What To Do in Milan for an Incredible Italian Break

Welcome to Italy's fashion capital, where modern beauty and centuries-old history combine. With its museums, Renaissance architecture, galleries and shopping streets, it's the perfect city break for both sunny and rainy days. This trendy northern Italian gem isn't just a fair-weather city: evenings come alive year round, when locals spill out onto the cobbles sipping spritzes, before a meal in one of the hundreds of world-class restaurants. Wondering what to do in Milan? Whether you’re looking to see the city in a day, or slow the pace with a leisurely week-long break, travelling with friends, partner or family, here's a guide to this sensational city.

Milan’s sprawling Duomo di Milano dominates the city centre – you could spend hours gazing up at its Gothic architecture, with its spires, domes and detailed, gargoyle-adorned façade that took six centuries to complete. Don’t just admire it from the outside, book tickets in advance (if you’re keen to skip the queues) for the interior, and take in the peaceful ambiance, where sunshine filters through stained-glass windows and saints and statues line the stone. Set your alarm and visit at sunrise to see it without the crowds (promptly followed by a double espresso at a café nearby).

• Duomo di Milano, Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milan
• Opening hours: The main cathedral is open daily 9am-7pm; the museum, baptistery and roof terrace have differing hours
• Entry is €8 and tours of the various spaces can be bought
• Transport: It’s a short walk from Duomo Metro station, on lines 1 and 3

There’s the Duomo and then there’s the next most important 'cathedral' in the city (according to locals) – the San Siro football stadium. This iconic building, completed in 1926, is the home ground of the city’s rival football teams, AC Milan and InterMilan. It’s also a pilgrimage destination not just for sports fans, but for music fans, too – thanks to its shape and acoustics, it’s one of the best places in the world to see live bands (Coldplay, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have all played here). If you’re not visiting over a match or concert, it’s worth booking a tour to walk in the footsteps of champions. If you're looking for the best things to do in Milan with kids, this is one of them. Budding midfielders will love jogging across the pitch, peeking in the locker rooms and marvelling at memorabilia.

• San Siro Stadium, Piazzale Angelo Moratti, 20151 Milan
• Opening hours: Tickets for tours (€35 for adults) can be bought at gate 8 between 9:30am and 6pm, although you may prefer to book in advance online
• Transport: Take Metro line 5 to San Siro Stadio, it’s a few minutes’ walk from there

Whether you’re looking for Michelin-star dining or a cheap lunch on the run, Milan is a city that’s packed with delicious food options. For a quick, central snack try Luini, a decades-old bakery where panzerotti – essentially dough filled with mozzarella and tomato, like a mini calzone – are served up to locals and tourists alike. Other must-try dishes include the saffron-infused risotto alla Milanese and cotoletta alla Milanese, a breaded veal cutlet that’s one of the city’s oldest dishes. Try the Brera or Porta Romana districts to find the best trattorias and osterias.

It’s one of the world’s most famous artworks: The Last Supper, the work of Italian polymath artist Leonardo da Vinci, is a must-see for art lovers, and those with even just a passing appreciation for fine art. The artist is also famous for the Mona Lisa, but you can find this particular mural of Jesus and his disciples in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tickets aren’t cheap, and do sell out up to months in advance, so plan ahead and check the website for the next ‘on sale’ date, which is usually around six weeks before the actual date window. If you can’t get a ticket, simply seeing the church and museum where di Vinci painted his masterpiece is worth including in your Milan itinerary.

• Santa Maria delle Grazie basilica, Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 20123 Milan
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15am-7pm (last entry is 6:45pm)
• Transport: Take the M1 Metro line to Conciliazione, it’s a few minutes’ walk from there

Wondering where Milan’s best nightlife is? Look no further than the Navigli district, the vibrant yet laid-back neighbourhood around two of the city’s last remaining canals. It’s a lovely spot in the day, where you can grab an espresso and pastry next to flat-capped gents, or head there for your late afternoon aperitivo, while sipping an Aperol Spritz in the sunshine. Come evening, tables spread out across the cobbles and osterias serve up pasta, mozzarella-laden pizza and wine (look out for Nero D’Avola to try a glass of something local). If you’re looking to base yourself near the Navigli neighbourhood, try the modern Mercure Milano Solari.

• Transport: Take the Metro to Porta Genova FS, or it’s a 30-minute stroll from the city centre.

You don’t have to love shopping to enjoy perusing the hundreds of boutiques in Italy’s fashion capital, home to Milan Fashion Week. Right next to the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was built in the 1860s, making it one of the world’s oldest shopping malls. You’re here as much for the architecture as the Gucci, Prada and other luxury shops: gaze up at the huge iron and glass roof and down at the mosaic floor, including the bull on the floor (spin on your heel three times for good luck, it’s Milanese tradition).

For more high-end window shopping head to Via Montenapoleone or the Quadrilatero della Moda district. Or, for something less expensive, head to the Navigli district’s flea market, home to antiques, artwork, vintage vinyl and pre-loved clothes (open on the last Sunday of every month from 9am-6pm).

• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele I, 20123 Milan
• Opening hours: The arcade is open 24hrs a day, although individual shops and restaurants have their own opening hours
• Transport: It’s a short walk from Duomo Metro station, on lines 1 and 3

Is there a better rainy-day or autumnal activity than reclining in a plush red velvet chair at the most famous opera house in the world? Performances at Teatro alla Scala include opera, classical music and ballet, all beneath the opulent ceiling of this prestigious venue, which is over 240 years old. You don’t necessarily need the best seat in the house, either. Simply being there, enjoying the acoustics and ambiance, is an experience in itself. If you can’t make a performance over your trip to Milan, consider taking a guided tour through the corridors and boxes of the theatre.

• La Scala Opera House, Via Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milan
• Opening hours: 9:30am-5:30pm. 60-minute guided tours cost €30
• Transport: It’s a 200-metre walk from Duomo Metro station, on lines 1 or 3

In a city that’s brimming with history, Castello Sforzesco, which was built in the 15th century, may just be one of its oldest relics. It’s fascinating stuff for kids and big kids alike, where the medieval turrets and towers of history books come alive. Inside you’ll find museums and artworks, with booklets filled with colouring and games handed out to kids to keep them entertained for longer. Afterwards, the surrounding Sempione Park is the place for a stroll and a picnic, taking in the lawns, plants and trees that have been designed in the style of a typical English Garden. Pick up your hams, cheeses and breads from Eataly, a huge and handy food market nearby.

• Sforzesco Castle, Piazza Castello, 20121 Milan
• Opening hours: The castle is open from 7am-7:30pm daily, while the museums are open from 10am-4:30pm. Ticket prices for different areas vary, but generally cost €8. There's free entry on the first and third Tuesday of the month after 2pm, and all day Sunday
• Transport: Head to Lanza Metro station on line 2

Da Vinci's The Last Supper may steal the limelight when it comes to art in the city, but Milan is filled with fascinating galleries, where you can take in even more art (and without the queues). For contemporary art, visit the Fondazione Prada, where exhibitions are spread out across the former gin distillery. For more Italian Renaissance art, don't miss Pinacoteca di Brera. You're here for the historic former palace as much as the Raphael and Mantegna masterpieces inside.

• Pinacoteca di Brera, Via Brera, 28, 20121 Milan
• Opening hours: Pinacoteca di Brera is open from 8:30am-7:15pm six days a week (closed on Mondays). Last entry is at 6pm. Tickets cost €17, with lower prices for children of different ages
• Transport: The nearest Metro stations are Manza (line 2), Montenapoleone (line 3) and Cairoli (line 1).

Milan is a city that's brimming with history and beauty, with a delicious and varied food scene. These are just some of the best things to see and do in Milan, but there's so much more to discover during your visit.