What to see (and do) in Milan

As it is a big city (the second biggest in Italy! ), Milan offers many things to see. Whether you like historical monuments or modern buildings, being surrounded by a crowd of people or having your space to wander, there will be something for you to do and appreciate in Milan. Let's have a look at it!

Piazza del Duomo

This is the main central place in Milan. There you can admire the Duomo, huge cathedral standing in the middle on the city. (If you want to read more about it, you can find my detailed post on it by clicking here! ). This cathedral is really huge and impressive, standing right in the middle of the city. When facing the Duomo, you can see and walk into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, which is just on its left. It’s a shopping gallery that has mostly luxurious brands, along with restaurants and coffees. It is very remarkable because of its architecture, the details on the walls and the roof made of glass. Even though the shops inside are very expensive, there are always many people, admiring the gallery and dreaming like looking at the store fronts. I'm alway blown away by the beauty and all the details in the architecture of this palce, it's incredible to believe that it was built centuries ago and it is still standing and still so pretty.

Coming back to the Piazza, on the right side of the Duomo you will find the Museo del Novecento (Museum of the Twentieth Century). This museum shows Italian masterpieces of the 20th century like paintings and sculptures. The entrance is free at anytime time and any day if you are under than 25 years old, and also for everybody who buys their ticket 2 hours before the museum closes (and for many other reasons that you can check here).

At the end of your visit, you will also have an amazing view on the Piazza through these huge windows. This spot is really appreciated for pictures, and they indeed come out really nice with such an amazing view.

Parco Sempione

If you prefer to enjoy a quiet walk in a park, the Parco Sempione is the palce you need to go to. You can walk there directly from Piazza del Duomo, and that way the first thing you will see before getting inside the park is the Castello Sforzesco. Entering inside the gardens is free, but if you want to visit the exhibitions that are inside the castle you will have to buy a ticket.

Walking through the castle, you will arrive directly in the Parco Sempione. It’s a really nice place to just walk around, sit down in the grass a little bit and enjoy the sun if it’s out. It’s also possible to buy an ice cream and other types of food and drinks thanks to the food trucks. You will most likely encounter people running in groups and others singing. This park feels like it is completely separated from the city since there are absolutely no sound of cars, trams or anything else.

On the other side of the park, you will find another great monument that is also a must-see of Milan, Arco della Pace. It is visible from the castle, and the way to get there is just to walk straight through the park. It was built in the 19th century by Napoleon and it is 25 meters high.

Navigli

In the late afternoon, it is also really nice to go and walk along the canals in the Navigli neighborhood. It’s a pedestrian area with many bars and restaurants, where you will find a place that you like to enjoy an aperitivo for sure. Almost every single bar does it, usually between 6pm and 9pm: aperitivo means that all the drinks are at a unique price during these hours, you can order any that you like and this gives you access to a buffet where you can eat all the food you want. It’s a very popular concept in Milan and it is found in every bar across the whole city. It's like an happy hour, but better!

These places are probably the most popular places of the city, they are what you absolutely can’t miss if you come to Milan and want to know more about this city and experience its culture. They are the must-sees of Milan, that you will find in every single guide of the city. Even if they are quite touristy, I love going to these places from time to time (avoiding the peak hours of course).

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