Of course, Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and it does style unlike few other cities. Visitors dance between the shops of the Quadrilatero d'Oro, or "Golden Rectangle," the streets around Via Montenapoleone, where all the most well-known brands have stores, while locals stroll around in impeccable attire.
At times, it seems like this is the most advanced Italian city. The Fondazione Prada, Armani Silos, and Pirelli Hangarbicocca are just a few examples of the contemporary art galleries that the fashion firms have built in formerly abandoned industrial buildings. Then there is the design scene; the Triennale has a permanent display of Italian design, and every April, during Milan Design Week, pop-up shops and galleries take over the city. Even the nightlife is futuristic; some of Europe's most creative cocktail bars are found here.
Milan has a history, of course. The Duomo, the enormous wedding cake-shaped structure that is Europe's second biggest church, began construction in 1386 but wasn't finished until 1965 due to the complexity of the design. One of Italy's best art museums, the Brera displays pieces from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. Of course, this is the city where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked. He created his renowned "Last Supper" in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church. The Porta Garibaldi neighborhood is a combination of the past, present, and future. Milan is one of the most invigorating cities.
Time Zone Milan
Central European Standard Time
Best Time to visit Milan
Milan is more influenced by events than by the seasons. Prices soar during Fashion Week and the Salone del Mobile, but if you visit afterward — MFW typically takes place in late February to early March, and again in September, while the Salone del Mobile takes place in April — you'll still find the city buzzing with special events and exhibits, even though hotel rates have dropped and restaurants are once more accepting reservations.
Public Transportation Milan
Taxis are widely available and have stands at important locations, but you may also use the MiT hailing app. Although fares are metered from the closer Linate, there is a fixed cost from the Malpensa airport.
The majority of hotels can arrange transportation to and from the airports as well as excursions to the lakes.
Trains: Milano Centrale, together with Rome's Termini, serves as the nation's primary rail hub. High-speed trains can take you from here to cities like Venice, Turin, and Genoa in northern Italy as well as down to Bologna and Florence to reach Rome.
Buses: While Milan does have buses, the tram, some of which date back to the 1920s, is the classic mode of public transportation. Additionally, it features a first-rate metro system.
Best Hotels Milan
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Things to Do in Milan - Travel Guide Milan
Teatro alla Scala
Visit one of the most renowned opera houses in the world to travel through the centuries. You can have a guided tour of the lavish interiors during the day or, for a more in-depth experience, visit the Ansaldo Workshops, where sets and costumes are created.
Duomo di Milano
The 600 years it took to finish Milan's gothic Duomo, the second-largest church in Italy after St. Peter's, was due to its size and complexity. Take the elevator to the rooftop terraces to see the many sculptures that decorate the wedding cake-like structure up close in addition to enjoying the best city views possible.
Brera Gallery
This gallery ranks among the Vatican Museums and Florence's Uffizi as one of Italy's top attractions. It is a part of a renowned academy for upcoming artists that earned the neighborhood its name and houses paintings by Mantegna, Tintoretto, and Raphael.
Castello Sforzesco
To work for the tyrant Ludovico il Moro, whose headquarters was this enormous moated fortress in the heart of the city, Da Vinci traveled to Milan. Don't overlook Leonardo's own trompe l'oeil forest-themed fresco in the Sala delle Asse.
Visit Santa Maria delle Grazie church for Leonardo da Vinci's Cenacolo
Painted on the refectory wall of the Santa Maria delle Grazie cathedral this is possibly the most well-known piece of art in all of Italy—Leonardo da Vinci's "Cenacolo," sometimes referred to as the "Last Supper. Forget "The Da Vinci Code" and try to distance yourself from its renown; instead, take your time soaking up the wonderful ambiance.
Discover Navigli Nightlife
The Navigli, a system of canals in the heart of Milan, are a calm sanctuary despite not being as picturesque as Venice. One of the best sites in the globe for a bar crawl is along the waterfronts, which are known for their taverns and have plenty of outdoor seating and pedestrianized areas. Take your pick as you stroll by; we recommend MAG Café and Rita & Cocktails.
Get on the Yellow Tram
Rarely is public transportation as entertaining as it is in Milan, where the clanking tram network features vintage trams from the 1950s and earlier in addition to rolling equipment dating back to 1927. The roads pass through the historic district before circling it.
Pirelli Hangarbicocca
This stunning modern art gallery, which is owned by the Pirelli tire firm, is worth the 30-minute metro ride to get it. There are amazing rotating installations that interact with the space in the enormous former train sheds, but nothing compares to the long-term display, Anselm Kiefer's "Seven Celestial Palaces": imposing concrete towers with biblical names that were created specifically for the hangar.
Triennale
The Milan Triennale, a once-every-three-years exhibition of design and art that explores topics like man's relationship with a changing world, is now held in this sleek 1930s edifice in the midst of Parco Sempione. A permanent exhibition on the history of Italian design is also located on the ground floor.
Bosco Verticale
One of Milan's most well-known structures is the Bosco Verticale, two residential towers designed by Stefano Boeri that are "living" because to their lush landscaping. View it from Piazza Gae Aulenti, a contemporary, circular area crowded with public art and upscale shops, which serves as the center of the ultra-modern Porta Garibaldi neighborhood.
Parco Sempione
One of the best urban parks in Europe, it begins with the Castello Sforzesco, through the Triennale, and ends at a triumphal arch that makes you wonder if you're in Paris, but this fictitious Roman arch honors peace rather than bloodshed. There are sculptures by artists like Giorgio de Chirico and Arman.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
A retail center can be a historical monument only in Italy. Although the Quadrilatero d'Oro offers a more upscale shopping experience, the 19th-century mall in the shape of a cross is a dramatic glass-roofed, mosaic-floored, and sculpture-laden building with upscale bars and designer stores.
Visit Como
The city of Como, Italy, which is situated on the Italian-Swiss border, looks out over the southwest corner of Lake Como and is encircled by lush mountain ranges that provide an unmatched natural background. Even for a short stroll, Como is worth the trek from Milan because it has some of the top attractions in all of Lombardy.
Neighborhoods to Know in Milan
Brera
Due to the presence of its most well-known inhabitant, the Brera art gallery, the cobblestone alleys of Brera have always had a bohemian vibe. Nowadays, things are a little less sleazy and a little more stylish, but the neighborhood is still languid and almost Parisian, with tables set out in front of bistros, tiny shops, and the city's botanical gardens.
Porta Garibaldi - Travel Guide Milan
The glass-fronted towers in this jagged, gem-shaped neighborhood to the north of Brera compete with the famed Duomo to dominate the city skyline. This is a sizable shopping district that includes upscale high-street brands as well as specialty retailers like influencer Chiara Ferragni's store and the fashion district 10 Corso Como. Isola, formerly a peaceful working-class neighborhood famed for its jazz bars and now becoming increasingly trendy, is located past the well-known Bosco Verticale.
Quadrilatero d'Oro
One of the greatest fashion districts in the world is the "Golden Rectangle," sometimes called the Fashion Rectangle. Its spine is Via Montenapoleone, and the streets that branch off of it, such Via della Spiga, Via Borgospesso, and Via Gesù, are similarly glitzy. If a coffee is the most you can afford, sit back and people-watch at Pasticceria Cova.
Porta Genova
The traditional nightlife district of Milan is located near the Porta Genova station. The Navigli canals' beachfront bars are crowded with young people; further out, and a little hipper and calmer, is the Via Tortona neighborhood, where abandoned factories now house bars and stores that cater to the area's design-driven offices.
Weather in Milan
The springs in Milan begin cool and end warm, with May temperatures edging into the seventies (20 Degrees Celsius). Although temperatures in the mid-80s (26 Degrees Celsius) don't sound like much, adding humidity and proximity to the Po Valley makes summers very hot. Temperatures are still mild in the fall, but they quickly drop in November. Winter temperatures are above freezing, though they feel colder because of the humidity.
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