Visiting Milan city in Italy? The MilanTips.com travel guide provides the best tips for hotels, activities and places of interest during your holiday or Milano city trip.
Milan (Milano in Italian) is located in the province of Milano, in the west of the Lombardy region. Milan is a popular destination for a city trip and which you would like to get to know for its special architecture, trendy fashion and many restaurants, but you can also go there for business purposes. Together with Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples it is one of the five most visited cities in Italy. We are happy to help you with our Milan travel guide!
If you've always been interested in history, it's good to know that Milan city has been in French, Spanish and Austrian hands over the years. After various plunders, battles and conquests by the Romans, Ostrogoths, Lombards and Franks, Milan was only incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
Another important event in Milan was the outbreak of the plague in the sixteenth century. Charles Borromeo – the Archbishop of Milan – remained in Milan and took effective measures (such as a quarantine), while other high-ranking figures fled the city. Borromeo ensured that sufficient medical knowledge was available and applied strict rules when establishing an infection. With this he prevented that there were not as many deaths as in other major Italian cities. During the Second World War, the Italian city was heavily bombed and Milano city was even occupied by the Germans, but – miraculously – no allies were needed to Milan again, because that's what the Italians did themselves. Today, Milan Italy is also known for its multicultural society, partly because of the immigrants who are looking for a better life.
The name of this city comes from Medionalum and that refers to the fact that you can find Milan in the middle of the Po Valley. The city of Milan has more than one million inhabitants, but if you add the inhabitants of the suburbs, there are four million inhabitants. During a Milan city trip you will find the perfect combination of authentic Italian architecture, modern buildings and many other Milan attractions. Do you like to visit the historic buildings? Then you need to visit the Milan Duomo, the Castello Sforzesco or the Arco della Pace. But also other top attractions such as the San Siro stadium, the Teatro alla Scala and Da Vinci's painting of 'The Last Supper' are sights that you should not miss. If you prefer the modern part of the city, look for the commercial properties in the innovative financial district Porta Nuova, where you can also be charmed by the Bosco Verticale. These are two residential towers, where the residents together can enjoy almost 9,000 square meters of terrace, on which almost 1,000 trees have been planted.
For sure you know the Italian city because of the two football clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan. Attending a football match at the San Siro Stadium can be high on your bucket list when you visit Milan city. Other sporting events are the marathon and Milan Italy as the start or finish point of cycling races. In 2026, Milan (togeteher with Cortina d'Ampezzo) will host the Winter Olympics and Formula 1 enthusiasts will travel from Milaan to nearby Monza to attend the race at the Autodrome Nazionale Monza.
In addition to the sporty side of Milan Italy, you will also find various business events here in the exhibition and congress center Fiera Milano. The Technology Fair SMAU and the Salone del Mobile (the living and design fair) in particular are known all over the world as a trend-setting happening. A large group of designers and companies will also be present at the design fair.
There are enough musical events in Milan city. The Mediolanum Forum is the ultimate venue for attending a major concert. But don't forget the theaters and all the extra activities that are organized in the summer. Other, often smaller, events are the religious celebrations and markets. The Carnival in Milan and the Film Festival of Milan.
You already know that this fashion city is the place to go for extensive shopping. If budget is not an issue, visit the Quadrilatero d'Oro (the Golden Quadrangle) with top designers and brands. In the Brera district you can find vintage items and the more special boutiques. For normal prices, the big chains in the streets around the Duomo are a great place to shop. Also the fashion outlets just outside Milan are worth a visit. There are several to choose from and you can reach them with your own transport or with a bus that shuttles between the center and the outlet.
In Piazza del Duomo you will find the famous Milan Cathedral. The architecture of the Duomo, the baroque facade, the mosaic and the paintings will enchant you. The highlight of your visit is the ascent to the roof terrace of the cathedral.
You won't be bored during a city trip in Milan. Milan Italy offers an ideal mix of architecture, culture, fashion and design. In this article you can read more about visiting the 25 most beautiful places to visit.
In the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie you can see the mural “The Last Supper”. This top attraction was painted by Da Vinci and tickets are sold out quickly.
Milan Castle is one of the city's most striking monuments. The castle houses several museums and the adjacent park offers ideal relaxation.
In Milan city you will find a wide range of activities, tours and excursions with a guide. In the article you can read more about these fun or original activities, such as a bike ride.
Although many places of interest are within walking distance of each other, the metro lines or the historic trams can provide a solution to easily move around the city.
In July and August it is less pleasant for a Milan city break in terms of temperature and crowds. The Italians often take a holiday throughout August and they like to spend it in their own country, making Milan a popular destination. It is therefore preferable to go to Milan in the months before or after. The best time to travel to Milan Italy are the months of May, June and September. Then the climate in Milan is pleasant and the amount of people less than in summer.
| Weather Milan | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| minimum (°C) | -2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 4 | -1 |
| maximum (°C) | 5 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 18 | 10 | 5 |
| hours of sunshine / day | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| rain (mm) | 64 | 63 | 82 | 82 | 97 | 65 | 68 | 93 | 69 | 100 | 101 | 60 |
Milan has several airports. If you are traveling via the international airport, it will probably be Milano-Malpensa (about 50 km from the city). Just outside the city is Milan-Linate and at Bergamo (about 40 km) is Il Caravaggio Orio al Serio, better known as Milano-Bergamo Airport. You will probably arrive at the latter airport if you fly with a low-cost airline. From the airports you can take various types of transport to the city, such as the train, bus or taxi. In this article you can read all about the transport between the airports and the center of Milan. Would you like to visit another city from Milan? Then simply take the high-speed line from the station towards cities like Florence, Venice or the Italian capital of Rome.
In Milan city you can do a lot by foot to enjoy the atmosphere. If you want to bridge greater distances within the city, have little time or have limited mobility, you can use the efficient bus, tram, steps or especially the metro. The metro has four lines (a yellow, green, blue and red) that criss-cross the entire city, with a fifth line being added soon. Taking the trams can also be a special experience, because in addition to modern trams, the city has many old trams from the beginning of the twentieth century.
The fountain in front of the castle of Milan Italy
The skyline of the 'new' city Milan
The entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
In the evening 'I Navigli' is the coziest neighborhood
