The heart of Milan beats in its attractions and its monuments. Great European metropolis rich in history and always up in the latest trends. Do you want to discover the treasures of Milan? Here is a list of things you absolutely must not miss: the top attractions in Milan!
Not to be missed: the top attractions in Milan
Duomo
Five naves, forty pillars, forty-five meters high, 157 meters long, 11.700 m2 and capacity of over 40,000 people. The Cathedral of Milan is an impressive architectural project that merges both the international Gothic style and Lombard architecture. The white Candoglia marble shines on the Piazza del Duomo. Inside, the marvelous tinted windows instead reflect a heavenly light. For a breathtaking view, just go up to the roof and enjoy the sight of the city!
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
Close to the Duomo, the gallery dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II is the prestigious drawing room of Milan. Everybody craning their necks upwards to admire the majestic vault with a mosaic decoration that symbolizes the allegory of the continents of Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. A walk in the elegance of boutiques and cafés, and at the end a superstitious ritual: you turn 360° and get back to the starting point with the heel of your right foot planted at the genitals of the bull in the mosaic on the floor … and good luck!
Piazza Affari
The Piazza Affari is dominated by the marble sculpture of Maurizio Cattelan, a hand with the only middle finger in good evidence positioned in front of the headquarters of the Italian Stock Exchange. L.O.V.E.: Freedom, Hate, Revenge, Eternity. By the monument, the artist shows his strong disagreement with the finance world.
Piazza Affari is a stop in our Two Hours Tour.
Quadrilatero della Moda
Milan, the fashion capital. A shopping tour in the district bordered by four main thoroughfares – Via Monte Napoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia – hence the Quadrilatero reference. It hosts innumerable jewelers, designer boutiques and the most important designer ateliers. And to think that during the Risorgimento this district was a den of revolutionaries and at the Caffè Merlo you could also have listened to an anti-bourgeois speech by Scapigliati writers and artists.
The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci has donated to the city of Milan one of his greatest masterpieces “The Last Supper“. Visiting the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, one is amazed by its impressiveness: 880 cm in length and 460 cm in height. In spite of the several restorations, this eternal cornerstone of art has dings and cracks: if on one hand the Cenacolo is a work of planetary success, on the other Leonardo’s choice to resort to an experimental method of painting, turned out to be a failure.
Brera
The bohemian artist district is one of the most beautiful and lively in the city. The heart of Brera is full of trendy café and restaurant, but its narrow and picturesque alleys will make you breathe an interesting atmosphere of art and culture. Just a few steps and you can visit Palazzo di Brera, which houses the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Braidense National Library. Inside there are also the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory and the Botanical Garden.
The Brera district is part of our Guided Two-hour Tour.
Navigli Canals
Milan city of water. With its canals for centuries, it has been an interchange port: real waterways crossed by the boats that once supplied the city. The Duomo itself was built thanks to the Navigli: from the quarries of Candoglia, the marble reached the construction site of the cathedral. El Barchett was the typical boat: it was carried by the current to Milan, but to go up the river was necessary a horse tow it.
Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio
Jewel of Romanesque art that survived the bombings of World War II. The wonderful and imposing structure, it is a point of reference for the town. The portico in front of the facade is large and austere; the squares of the side aisles are exactly one-quarter of the central nave. The golden altar has four equal, bare and vigorous columns around it. Along the central nave, there is a black bronze snake that spins around a Corinthian capital. Outside you can admire the marble column of the mystery of Sant’Ambrogio and the Tempting Devil.
Sant’Ambrogio is a stop of our Tours in Milan.
Sforza Castle
The castle was built by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, in the 15th century and it is one of the most representative symbols of the city. It houses the Museum of Ancient Art, Musical Instruments, the Museum of Prehistory, the Egyptian Museum and the Castle Picture Gallery. Walking through courtyards and gardens, towers and walls, you can make a jump in time rich in art and history.
Sempione Park
It is the most important green urban space of the city with its 47 hectares of greenery. Encircled by pines and holly trees, with a pond and some ducks it has several attractions: the Triennale, the Civic Aquarium and the Civic Arena. You can also admire the majestic Arco della Pace. And for anyone who wants to see Milan from above the clouds, there is the Torre Branca. Inside the metallic totem, an elevator allows you to climb to the top: there you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city.
Porta Nuova
Piazza Gae Aulenti with its visionary aesthetics is the epicenter of Milan’s most modern neighborhood. A tour between bars and shops surprised by skyscrapers and residential towers. Do not miss the show of water games and lights in the evening. A walkway joins the square to Corso Como, the street of Milan’s nightlife with a lot of cafés and restaurants. Just a few steps from everything, there is the Vertical Forest.
The district of Porta Nuova is part of our Half-Day Tour.
Are you curious and do you want to discover views and memories of Milan? Do you dream shopping in the streets of the Quadrilatero della Moda between colorful shop windows? Do you want to be surprised by the amazing sight of Piazza Gae Aulenti? What are you waiting for? Choose our tours! We take you where others can’t! You will visit the city comfortably seated on our funny VeloLeo with our multilingual drivers.
