7 things to do in Milan, Italy

Milan is known for its high-end fashion and espresso bars but there are many more things to do in Milan aside from shopping and sipping coffee. Let’s have a look at an amazing vacation you could take to Italy with Voyage Privé

Things to do in Milan

1. Visit the Duomo

The duomo or cathedral of Milan is home to the archbishop of Milan. It is the fifth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy. No wonder it took almost 600 years to finish it, after construction had started in 1386.

The Duomo has been renovated not so long ago and the beautiful white marble facade of the cathedral was restored in its former glory.

Be aware that if you want to enter, your arms and legs need to be covered. Also, big bags and suitcases are not allowed.

 

2. Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II

Also located on the Piazza del Duomo is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II. This gallery holds some of Milan’s oldest bars and restaurants, but also high-end stores like Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

There used to be a McDonald’s that had changed his typical yellow and red colors to gold and black to fit in, but it was forced out in 2012 to make way for a second Prada store.

Even if you don’t feel like shopping (at high prices), the Galleria is worth a visit for its arching glass and cast-iron roof, glass dome and mosaics.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II connects the Piazza del Duomo with the Teatro Alla Scala, the Scala Opera House.

 

3.The Teatro alla Scala

The Teatro alla Scala, or the Scala Opera House, opened on August 3, 1778. It’s renowned for its opera and ballet performances, but also holds recitals, concerts and other cultural events.

Getting tickets for a performance at the Teatro alla Scala isn’t easy. Most tickets go to people with an ‘abbonamento’ or season card, if you will. Others have to wait until 60 days before the first performance of a series starts, as that’s when the ticket boxes for that series of performances open and the remaining tickets can be purchased.

Those of you interested in the history of the opera can visit the Teatro alla Scala museum.

4. Castello Sforzesco or Sforza Castle

Sforza Castle is built on the foundations of what used to be the Visconti Castle. The Visconti Castle was built from 1360 to 1370 along Milan’s medieval walls. When the last descendant of the Visconti family, Filippo Maria died without a legitimate heir, the castle was destroyed by the Milanese citizens.

Three years later general Francesco Sforza married Filippo Maria’s illegitimate daughter Bianca Maria and decided to rebuild the castle upon the foundations of the old one. In the years and centuries that followed the castle knew many inhabitants and occupiers, undergoing modifications, expansions and demolitions by their hands.

With the Unification of Italy in 1861 plans were made to rebuild the castle. In 1905 the castle was given back to the city of Milan with the task of housing libraries and museums. Some of those Musei Civici are the Pinacoteca and the museum of Ancient Art.

 

5. Parco Sempione

The Sforza Castle offers an entrance to the Parco Sempione. Sights to see here are the Arena Civica, the Arco della Pace, the Torre Blanco and the Acquario Civico, but of course the park is also a great place to take a break from the city buzz. People come here to relax on the grass, play with the frisbee or walk their dog.

Parco Sempione Milan
 6. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper (Il Cenacolo)

Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper is one of the most famous works of art in the world. The problem that goes with that is that it’s also one of the most visited works of art in the world.

If you want to get tickets to see The Last Supper, you should book them months in advance. You can only buy them on site in case someone cancels. Also good to know is that your visit will be limited to 15 minutes and that you have to wear clothing appropriate to enter a church.

You can find The Last Supper at the refectory of the Santa Maria della Grazie church. This church and its convent are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so be sure to hang around a bit after you’ve seen The Last Supper.

7. Cimitero Monumentale

It might be a bit strange to visit a cemetery, but the Cimitero Monumentale is just as much an art collection as it is a cemetery. This place if filled with tombs, sculptures and mausoleums from different artistic periods and often by famous artists.

Address: Piazzale Cimitero Monumental, 20154 Milan
 

There you go, 7 things to do in Milan! Of course, this is only a very limited selection of what the city has to offer but enough to keep you busy for a day or two – with some coffee breaks in between, of course.

Check Out Budget Travel in Italy or family friendly campsites in Italy

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