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Milan: Top 10 Things to Do, from the Duomo to La Scala
Milan’s Gothic cathedral, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper and La Scala anchor a city where art and architecture share the stage with fashion, design and football. The capital of Lombardy in northern Italy, Milan is also the country’s financial centre, home to its main stock exchange and a major international business community.
Its history spans Celtic origins, a role as a Roman imperial capital and the Renaissance power of the Duchy of Milan. Later industrial and financial growth helped shape today’s cosmopolitan city. Explore its monumental centre, art galleries and canal district alongside the traditions and recurring events that keep Milan central to Italian cultural life.
Top 10 things to do in Milan
10. Explore Milan’s fashion culture
Fashion is part of Milan’s international identity, visible in the brand stores of the historic centre and the industry’s recurring gatherings. Milan Fashion Week brings spring and autumn editions to the city each year. Exploring the shops and displays gives visitors a direct encounter with this defining strand of contemporary Milanese culture.
9. Discover Milan’s design scene
The Milan Furniture Fair, also known as Salone del Mobile, is a major recurring event in the city’s cultural calendar. It gives design a prominent place alongside fashion and art. For visitors interested in furniture and contemporary design, the fair is a particularly significant expression of Milan’s international creative and commercial role.
8. Walk through the Navigli
The Navigli canal district rewards exploration on foot, with a setting distinct from the monumental streets around the cathedral. Its waterways provide a focus for a neighbourhood walk and a chance to see another side of Milan. Include it alongside the major museums and churches to give the city’s everyday surroundings some attention.
7. Discover football at San Siro Stadium
San Siro is central to Milan’s football identity, shared by AC Milan and Internazionale. The rivalry between the two clubs culminates in the Derby della Madonnina, one of the city’s defining sporting fixtures. Visiting the stadium connects Milan’s monumental sights with the football culture that commands a passionate local and international following.
6. Explore Castello Sforzesco and Parco Sempione
Castello Sforzesco is one of Milan’s principal historic landmarks, a grand medieval castle that gives tangible form to the city’s past. Pair it with Parco Sempione, one of Milan’s most visited green spaces. Together, the castle and park make a rewarding combination of monumental architecture and time outdoors.
5. Visit the Brera art gallery
The Brera art gallery is a cornerstone of Milan’s cultural life and an essential stop for exploring its artistic collections. Set aside time for the gallery, then continue through the surrounding Brera district. This pairing brings a major art institution together with one of the city’s distinctive areas for strolling.
4. Walk through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele brings Milan’s architectural grandeur and shopping culture into a single setting. The glamorous 19th-century arcaded gallery is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. Walk through it with attention to the architecture as well as the shopfronts: the building itself is a central part of its appeal.
3. Encounter opera at Teatro alla Scala
La Scala is one of the world’s most famous opera houses and a defining institution of Milanese cultural life. Its programme also includes classical concerts, giving music a prominent place among the city’s essential experiences. A performance brings visitors into direct contact with the living tradition behind the theatre’s international reputation.
2. See Leonardo’s The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is one of Milan’s essential artistic encounters. The painting is at Santa Maria delle Grazie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the western part of the city. Give this visit focused attention: the work is central to Milan’s artistic identity and its enduring connection with Leonardo.
1. Explore the Duomo di Milano
The Duomo is Milan’s symbol and historic heart, a monumental Gothic cathedral that deserves the leading place in any first visit. Explore the cathedral and its rooftop, where views across the city add another dimension to the architecture. This is Milan’s most emblematic landmark, both a major religious building and a defining presence in the centre.