Overview
Milan completes the top five of Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025, which praises its business environment, its lead in fashion and design, and its strong tourism infrastructure. It is the capital of Lombardy and Italy's financial centre.
The city hosts Milan Fashion Week and Milan Design Week (Salone del Mobile) every year, and it co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games with Cortina d'Ampezzo. Besides its Gothic cathedral and world-famous art, Milan is known for its aperitivo culture, the canals of the Navigli district and easy day trips to Lake Como.
Best time to go
April to June and September to October are mild and pleasant.
July and August are hot and humid, and many locals leave the city in August. Winters are cold and can be foggy. Book hotels early for Design Week in April and the main fashion weeks in February and September, when prices rise sharply.
Top sights
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1
Duomo di Milano In our Top Landmarks
Begun in 1386 and built over nearly six centuries, the cathedral bristles with marble spires and statues. Take the lift or stairs to the rooftop terraces for a close look at the spires and the golden Madonnina statue.
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2
The Last Supper
Visitors see Leonardo da Vinci's mural in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in small groups on short timed visits. Tickets often sell out weeks ahead.
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3
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
One of the world's oldest shopping arcades, built between 1865 and 1877, has a glass roof and links the Piazza del Duomo with La Scala. Local custom says spinning on your heel on the mosaic bull brings good luck.
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4
Teatro alla Scala
One of the world's most famous opera houses opened in 1778. Its museum offers a look into the auditorium when rehearsals allow.
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5
Sforza Castle
The 15th-century fortress of the Sforza dukes houses civic museums, including Michelangelo's last, unfinished sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà. Sempione Park lies behind it.
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6
Pinacoteca di Brera
This major gallery of Italian painting has works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Mantegna and Hayez, and sits in the artsy Brera district.
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7
The Navigli
Bars and restaurants line the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese canals, the classic place for an evening aperitivo.
Getting there
Milan has three airports. Malpensa (MXP), about 50 km north-west of the city, is linked by the Malpensa Express train. Linate (LIN) is close to the city and connected by metro line M4. Milan Bergamo (BGY), used mainly by low-cost airlines, is served by buses.
Milano Centrale, one of Europe's grandest railway stations, has high-speed trains to Turin, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples, plus international services to Switzerland.
Getting around
The metro has five lines (M1 to M5), plus trams (some historic trams are still in service) and buses. You can tap a contactless bank card at metro gates.
The centre is compact, and many sights between the Duomo, Brera and the Castello are within walking distance.
Practical tips
- Currency
- Euro (EUR). Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
- Language
- Italian. English is widely spoken in hotels, shops and business settings.
- Safety
- Milan is generally safe. Watch for pickpockets around the Duomo, Milano Centrale and on the metro, and ignore street sellers who push "friendship bracelets" onto your wrist. The emergency number is 112.
- Visa & entry
- Italy is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
- Power
- 230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C, F and L.
Official information: YesMilano (official city tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.
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