becomes proportionally more expensive the longer you use them If you change bicycles frequently the trips can end up being totally free of charge. If you forget to deliver the bike within 24 hours, there’s a stiff fee.
Summer operating hours. April 1st-November 2nd the service will run Sunday-Thursday 7 am.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday the service will operate 24 hrs a day.
Bike sharing
There are many apps for bicycles in Milan, find the links for download here.
Electric scooters
For electric scooter check out the rules and find the links for downloads here.
The outdoor swimming pools are open from the beginning of June till the end of August.
Wearing a swim cap (and obviously a swim suit) is obligatory but you can buy one for a relatively modest price at the entrance. If you haven’t brought a swim suit you can buy one at e.g. Calzedonia, Yamamay, H&M which you can find everywhere in the city., check out our shopping guide here.
Milan Design Week includes 3 different events taking place during the same week in April: Salone del Mobile, the furniture fair for professionals of the furniture and design sector, Brera Design Week and Fuorisalone.
It is one of the most exciting weeks to visit Milan.
Fuorisalone is a week packed with exciting exhibitions, installations, and cocktail parties and for this one week the public has access to buildings that are normally closed. Thousands of tourists come to Milan for this, so book your accomodation well in advance.
Fuorisalone emerged spontaneously in the 80s around all the small and big – established and independent – furniture designers and has no governing organ.
In 1991 the first guide to the events and a logo were created, and in 2003 the websitewith all relevant information about the events was made.
When it takes place.
Fuorisalone 2027 is on April 12th-18th.
This year’s events are here.
Fuorisalone Passport
Starting January 2026 you can register for the fuorisalone passport, here you can find events ,sign up for the ones you are interested in and keep track of what is happening when and where you have already been – you still have to queue, but everything is simpler with the passport. Fuorisalone Passport is a web app.
Theme
Fuorisalone has a new, overarching theme every year.
The theme for 2026 is “be the project – leading change through vision and responsibility”.
We do like a great brunch at the weekend. We have selected some of the best Milan has to offer divided by area. Prices are € – €15-20, €€ – 20-40, €€€ – 40-60. One of the peculiarities of brunch places in Milan is a rotation system so you won’t be able to hang out for the entire duration, it is necessary to book if you want to be sure to get a table (we have included their phone numbers).
Radetzky €€ 105, Corso Garibaldi (find on map) +39026572645 8-1.30 am Monday to Thursday, 8-2 am Friday and Saturday and 10-1.30 am Sunday – great location and service.
Cascina Nascosta (The hidden fartmhouse) €€ 14, Viale Emilio Alemagna (find on map) in the middle of Parco Sempione and yet tucked away and unknown to many +393406755196
LùBar €€ (brunch a la carte) 16, Via Palestro (find on map) +390283527769 – book at l’east 2 days in advance for the weekend. It more a lunch place but you can light dishes + cappuccino, coffee and orange juice. 8 am-midnight Tuesdays-Sundays
There are also some great flea markets on the outskirts of the citythat you can get to by either a bus (Corsico) or the metro (San Donato) They are organized by the association Pulci … e non solo and held in:
Corsico – Via Togliatti (find on map) every first and third Sundays of every month 6 am-2 pm.
San Donato – The Snam parking area in Via Emilia (find on map) second and fourth Sundays of every month 6 am-2 pm.
It’s a good idea to be polite but cheeky when haggling. Italians love negotiating!
You’ll find everything you find at a normal flea market: Jewellery, toys, hats, chandeliers, vases, lamps, mirrors, cupboards, furniture, vintage – at all price levels.
“East Market” (find on map) is Milan’s most popular flea market with vintage objects and clothes and a big vinyl record section, it is held approximately once a month and you can find future events on their website.
“Wunder Mrkt“ is an artisanal market with lots of vintage clothes, shoes, jewellery and bags, it takes place approximately once a month, check out their website for upcoming events here. Wunder Mrkt don’t have their own location but are ofted housed at Spirit de Milan (find on map), which is a music venue with its own restaurant at a disused glass factory – the place is, on its own, worth a visit.
Al Mercatino “tra noi e voiopen all days except Tuesdays, Wednesday-Saturday 10.30 am-12.30 pm and 3.30-7.30 pm, Sundays 10.30 am-7.30 pm at 8, Via Marcora (find on map).
“Mercatino di Brera“ (find on map) the third Sunday of every month from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.this market is located in one of the most beautiful areas in Milan and you should expect pricy objects.
“Artigianato e Collezionismo” every second, third and fourth Tuesday + every first Sunday of every month from 8 am to 7 pm in front of Pinacoteca di Brera in Via Brera (find on map).
“Mercatino del antiquariato“ in the Navigli area, one of the city’s most interesting markets. the last Sunday of every month 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (find on map)
“Mostra mercato di antiquariato” in Piazza Diaz (find on map) on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Thursdays + 3rd Sunday of every month from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. – just behind Piazza Duomo.
“Little Market” products of craftmanship and collectors’ items, in Piazza Sant’Eustorgio (find on map) every 1st and 2nd Saturday of every month.
“Mercatino” vintage and collectors’ items every 2nd and 4th Friday and the last Saturday of every month close to Porta Venzia/Corso Buenos Aires in Via Spallanzari (find on map).
“Fiera di Sinigaglia“: in the Navigli area, every Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. in Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map) along the wharf. Here you find everything from crafts, new, vintage and second-hand clothes to vinyl records.
“Festivalpark“: Every Sunday at. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., here you find clothes, shoes, watches, toys, kitchenware, bicycles etc. This market is in Via Sacile (find on map) near Milan’s wholesale vegetable market.
