Milan travel guide: the Duomo roof, aperitivo and Lake Como
Italy's most efficient city is more than fashion weeks and office towers. Milan has a cathedral you can walk across, canals that fill up at dusk and Lake Como an hour away.
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The Duomo
Photo: Fabio Fistarol / Unsplash
Milan, Italy's engine room
At six in the evening the bars along the Navigli canals start to fill. Order a drink and a plate of small bites arrives with it. That is aperitivo, and the Milanese claim to have turned it into a ritual. It sums the city up: it works hard, and it knows exactly how to stop.
Milan is Italy's second city and its business capital. It is less romantic than Rome or Florence, but easier to travel in, with fast trains and good flights. For the wider picture, see our Italy travel guide.
Neighbourhoods to know
Centro Storico
The Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade and La Scala. Most to see in the least time.
Brera
Cobbled lanes, the Pinacoteca di Brera gallery and the city's best cafés. The loveliest quarter to wander.
Navigli
The canal district in the south-west, with bars, trattorias and a flea market on the last Sunday of the month.
Porta Nuova and Isola
The new Milan of glass towers and the tree-covered Bosco Verticale, with lively bars in Isola.
Two days in Milan
Day 1: the Duomo and its rooftop terraces, the Galleria and La Scala. Afternoon in Brera, aperitivo in Navigli.
Day 2: Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie (book weeks or months ahead), the Castello Sforzesco and the park behind it. Evening in Isola.
Food and day trips
Saffron risotto alla milanese and breaded veal cotoletta are the city's own dishes, and panettone was born here. Trains reach Lake Como in about an hour, and our guide to Lake Como and Lake Garda helps you choose a lake.
Hotel Spadari al Duomo
Photo: Hotels.com
Where to stay
Stay around the Duomo or in Brera to be central, in Navigli for evenings out, or near Centrale station for easy train connections. Our Milan hotel guide has the picks.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Spadari al Duomo
Frequently asked questions about Milan
How many days do you need in Milan?
Two days covers the city. Add a third for Lake Como.
Do I need to book The Last Supper in advance?
Yes, often weeks or months ahead. Visitor numbers are strictly limited to protect the painting.
How do I get from Malpensa to central Milan?
The Malpensa Express reaches Cadorna and Centrale in roughly 40 to 50 minutes.
Is Milan worth visiting?
Yes, for architecture, art, food and shopping, and as a gateway to the lakes and the Alps.