If you want a fun experience and a view of Milan that takes your breath away (don’t worry you won’t have to walk all the way up there is an elevator) then you have to go up in 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. Tickets are €6.
You could combine your vist with a visit to the Triennalemuseum or you could take a walk through Milan’s big park Parco Sempione and visit Castello Sforzesco
For an overview of what is on at different museums check out our weekly calendar here for information. and the events calendar on the right-hand side of the website/at the bottom of the page on phones and tablets
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 consider getting a MilanoCard. Read more here.
You can visit many of Milan’s museums for free on every first Sunday of every month.
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)
With the opening of Palazzo Citterio in December 2024 Pinacoteca di Brera’s dream of a “La Grande Brera” (Greater Brera) came true, Palazzo Cittrtio is an extension of Pinacoteca di Brera’s exhibition space, exhibits of materpieces of modern and contemporary as well as the collection, can be seen here. The palazzo is from the 1700s. –> 12, Via Brera (find on map)
There is also a Grande Brera app, download it here.
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)
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)
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).
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)
The museum is housed in an old tram deposit from the 1930s in Milan’s China Town area. It is centered around the prestigious Compasso d’Oro prize awarded for excellence in industrial design. -> 1, Piazzza Comasso d’Oro (find on map)
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)
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)
With the opening of Palazzo Citterio in December 2024 Pinacoteca di Brera’s dream of a “Grande Brera” (Greater Brera) came true, Palazzo Cittrtio is an extension of Pinacoteca di Brera’s exhibition space, exhibits of materpieces of modern and contemporary as well as the collection, can be seen here. The palazzo is from the 1700s. –> 12, Via Brera (find on map)
La Triennale di Milano is Milan’s Design museum with a huge permanent collection of design but it is also 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)
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)
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)
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)
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).
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).
Fondazione Prada’s 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. Always check whether the mueseum is open before going there, they close for fashion week and frequently between exhibits –> 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)
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)
This incredibly beautiful church from 1503 is famous for its frescos, which have earned it the nickname the Sistine Chapel of Milan. It is open every day from 9.30 am-7.30 pm except on Mondays. -> 15, Corso Magenta (find on map)
Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio is Milan’s oldest church (built in the fourth century AD) – here you can also see the exhibition about Milans patron saint and first bishop Saint Ambrose called “Ambrosius. The Treasure of the church.” -> 15, Piazza Sant’Ambrogio (find på kort)
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. –> 21, Via San Vittore (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).
Milan’s archeological museum in the heart of the city next to the incredibly beautiful Church of San Maurizio from 1503. -> 15, Corso Magenta (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).
The museum of the Scala Theatre, amust for all lovers of opera, ballet and classiscal music – . Instruments, costumes, busts and special exhibits. –> 1, Largo Chiringelli. Piazza Scala (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)
Museum homes
If you want to vist more than 1 museum home, consider getting the casa museo card, it gives free access to the first four museum homes on this list and is €25. Get yours here.
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)
This villa from the 1930s by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi is a country home with tennis courts and swimmingpool in the heart of Milan, it is managed by FAI, a foundation that protects and maintains places of historical, natural and cultural value all over Italy. –> 14, Via Mozart (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 have to book your ticket online here. –> 27, Piazza Castello (find on map).
You can’t say Milan without mentioning La Scala; opera, Giuseppe Verdi, ballet and the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala. It doesn’t have to ruin you financially to get a ticket to see one of the perfomances but it requires planning to get the ticket or even get onone of the coveted gallery tickets at €12.
Gallery tickets for evening perfomances (opera, ballet and symphonic concerts)
Here are the instructions of how to get your hands on the €12 tickets for ballet and opera evening perfomances, and perhaps you won’t get the best seats for watching the performanceat at this price, but the acoustics up under the roof in the highest gallery are amazing and it’s an incredible experience.You are going to need patience to get the tickets and there are only 140 seats available for each performance:
You have to be at the Evening Box Office in 1, Largo Ghiringhelli (find on map) at 1.00 p.m. (be there at least a couple of hours before then, if the performance is one of the popular ones or on either Friday or Saturday night!) and join the queue, the lucky first 140 (who must bring some kind of official picture ID) will be noted down on a list, every single person who wants a ticket must show up, you cannot book for other people. Then you’ll have to be back at 5.00 p.m. at the Evening Box Office and get your tickets
The list will be filled out and tickets handed out at the Evening Box Office (find on map) office at 5.00 p.m. – remember that every person interested in a ticket must be physically present at this hour.
Gallery tickets for matinee performances
The list will be filled out and tickets handed out at the Evening Box Office (find on map) office at 12.00 p.m. – remember that every person interested in a ticket must be physically present at this hour.
Normal admissions range from €18-2,000 depending on the performance you are interested in and where you want to sit, you can get more information about this here. It is a good idea to buy your tickets online in advance in case you already know you want to go, reservations and online purchase can be made here.
Another possibility, for the more impulsive opera lover, who likes to live life dangerously, is to go to the central box office in Galleria del Sagrato, Piazza Del Duomo, Metro Station Duomo (open all days from 12 p.m.to 6 p.m.) and ask whether there are any tickets that have not been picked up for that evening’s performance. (find on map) but you should know that the most popular performances are sold out months ahead.
Regular tickets and how to book them
It probably doesn’t come as a big surpirse that ticets for performances sell out fast, box office sales generally open 1-3 months in advance, so as soon as you know when you are coming to Milan we recommend you register on La Scala’s homepage here, find the performance you would like to see here, and if you let your mouse hover over the photo of the picture, the date for the opening of the box office for that particular performance. The system doesn’t let you buy an unlimited number of tickets, see the rules here. There is a 20% pre-sale fee on online purchases which you can see here under the heading “How to buy”.
La Prima Diffusa – Opening Night for Everyone
The opening night of the new opera season at Teatro alla Scala is on December 7th, the day of the city of Milan’s patron saint Sant’Ambrogio and on this occasion there are free public screenings of the opera and other concerts and performances in many locations around the city in the week up to opening night, check out our weekly calendar around December 1st every year for more information here.
Giuseppe Verdi built Casa Verdi as a home for retired musicians and he and his wife are themselvs buried in the crypt. The crypt can be visited every day at.8.30 a.m.-6 p.m., and it also possible for groups to visit Casa Verdi itself and its wonderful art collection but you need to book the tour in advance. The visit itself is free but it is custom to leave €3-5 as a a thank you. Casa Verdi is located on 29, Piazza Buonarotti (find on map).
The museum of the Scala Theatre, a must-see for all lovers of opera, ballet and classiscal music – here you can see Instruments, costumes, busts and countless curiosities, and there are special themed exhibitions regularly – check out our calendar to see if there is anything on now here. –> 1, Largo Ghiringelli. Piazza Scala (find on map)
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.
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. The trip includes a professional guide, food and drinks and pick-up from your hotel.
If you have the MilanoCard you get a 15% discount on tickets.
Segway tours
See Milan from a segway – for details go here – in small groups with 8 participants, choose between the day trip of 3 hours. or the night trip of 2.5 hours. Both trips are €75 and there is a 30 minute orientation before the trip begins.
Tours on the canals (April-September)
You can go on a boat trip back and forth on the Milanese navigli and see the city from a different perspective – Milan is no Copenhagen, Venice or Amsterdam though.
Optinonally you can take the boat trip and aperitivo, you can book it here.
Sightseeing on bicycle with a guide
Bicycle store Rossignoli, located at 71, Corso Garibaldi (find on map) organize tours of the city on bicycle in Italian and English and to book and get information call +3902804960 some days in advance.
There are also other guided tours of Milan in bicycle in English. Here are the 3 most popular ones:
The view from the roof of Duomo is breathtaking especially on clear days, where you can see the Alps t’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.
Start on Piazza Gae Aulenti; Milan’s newest area, where you should see the internationally acclaimed buildings “Bosco verticale” (the vertical forest))
Located under the square is the supermarket Esselunga if you want to shop for gourmet specialties and wine.
From there continue down Corso Como and check out the famous design store and art gallery 10CorsoComo – good place for lunch.
at the end of Corso Como is the square (Piazza XXV Aprile) with the foodie temple Eataly incidentally also a good choice for lunch.
Continue into the Brera area (Via Solferino, Via San Marco and Corso Garibaldi) which is the old artistic neighbourhood of Milan with lots of quirky and chic stores and galleries.
If you’re here on either a Monday or a Thursday it is worth your while to visit the open air market in Via San Marco and Milan’s best high fashion outlet Matia’s is very close by at 4, Piazza Carlo Mirabello (find på kort) and their outlet for kids 0-16 år is located in the same area at 2, Via Eugenio Balzan (find på kort).
Continue down to Piazza della Scala with Milan’s famous Scala theater.
If you still have energy and time to spare you are now directly behind Piazza Duomo just walk thorugh the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele which links Piazza della Scala and Piazza Duomo and you have Milan’s cathedral right in front of you.
Now you are probably starving and you are close to several good restaurants e.g. Giacomo Arengario €€ on top of Museo del Novecento (find on map) with an amazing view of Piazza Duomo. and Piz, 34, Via Torino (find on map) genuine Neapolitan pizza €, For more eateries in the area check out our post about Milan’s restaurants here.
Milan is home to two of the best football teams in the world; AC Milan and Inter Milano. The club AC Milan – originally Milan Football and Cricket Club – is the oldest of the two by 9 years but they were originally the same club that split in two in 1908;
Milan Football and Cricket Club Milan was founded on December 16th 1899 by a group of English and Italian partners and the club’s first president was Alfred Ormond Edwards, one of the founding partners. In January 1900 the club was affiliated with FIF (the Italian Football Federation) and the following year they became Italian champions.
The founding of FC Inter Milano
In 1908 a group of partners who disagreed with the club’s policy against hiring foreign players left AC Milan and founded the Football Club Internazionale di Milano known as Inter Milano, and their first president was Giovanni Paramithiotti. The club won their first championship in 1910 and are the only Italian football team to have never been demoted to the second division, Serie B.
San Siro stadium
The legendary San Siro Stadium officially Giuseppe Meazza, (find on map) was inaugurated in 1926 by Milan and the stadium and the land belonged to the club but was bought by Milan’s municipality in 1935 and in 1947 it became home to Inter Milano as well. It is known also as La Scala del calcio – Football’s Scala theatre. The San Siro store is open daily between 10 am and 6.30 pm
You can visit the San Siro stadium every day on guided tours between 9.30 am-7 pm, for more information about times and booking here
FC Inter Milano’s old home
Before the construction of the San Siro or Meazza stadium, as it was officially renamed in 1980 after Inter player Giuseppe Meazza, Milan’s home was the Arena Civica located in the Sempione park and between 1930 and 1947 the Arena Civica was Inter’s home, before that they played at the Campo di Ripa Ticinese (find on map) between 1908 and 1912 and then in the period 1913-1930 at Campo Goldoni, which no logner exists but was located between 61, Via Goldoni and Piazza Novelli (find on map).
The history behind the names (and nicknames)
When Benito Mussolini and his fascist party took power in Italy the policy of the regime was that of italianising foreign names so Milan became Associazione Calcio Milan and Inter became Ambrosiana after the city’s patron saint Saint Ambrose, however, Ambrosiana reversed to their original name of Football Club Internazionale Milano after the end of World War II.
The colours of the clubs have led to their commonly used nicknames I Rossoneri (red-black) and I Nerazzuri (black-blue), traditionally the following of Milan is mainly working class (casciavìt – screwdrivers) and the one of Inter is bourgois (bauscia – braggarts).
Derby della Madonnina
The Milanese derby is in Italian known as il Derby della Madonnina (the derby of the little madonna) after the symbol of Milan, the golden madonna perched on the top of Milan’s cathedral il Duomo di Milano (find on map).
The Milan and Inter shops
There are of course shops with all kinds of football related merchandise ; t-hirts, shorts, footballs etc. in the relevat club’s colours the AC Milan shop is located in Galleria San Carrlo (find on map) and Inter Milan’s shop is very close by at Galleria Passarella (find on map)
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.
On the other side of the park the entrance to the design museum Triennale di Milano is located.
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.
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.
Milano Design Week/Fuorisalone – one week in spring, usually in April, in 2026 the dates are April 20th-26th. A week with very lively cosmopolitan atmosphere and cocktail parties, where Milan is turned upside-doown in occasion of the Salone del Mobile furniture fair, In the city you get the up-and-coming designers’ bid on what the future will look like. Just before Milano Design Week, Miartand Milano Art Week take place., it is an incredible month for contemporary and modern art and design. Read more about it here.
Piano City Milano – 3 days during the penultimate weekend of May, In 2026 the dates are May 15th-17th. There is piano music everywhere with lots of fantastic free concerts in the city’s parks, squares and several of Milan’s beautiful courtyards. The concerts go on 24 hours a day and the city teems with life and people. Read more about it here.
Summer
The Filarmonica della Scalaplays a free concerts on Piazza Duomo – the second Sunday of June with a speciel guest perfomance – this is a speciel and magical evening where thousands of Milanese of all ages fill up Piazza Duomo for a very speciel night.
Estate Sforzesca – from the beginning of June to the end of August there is entertainment almost every night in the central courtyard of Castello Sforzesco of theater, dance or music, a wonderful way to spend the summer evenings with the locals. Bear in mind that July and August are the hottest months in Milan and when we say hot we means sweltering; temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius and they don’t go down much at night
Triennale Estate – the summer season in Triennale Milano‘s garden – there are concerts, aperitivos, DJ sets lectures and much more from from mid May to mid September .
Sales in Milan – July/August for the exact dates check our shopping guide.
Autumn
MITO September Music – a festival which every year focuses on a theme and offers performances in both Milan and Turin for 20 days in the beginning of September.
Milan Fashion Week – September, the city is hectic during this week with cat walks, cocktail parties and many other things.
JazzMi – Milano jazz festival the first two weeks of November. Some of the world’s finest jazz musicians come to Milan to play..
Winter
Artigiani in Fiera – Enormous Christmas market at Milan’s fair during the first week of December, actually the atmosphere in Milan during the month of December is wonderful with lots of ice skating rinks and Christmas markets. Read more about them hereand here.
Opening Night at La Scala theater – the new season at Teatro della Scala starts with an opera on December 7th remember that if you want to experience this very speciel night, you have to book your tickets a long time in advance. Read all about getting tickets here.
Milan Fashion Week – February and September, the city is hectic during this week with cat walks, cocktail parties and many other things.
Sales in Milan – January/February for the exact dates check our shopping guide.
You may not associate Milan with the Roman Empire, but the city, which was originally a Celtic settlement, was conquered by the Roman consul Calvus in 222 BC and he went on to conquer the entire region. In 286 AD Romam Emperor Diocletian decided to divide the Roma Empire into two; the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire and made Mediolanum (the Latin name for the city) the capital of the Western Empire. Dioceltian chose to reside in Nicodemia, the capital of the Eastern Empire (in today’s Turkey) and left Mediolanum to his colleague emperor Maximian, whom we have to thank for the monuments whose ruins you can visit today. Below is a list of the most important:
The imperial Roman Palace in Via Brisa (find on map)
This was Emperor Maximian’s palace but it was actually so vast that it constituted an entrie district; it was around 80,000 square metres and was built when Mediolanum was made capital.
The main square of Medoilanum in Roman times is located below today’s Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and the San Sepolcro church, it was built by emperor Augustus between the second and thrid century and was 160 metres by 55 metres, the entrance to the forum is at the corner of Via dell’Ambrosiana and Piazza Pio XI.
16 (well actually there are 17) eight and a half metre tall marble columns with Corinthian capitals from the 3rd centúry AD. They have been named after the church they are located in front of La basilica di San Lorenzo.
Although it is used aa a Christian church today, it was originally a pagan temple from the 2nd century AD, the chapel of the church dates back to 400 AD. It is one of the best preserved Roman monuments in Milan.
The museum holds many beautiful examples of Roman attifacts, pottery, mosaics etc. On the museum grounds you can visit the uncovered site of a Roman residence from between the 1st and 3rd Century, it features some beautiful examples of Roman mosaics and pottery and an octagonal Roman watchtower from the outer walls.
Here you can see an astounding example of a Roman floor in one of the oldest preserved domus (residence) from Mediolanum, it is from the 2nd century BC
The remains of this 2000 year old Amphitheatre covers and area of about 450 square metres, you have to book your visit to this extraordinary ruin by either writing an email to teatroromano@mi.camcom.it or call +390285154378or +390285154593 during office hours
Il circo – the Roman Circus in via Circo (find on map)
The circus was built between the third and fourth century and was originally 470 metres by 85 metres and was used mainly for horse racing, it originally spanned an area between Corso Magenta where the archeological museum is located and Via Circo, so it is only the last part of it you can see here today.
The Roman Amphitheatre in Via de Amicis (find on map)
This is where the fights between gladiators, wild animals and even elaborate naval battles took place for the entertainment of an audience of up to 20,000 people, the theatre was built between the second and third century.
The Herculean thermal baths in Largo Corsia dei Servi (find on map)
The ruins of he Herculean thermal baths were built on the orders of Emperor Maximian
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 2026 is on April 20th-26th.
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”.
