A Tourist’s Guide to Milan

By Georgia Reid, Università Bocconi, Italy

Despite being considered one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan itself is not a very big city. Therefore, I have curated a list of the must-see things in Milano to help with your trip.

Duomo di Milano

Possibly the most famous attraction in Milan is the Duomo. It began construction in 1386 and wasn’t completed until 1965. Today, you can explore the interior, or take a lift up to the roof terraces to have a view over the city. If you go at night, you will find the piazza almost empty, which is great for taking pictures!

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Beside the Duomo is a large entryway, which leads you into a series of cafes, luxury shops, and restaurants, known as Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery, opening in 1877. In the centre, the tops of the walls are covered in amazing artwork.

Teatro Alla Scala

Teatro Alla Scala is one of the most prestigious opera houses globally, having performances in ballet, opera, and classical music by the most renowned artists. Despite tickets for the shows being quite expensive, you can take a tour of the interior and see the amazing design.

Castello Sforzesco

This castle began construction in 1358 and expanded for centuries after that. Leonardo da Vinci worked here, and now it contains a museum of ancient art, with pieces from a variety of artists. Behind the castle is Parco Sempione, a beautiful park with ponds and wildlife. It hosts many different events, such as funfairs, Christmas markets, and more. Behind the park is Arco della Pace, a neoclassical city gate, with many different marble works representing different historical events.

Brera

Brera is an area in the north of the city, with small cobblestoned streets lined with food shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants. It is beautiful to wander around and window-shop, with its classic architecture.

Navigli

I would have never known about Navigli had I not gone to Bocconi, which is a convenient ten minutes walk away. However, this may be one of my favourite parts of Milan. It is a series of canals lined with restaurants and bars, which is perfect for a casual night out.

Stadio San Siro

Despite not being a football fan, I cannot deny that the experience when I watched Italy versus Ukraine was incredible. The stadium itself is unbelievably big, fitting in 75,817 football fans at one time! I would definitely recommend going to a match here, purely to see the filled stadium and to experience the atmosphere.

Via Torino and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II

I can’t not mention the main shopping streets. Both of these streets contain your mainstream fashion shops, but off each of them, you can find independent, smaller stores.

Museums

Milan has many museums to fit your interests, from fashion to art to music. Fondazione Prada, Armani/Silos, Pinacoteca di Brera, Santa Maria delle Grazie, and Museo del Novecento are just some of the most popular museums to visit.