MilanTravel Guides

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

When sightseeing in Milan don’t miss visiting all the famous religious sites, historical places, museums, galleries, parks and gardens. If you’re wondering how to plan your stay here, just check out our list of the top attractions.

Why Milan Attracts

There are a hundred and one good reasons why you should decide to visit Milan as this city hides a lot of the monuments or sights that many people haven’t heard about.

Let us guide you through ‘must-see’. I’ll guide you all the way through this elegant city and its museums and galleries, as well as other historical places that you might like to visit.

Piazza del Duomo

Located in the heart of Milan, all things to do and to see once you arrive will start right from this square, Piazza del Duomo.

Nested right in the center of Milan this vivacious and vibrant square is most important piazza of Milan. It’s the commercial center of the city, a starting point of Milan tourist attractions and, with the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, is the iconic place par excellence of Milan.

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

From this square you’ll have unique possibility to see the city from the highest point, feel the shopping fever, passing among exclusive shops under a spectacular glass-iron vault, or visiting a beautiful museum to finish with admiring the harmonious architecture that surrounds this square. It must be your first encounter with Milan.

Here are the 4 things to do and see from Piazza del Duomo in Milan:

The Milan Cathedral

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

There is nothing more representative of Milan than its Duomo, the splendid Gothic Cathedral. It’s the symbol of the city and the first thing to see as soon as you set foot in Milan.

It was built in over five hundred years and has changed style at least three times. The first stone was laid by a duke of the Visconti dynasty in 1386.This imposing Cathedral with its pentagonal facade coated by Candoglia marble (from quarry on Lake Maggiore) deserves to be visited from inside including its basement. Read more about it on Wikipedia!

Recommended Tour

Milan Duomo and Rooftop 2.5-Hour Guided Tour

The Golden Madonnina and The Terraces

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

The terraces of the Duomo of Milan have always fascinated not only tourists but also the locals who, for one reason or another, pass through Piazza del Duomo.

It’s a unique emotion to climb up to the cathedral roof with the most spectacular view through the innumerable marble spires and pinnacles that adorn the rooftop. Admire the a gilded copper statue of the Madonnina (Little Madonna), the city’s traditional protector.

Climbing to the roof is one of the top Milan tourist attractions, everybody has to try. From the terraces of the Milan Cathedral it is possible to see the most important landmarks of the city

Recommended Tour

Milan Cathedral and Rooftop Ticket from €14!

Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

The famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II , which connects Piazza Duomo to Piazza della Scala is the most elegant part of the city with its famous shops and exclusive bars.

It’s usually called the living room of Milan’ with several designer shops of prestigious brands, that many considered as the natural beginning of the fashion quadrilateral.

Even here you can take a walk on the roof of the Gallery organized by Highline Galleria or for lovers of Italian cuisine famous Italian chefs Carlo Cracco has opened a new restaurant in Galleria.

Recommended Purchase

The Museo del Novecento

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places
Image by Vincenzo Lombardo Getty Images

The Museo del Novecento, located inside the Palazzo dell’Arengario in Piazza del Duomo, hosts a collection of over four thousand works that gather in one place the best of 20th century Italian art.

The third-floor of the Museo del Novecento hosts the first class bistro with extraordinary views over the Duomo. If you can afford top-notch bistro dishes, including fish platters, truffles and game than take a table on the panoramic terrace to enjoy excellent views of the Duomo.

Recommended Purchase

This top choice museum is included in 48 hours Milan pass!

The Last Supper

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

If you are visiting Rome there are some attractions, you just can’t miss it. If you don’t plan to visit Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St.Peters church, it means you haven’t been in Rome

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

You can say the same for Milan’s most famous mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Hidden away on a wall of the refectory adjoining the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie, depicts Christ and his disciples at the dramatic moment when Christ reveals he’s aware of his treachery. It was painted between 1495 and 1498

The Milan tourist attractions itinerary could only start from here, one of Leonardo’s most famous works, comparable only to the Gioconda ( Monna Lisa).

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

The fresco is a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, in particular for the use of perspective, able to give depth to the wall, and for the extraordinary ability of the artist to interpret the different personalities of the apostles.

Centuries of damage have left the mural in a fragile state despite 22 years of restoration, which was completed in 1999. To see it you must book in advance or sign up for a guided city tour.

Recommended Tour

Milan in 1 Day – Milan Duomo, Walking Tour and priority access to the Last Supper, 6 hours tour.

Royal Palace

A neoclassical ducal palace that is full of fine art.

Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa

The bone chapel in this historic church will remind you of Game of Thrones.

Brera District

Brera is an elite Milan district, the center of Italian design and creative development, commercial and cultural center of Milan.

If you are looking for a peaceful corner far from the busy city bustle, this Milan area is a right place.

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

Pinacoteca di Brera

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

The Pinacoteca gallery hosts one of the most important art collections of Italy, with paintings of artists of XII to XX century such as Rafael, Mantegna, Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio.

The gallery is housed in the baroque building, erected on the site of a fourteenth-century convent, rebuilt by the Jesuits in the seventeenth century.

Castello Sforzesco (Milan Castle)

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

Sforza Castle (Milan castle) is one of the renowned Milan tourist attractions. This symbol of Milan, built by Francesco Sforza in the fifteenth century, is now a compulsory stopover for those visiting Milan.

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

With over 8 museums inside the castle, open from Monday to Sunday from 7 AM to 7.30 PM, in combination with beautiful Sempione park in his background, is an ideal place for a day tour.

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

Parco Sempione

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

This second largest park in Milan, located in the background of Sforza Castle, designed by architect Emilio Alemagna in the English landscape tradition, with winding trails, bridges and a small lake is one of the most peaceful venues in Milan.

Parco Sempione is certainly one of the most famous and beloved places among Milan tourist attractions. Besides being one of the main green areas of the city center, it is also very important from a historical and cultural point of view. .

Walking among its centuries-old trees and its waterways, you’ll come across some particular city landmarks that deserve to be visited:

La Triennale di Milano

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places
Image by Simone Simone Shutterstock

Triennale di Milano is an international institution which since 1933 housed in the Palazzo dell’Arte (Art Palace) inside the park organizes exhibitions and events about arts, designs, architecture, fashion, cinema, photography and theater.

La Triennale di Milano is a right place to hang out couple of hours. After you’ve visited the rich expositions, take a brake at Triennale’s cafe overlooking Parco Sempione. Take a cake stop or a relaxed aperitif between iconic design chairs or enjoy the panoramic restaurant Triennale terrace for a dinner with a view.

Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace)

Top 40 Tourist Attractions in Milan: Must See/Visit Places

One of the Milan tourist attractions is this arch, situated at the northwestern edge of Parco Sempione. This Napoleon’s 25 meters high triumphal arch, marks the start of Corso Sempione, the main road that used to connect Milan to Paris via the Simplon (Sempione) Pass.

The Arco della Pace (Peace Arch) is without a doubt one of the major neoclassical monuments of Milan. The first arch was erected in 1806. Ironically, thanks to Napoleon’s fall in 1814, its neoclassical facade was finished in 1838.

Although it was initially built to celebrate Napoleon’s victories, on some reliefs you can notice some scenes from the Battle of Leipzig (1813), depicting his defeat.

ATMosfera Tram Ristorante

Imagine riding through historical Milan on a vintage 1920s tram while being served exquisite food served by a famous chef.

Civic Aquarium of Milan

Enjoy exotic salt and freshwater fish displays.

The gorgeous canal with towpath that links Milan and Pavia.

San Vittore District

There’s are some important museums, galleries, and churches here.

San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore

An art laden church known for its mural frescoes.

Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio

St Ambrose, Milan’s patron saint and Milan city bishop, is buried in the crypt of this red-brick cathedral, which he founded in AD 379.

Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia

The science museum which houses many of Leonardo Da Vinci’s scale model designs.

Gallerie d’Italia

An airy museum for contemporary Italian art including sculptures and paintings.

Quadrilatero Della Moda

Besides the opera, there’s the Leonardo3 museum and some very expensive shops that tend to have Ferraris parked outside.

Quadrilatero d’Oro Shops

A leisurely walk around the Quadrilatero d’Oro, the world’s most famous shopping district, is a must. This extraordinarily cobbled quadrangle of streets, bounded by Via Monte Napoleone, Via Sant’Andrea, Via della Spiga and Via Manzoni , has always been synonymous of elegance, high fashion and riches.

Teatro alla Scala

The grand opera house in Milan which still plays the Italian classics.

Leonardo3 Museum

A museum dedicated to the works of the famous artist and inventor.

Porta Venezia

The attractions here are kid-friendly.

Milan Natural History Museum

Anthropology exhibitions of human and animal biology, including dinosaurs.

Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli

A quaint city park near museums and the planetarium.

Corso Como

Milan has a lot of nightlife to offer and you’ll find some of the best on Corso Como.

Bosco Verticale

Vertical Forest consists of two dwelling apartment blocks wrapped around with steel reinforced balconies planted with hundreds of trees and bushes. It’s Stefano Boeri, the award winning, sustainable design takes its inspiration from Milan’s historic roof gardens and helps to lessen pollution, and moderate internal temperatures and noise.

Corso Como Nightlife

Party till the sun comes up in the finest of clubs.

Chinatown

The food is delicious and it’s well worth the trip just to see the cemetery sculptures.

Monumental Cemetery

An imposing main cemetery of Milan where behind striking Renaissance restored black-and-white walls, Milan’s rich were buried with grand sculptural monuments since 1866. Enter through the Famedio (Temple of Fame), originally designed as a church where is the sarcophagus of novelist and father of Italian letters Alessandro Manzoni.

Chinatown Street Food

While it may not be Italian cuisine, you’ll find a large number of tourists and locals alike here.

Outer Madrid

A lot is going outside the heart of Madrid which includes all the theme parks and nature parks, as well as, various museums, historical places, churches, and shopping areas.

Mudec

Modern art and cultural museum.

CityLife

An architectural wonder using cutting edge design integrated with greenspace living and high-end shopping.

San Siro Stadium

The stadium where you can watch a live football match with A.C. Milan or Inter Milan.

Acquatica Park

If you’re looking for a water park for the kids, this pool complex with huge water slides is as close as you’ll come to in Milan.

Visconti Castle

A historic palace castle with a museum.

Alfa Romeo Museum

A showcase museum of the famous Italian automaker.

Royal Villa of Monza

A ridiculously large, neo-classical royal house and gardens.

Pirelli Hangar

A modern art museum with pieces so large they are house in an old converted factory.

Parco Lambro

A large city park with a river and woodland paths.

Zero-Gravity

Enjoy snowboarding, skiing, and sports no matter the time of year.

Street Art in Ortica

Explore this wonderful neighborhood while seeking out urban street art.

Europark Idroscalo Milan

A small luna amusement park catered to younger children.

Idroscalo

A recreation lake and kids’ amusement area.