Milan, the other fashion capital, the industrious city in northern Italy, the home to the Last Supper and one of Europe’s world’s largest cathedrals, sometimes gets short shrift by tourists. Once a visitor has hit those high points—and with good planning, doing so can be accomplished in a single day—is there any particularly compelling reason to stay on?
This post may contain affiliate links in which the Bashful Adventurer earns a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase from the site.
Table of Contents
Is Milan Worth Visiting?
Milan’s spirit can be challenging to grasp. What does the city want to be? Fashion center? Business district? Renaissance remembrance? Religious center? The city seems to come in third in a list that would include Rome, where it all began, and Florence, which offers both da Vinci and prime Michelangelo. Milan is a stop on the way to the lake district or to Venice. But what would make a tourist stay?
The first time I visit Milan, I hit the high points—Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, the Duomo, the mall—and then take off for Lago Maggiore. It was summertime in the city.
On my most recent visit to the city, I linger a bit. Yes, I hit those must-sees in Milan again, but my pace is leisurely and I have more time for art and for meandering.
Can Milan give me something that visits to Venice, Florence, and Rome cannot?
This time in Milan, I get a big dose of quintessential Renaissance man Leonard da Vinci. With more time to check out somewhat less frequented sites, I begin to appreciate even more the shifting leadership of the city-states that made up Italy before it officially became a nation back in 1870.
Why Visit Milan, Italy?
Milan is a city that has been here almost forever, beginning its existence as Mediolanum. It was already significant by the year 300 A.D. In the year 313, Constantine the Great issued the Edict of Milan allowing freedom of worship by Christians. The type of Catholicism practiced by many in this city is not described as Roman but as Ambrosian, a reference to the Bishop of Milan also known as Saint Ambrose or Sant’Ambrogio (patron saint for beekeepers, beggars, learners, and Milan itself).
Centuries later, that perhaps slightly more relaxed atmosphere of Ambrosian Catholicism made the city of Milan a viable one for artist, musician, and dreamer Leonardo da Vinci. He was, after all, indulging in some far-fetched notions in a society not entirely known for its tolerance. Some say he found a measure of acceptance he did not experience elsewhere.
da Vinci’s moment of tranquility in Milan would not last for him or for the city. da Vinci departed when the French invaded in 1499; he died in France on May 2, 2019.
Milan also experienced turmoil over the centuries. At various points in time, the Spanish, the Austrians, and the French controlled the city. Despite the turnover in leadership, a measure of resilience resides in Milan’s bones.
“Milan suffered forty-four sieges; it was vanquished thirty-eight times, and was razed to the ground twice,” wrote H.V. Morton, the author of A Traveller in Italy published in 1964. “Yet time after time the inhabitants rebuilt their walls, their homes and their workshops,” he continued.
Milan rebuilt again after World War II almost took the Last Supper as well as the city’s opera house.
Organize Your Schedule Around the Last Supper
Given the large reputation of the Last Supper, one would think the painting rests in the city’s cathedral itself or at least in a major museum. It does not. Actually a fresco painted on the wall of what essentially was a cafeteria for priests, the Last Supper is found in what remains of the rectory of a relatively small church, Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Even if religion or religious art is completely not your thing, schedule a visit to see the Last Supper—and be certain to plan ahead! Visits are timed, and the Last Supper is a big draw for tourists.
We schedule a Best of Milan & Last Supper walking tour, which includes a visit to Sforza Castle. (We use Veditalia, but other options are also available.)
On our trip, we arrive in Milan on a Friday, and our visit to Il Cenacolo, as it is known in Italian, is slated for Sunday morning.
What is the Big Deal about DaVinci’s Last Supper?
There aren’t many paintings by quintessential Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci that persevered these last 500 years since his death in 1519. Entire volumes have been written just analyzing the Last Supper. I like that the painting depicts Jesus and the 12 apostles eating dinner before what would be a room full of priests doing the same.
Painted on wet plaster, the painting reportedly began fading and peeling even as it was being completed, circa 1497. “The ordeal of queuing up to see a picture, which I knew to be the ghost of a picture, and one I had seen so often in reproductions, caused me to postpone a visit there,” Morton wrote back in 1964.
Restored in 1999, da Vinci’s Last Supper still remains but a whisper of its former self.
And yet, it is worth visiting for a myriad of reasons. It survived Allied bombing during World War II when its roof and a wall were destroyed. It perhaps illuminates a mystery of thousands of years—was Jesus Christ surrounded solely by men, or might a woman have had a bigger role than many of us have been taught? What were those apostles eating—or what did our Renaissance man believe they were eating? How is the Messiah calming his crew? How did Renaissance area patronage of the arts actually work?
In the end, how many times during one’s life is there actually an opportunity to see this painting? Make time to go. I have no regrets about letting an appointment with the Last Supper drive my most recent visit to Milan.
Itinerary for Four Nights in Milan
Day 1, Night 1-Arrival at Malpensa Airport
Check-in and Down Time
Flying from New York City to Malpensa Airport in Milan for a 10-day vacation in Italy, we opt to spend our first day easing into our transition to our temporary Italian lifestyle—and sleeping off jetlag as we adjust to the six-hour time difference. Staying at a hotel not far outside the Milan city center, we hop into a cab to Starhotels Business Palace. A room upgrade to a suite (and the purchase of a beverage package that gives us access to plenty of bottled water, juice, and soda) leaves us ready to take a long afternoon’s nap before freshening up for first Milanese dinner.
First Dinner in Milan
In more youthful years, I would have dismissed most hotel restaurants as too touristy. Now I tend to embrace them for their convenience. At Il Borromeo restaurant at StarHotels Business Palace, I learn that Milan and risotto tend to go together, so that particular dish introduces me to Milanese cooking on this particular stay. Washed down with some wine, dinner and a very brief commute back to our suite are exactly what we need on our first evening in Milan.
StarHotels Business Palace, Via Privata Pietro Gaggia, 3, 20139 Milano
Il Borromeo at StarHotels Business Palace, Via Privata Pietro Gaggia, 3, 20139 Milano
Day 2, Night 2-Exploring the Milan City Center
Awakening refreshed, we swing downstairs for some good Italian cappuccino and a healthful breakfast before gathering our maps and guidebooks and heading out to explore Milan. At our request, the hotel’s front desk summons a taxi for us.
Piazza del Duomo
We take a taxi to the Piazza del Duomo to begin our day, appreciating street art and remnants of centuries past that are still visible along the way. Getting to the piazza early provides opportunity to take photos and to appreciate the relative solitude of the hour. Later in the day, Instagrammers and poseurs of all ilks will be feeding pigeons, posing with the birds, and contorting their bodies in all sorts of ways for photographs.
Appreciate the peacefulness of an empty town square. And then indulge in some selfies of your own.
Also, make like Monet outside Rouen Cathedral: as in France, the light on the Duomo in Milan alters the mood.
If you can, take photos at different times of the day.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Not that we need an excuse for a cappuccino, but the very big mall on the left side of the Duomo does sort of beckon. Italians manage to make shopping malls glamorous. The galleria, completed in the year 1877 and named for Italy’s last king, features a glass-domed ceiling and vast, arched entrances. Prepare for some high-end shopping and people-watching. Decide whether you want to make time to take a spin on the balls of Turin.
In the center of the galleria, a floor mosaic of the flag of Turin features an anatomically correct bull. Doing a little twirl on a particular part of that bull promises to bring good luck.
We contemplate the intersection of religion and commerce while savoring some java at Caffe Motta in the Galleria. Okay, we had pastry, too. The servers are quite patient with tourists whose Italian is less than articulate. We will need all our energy, even if it does come in the form of a sugar high, for the intense day we have ahead.
The Duomo from Top to Bottom
The Milan cathedral is one of many personalities, changing, perhaps, as the centuries ticked by and it still wasn’t finished. Begun in 1386, the final brass door was not attached until 1965. New regimes came and went, and everyone had to make their mark.
“Half of that night, and all of the next day, this architectural autocrat was our sole object of interest,” writer Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) wrote in The Innocents Abroad. Even today, there is good reason to dedicate quite a few hours to experiencing the Duomo.
Because time is of the essence—in the sense that we want to get to the line to get in as early as possible—we make a beeline for the entrance. We will savor the exterior and its odd parade of saints (and a few sinners) for later.
An Interior that Is Divine
Milan Cathedral “offers an immediate transition from the noise and worries of a modern city to the calm and quiet of eternal values,” H. V. Morton wrote in 1965.
Get ready for some intense Gothic architecture, a floorplan in the shape of a cross, and some intriguing displays and statuary. A statue of Saint Bartholomew, who was skinned alive in his martyrdom, shows a man carrying his own skin as a cape. The bodies of a couple of saints encased in glass coffins can also be found here.
Stories-high stained glass windows bring reminders of another cathedral. Visiting now, after the tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, one cannot help but wonder how protected this building is, and how prepared prospective firefighters may be.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays a big role in the Duomo. The building itself replaced a church dedicated to her, Santa Maria Maggiore. Throughout the city, images of Mary as not just the mother of Jesus but the mother of the church, can be found. A statue of her, called the Madonnina, stands on the roof.
Beneath It All
The crypt of San Carlo, reached by descending some steps to the right of the main altar, is closed on the day of our visit, but we do peek in.
Take an even further step back in time by heading into the basement of the Duomo, more formally referred to as the archeological area. It’s easy to miss near the entrance of the cathedral. Found here are the foundations of earlier buildings over which the cathedral was built. In baptisteries in these predecessor buildings, the man who became Saint Ambrose was baptized. Years later, in 387 A.D., Ambrose baptized Augustine of Hippo here. Augustine also would achieve sainthood. Many a political science major is familiar with some of his works, such as his City of God.
A Walk around the Exterior
Begin a walk to the back of the building (where the elevator to the rooftop is) by rubbing one of the Duomo’s front doors for good luck. See if you can tell what stories are being portrayed on the doors and on the façade of the cathedral as you make your way to the back.
“There is not a lot of logic to the exterior,” our tour guide points out, pointing to a statue of Moses next to that of a Roman soldier. Time apparently is fluid on the sides of the cathedral.
Discerning eyes may observe varying artistic styles in statues; some attribute this variation to the different conquering authorities that overtook the city over the ages. And perhaps a certain measure of humor took hold at some point. If you happen to have good vision, you may observe a statue that appears to be urinating on the cathedral.
As you wait in line to take the elevator to the top of the Duomo, contemplate whether there were too many cooks in the kitchen or architects in the planning of this building.
Up to the Roof
I marvel that tourists are permitted to traipse about the roof of the Milan cathedral; if you go, wear sturdy walking shoes. Elements of the roof have a bit of an angle to them. It’s great fun to take in a broader view of Milan from the rooftop—and also to get just a bit closer to gargoyles and statuary. If you squint, you might be able to see some Alps, but they were not visible on the day that I was there.
A Break at the Galleria
Because savoring a building that has been around for more than 600 years can be exhausting, consider a break at the Galleria before heading back across the piazza to take in even more religious art at the aptly named Duomo Museum. If not in the mood for coffee or for something more substantive, go for a gelato shaped as flower petals. I get mine at Amorino.
Even More Religious Art at the Duomo Museum
Many works that apparently were originally in the cathedral are now doing time in the Duomo Museum, which is housed in the Palazzo Reale to the right of the Duomo if you are facing it. Be prepared for some intensity here as the story of Jesus is displayed over and over again. Some intimidating gargoyles persist in this place with their silent howls.
During your visit to the Duomo Museum, make certain to go through the (easy to miss) entrance to the Chiesa di San Gottardo in Corte. You’ll know you are headed in the right direction if you see a copy of the Madonnina created in 2015 in the little courtyard between the Duomo Museum and Church of San Gottardo in Corte.
San Gottardo is the patron saint of gout and gallstone sufferers. What is left of the church, which was finished in the year 1336 or so, is a pretty pink room and a fading 14th century fresco of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Take a peek through the doors leading outside and take in some more contemporary works. Then trace your steps back through the courtyard with the Madonnina and go back into the Duomo Museum to continue your visit.
To the Museo del Novecento for Great Duomo and Piazza Views
Come back to the present, almost, by heading to the Museo del Novecento to see more contemporary works by Picasso and his contemporaries. My favorite is a version of Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni.
Best of all are the sweeping views of the Duomo and the piazza. For an extra special treat, dine at Giacomo all’Arengario in the museum to savor those views even longer.
Museum del Novecento, Piazza del Duomo, 8 20123, Milano MI, Italy
What Is the Disappearing Church?
When in Italy, there is always time, or at least opportunity, to visit one more church, right? For our next choice, we head to one that is no longer there. What remains of the disappeared basilica and accompanying crypt of San Giovanni in Conca, originally built in the 11th century, then destroyed, and rebuilt again in the year 1300s, is located next to Missori Square and in front of the Hotel dei Cavalieri.
Booking.comI am surprised to find that the church that isn’t there is actually staffed. The place has a bit of an amazing history. Regina Beatrice della Scala (for which the Scala opera house is named) was buried here in 1384; the next year, Bernabo Visconti, her husband, who also happened to be the leader of Milan, was buried here after his nephew purportedly poisoned him.
The church eventually fell on hard times. “Deconsecrated by the Austrians, closed definitively by the French, and turned into a storeroom for hardware and carts, it was subjected to mutilations, theft of art works, and demolition from the Unification of Italy (1861) until the Second World War,” materials provided by the Touring Club Italiano inform me on my visit.
Yes, essentially, this church was destroyed to make way for traffic.
And for that reason—plus some interesting surviving art—it is worth visiting. Staff are friendly and happy to help visitors understand the history of this building.
Feeling that we have accomplished enough, we opt for a light supper at Bar Principe located at Piazza Sant’Allessandro, which happens to be the next piazza over, just west of the Piazza Missori.
Cripta di San Giovanni in Conco at Piazza Guiseppe Missori. The church/crypt is in front of Hotel dei Cavalieri, Piazza Giuseppe Missori, 1, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Bar Principe, Piazza Sant’Alessandro, 3, 20123 Milano
Santa Maria presso San Satiro
Looking for a taxi stand, we make time for one more church —Santa Maria presso San Satiro. Tucked away from the street a bit, the church is easy to overlook, but its history and shape make for a memorable visit. Originally on this site was a church built in the 9th century dedicated to Saint Satiro, Saint Ambrogio’s brother. In 1242, someone apparently stabbed a painting of Mary and the baby Jesus, and blood spewed from the painting. In the 15th century, a church dedicated to Mary was built for the painting and the dagger that caused it to bleed, hence the name Santa Maria presso San Satiro.
The typical cross-shaped interior is a bit of an optical illusion. Due to other construction and limited space, only a T-shaped building could be built. The top part of the cross is just an illusion, called trompe l’oeil, created by a painter who used art to give the appearance of dimension.
Santa Maria presso San Satiro, Via Torino 17-18, 20123, Milan
Booking.comDay 3, Night 3-DaVinci and the History of the City
Piazza della Scala
With a morning appointment to see the Last Supper, much of our day will be dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. It is fitting, then, that after meeting our tour guide at the Piazza del Duomo and taking a quick loop around the Duomo, we cut through the Galleria to Piazza della Scala to find the star of this particular square: a statue of our Renaissance man, da Vinci. After a bit of unpleasantness in Florence, da Vinci got some new business in Milan thanks to the patronage of the Sforza family.
Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione
After a quick mid-morning cappuccino obtained after we breeze past the Teatro all Scala, we walk to the large complex known as Sforza Castle, although it really appears to be more of a fortress. Here, again, we learn about various conquerors of Milan; soldiers from Spain, France, and Austria eventually used the Sforza family home, originally built in the 1300s, as a barracks.
Today, it is a combination of park grounds and fortress. Visitors can see the Arco della Pace in the distance. An arch, similar to the Arch of Triumph in Paris, it was built to honor Napoleon when he ruled the city in the early 1800s. He wasn’t exactly known for being a peaceful guy, and construction of the arch stopped after he was defeated at Waterloo, although, obviously, the job eventually was completed. But the horses that once faced Paris, were turned around after his fall.
Worth visiting at Sforza Castle is the Museo Pietà Rondanini, which houses Michelangelo’s final, and unfinished, pietà. He was working on it when he died at age 90. We can probably agree that it is one of his lesser works. But if you happen to be fresh from Florence where his statuary abounds, you may be interested in seeing the evolution of his talent.
As time allows, also visit the Museum of Ancient Art (Museo d’Arte Antica) within Sforza Castle.
Castello Sforzesco, Piazza Castello, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie
Feel the excitement mount while just waiting outside the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the relatively small church and affiliated building where the Last Supper is housed. There can be little spikes of hysteria as tourists who missed their designated appointment times try to join other tours. Fortunately, those are headaches for tour guides, not for tourists who managed to get there on time.
Be prepared to proceed through security and then to be shuttled into an anteroom before being admitted to see the masterpiece. The number of visitors at any given time is closely controlled—and while that can create a bit of a planning hassle beforehand, it actually makes for a better experience during the actual viewing. Tourists don’t have to jostle like they do when seeking a view of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre or as they gaze up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
Benches allow for more quiet contemplation, and non-flash photographs are allowed. Visits are limited to 15 to 20 minutes. Opposite the Last Supper is a painting by Giovanni Donato Montorfano of Christ’s crucifixion, aptly named Crucifixion. Contemplate which painting makes Jesus more accessible.
That the Last Supper is so faded even after renovation gives it, to me, a ghostly haze. It’s sort of like a memory fading where you try to grasp it while you still can. Turning to more worldly matters, see if you can tell what was on the menu at that last supper and whether it looks like anything more than dinner rolls or potatoes.
Refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 2, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Leonard da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum
See more of da Vinci’s ideas come to life at the nearby Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia “Leonardo da Vinci.” This is a hands-on museum full of visitors of all ages and a refreshing break from sometimes pretty intense religious art. Da Vinci’s genius was not just limited to the arts; he also had all sorts of ideas, many unrealized during his lifetime, about mechanical things.
An added bonus in this space: some archeological artifacts found in the vicinity of the museum are presented here, too.
Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum, Via San Vittore, 21, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Booking.com
Civic Temple of San Sebastian
Continuing our art v. science, or art and science, theme, we proceed to the Civic Temple of San Sebastian, built to give thanks for surviving the plague of 1576. Particularly notable is its circular floorplan, originally modeled after Rome’s pantheon (although subsequent modifications altered that look a bit). Saint Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, and archers.
Civic Temple of San Sebastian, Via Torino, 28, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Booking.com
Church of Sant Alesandro
It seems one cannot go more than a block without coming across another church, and so we finish our day with one more: Sant Alesandro, the patron saint of Bergamo. The church dedicated to him in Milan purportedly was built over a prison from which Alesandro once escaped. The church was built in the early 1600s; Alesandro was beheaded in the year 303 for refusing to renounce Christianity.
The exterior of the church features two towers; the interior is dark but soothing. Given a day dedicated to religious works of sorts, contrast the down-to-earth Jesus in da Vinci’s Last Supper with other depictions you see today.
Chiesa di Sant’Alessandro, Piazza Sant’Alessandro, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Booking.comDinner at Ristorante da Bruno
From there, we make our way back to Piazza Missori, across from the Disappearing Church, and over to Ristorante da Bruno where we enjoy a romantic dinner rife with red wine and some limoncello after.
Ristorante da Bruno, Via M. Gonzaga, 6, 20123 Milano
Day 4, Night 4-Opera, Shopping, and Dinner at the Galleria
Souvenir shopping at the Duomo gift shop
On our last full day in Milan, we sleep in and get a little work done before heading back to the Piazza de Duomo. We just cannot get enough of this square and everything happening here. Fortifying ourselves with pastry and cappuccino from Caffe Motta in the Galleria, we then head to the Duomo gift shop (inside the Duomo ticket office to the right of the cathedral if you are facing the entrance). Here we pick up both books and souvenirs for the youthful adventurers in our lives.
Duomo Shop, Piazza Duomo 14/A, 20122 Milano
Teatro alla Scala for Opera Enthusiasts and More
Next on our agenda is some healthful windowshopping in the Galleria. From there, we rest in the Piazza della Scala and people watch for a bit before heading into the Teatro alla Scala itself.
We are not certain what level of magic we will find here. We delight most in our ability to peek into the theater where Maria Callas and other big names from the world of opera performed. There are no performances on the day that we are there—this is one element of our trip we should have planned better. Next time, hopefully, we will procure tickets to a performance for sure.
We delight in seeing old instruments, props, playbills, and images of the 1778 theater from earlier years in the small museum in the Teatro.
Teatro alla Scala, Via Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Dinner at the Galleria
When in Milan … keep cruising the Galleria. This evening, we opt for dinner at Biffi. Sure, we know we are in a high-traffic area frequented by tourists. Arriving early in the evening, we are pleased to see a number of Italians dining here as well. Service is attentive, and the food was indulgent.
Biffi at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milano
Day 5-Departure
We have one final breakfast at our hotel before packing up and grabbing a taxi to Miln Central train station for our trip to Venice.
Milan in Winter
Our visit to Milan was in January, but I have been there in August as well. In the summertime, it is very tempting to head out of town to the lake district to escape the heat and crowds. For a New Yorker in winter, the weather was mild. I wore a hat and a heavy sweater and felt fine, and the relative sparseness of crowds was delightful.
For Bashful Adventurers
Also worth visiting in Milan: the middle finger statue (flipping the bird) at Piazza Affari in Milan’s business district. Interestingly titled L.O.V.E., the sculpture by Maurizio Cattelan was the winner of a 2009 contest to find an appropriate piece of art to grace the area. This one won.
For those interested in cemetery tourism, the Cimiterio Monumentale is also worth visiting.
When organizing your Milan adventure, check the days and times that various destinations will be open during your visit.
Milan is a very walkable city that also has a Metro and plenty of taxi stands.
If you are searching for next destinations, Lake Maggiore features delightful small towns and views of the Alps. For even more majestic scenery, you can catch the Bernina Express train to Switzerland in Tirano, Italy (although you will need reservations).
—Lori Tripoli
Lori Tripoli is the editor and publisher of Bashful Adventurer. Based in the New York City vicinity, she writes about travel for a variety of publications.
Contact Lori at loritripoli @ bashfuladventurer.com.
Are you planning a trip to Milan and vicinity?
You might like these posts:
Share on Pinterest!
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini.
Have you visited Milan? What was your favorite experience?