15 Best Things to Do in Milan (2026 Guide)

The best things to do in Milan are rarely the ones on the postcard rack, and after a while here you learn which sights are worth the ticket and which are worth walking past. This is a resident’s rundown, mixing the free things you will do again and again with the ticketed ones worth a whole day. Every price, address and opening time below was checked against the venue’s own official source in 2026, and where a venue does not publish its price openly I say so.

Free Things to Do in Milan

A surprising number of the best things to do in Milan cost nothing. Start under the glass dome of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the arcade linking Piazza del Duomo to La Scala. Walking through is free; a table is not, so take your coffee standing at the bar. Ten minutes on are Parco Sempione and the Sforza Castle courtyards, open free every day.

The Cimitero Monumentale is the most underrated free hour in the city, an open-air gallery of Art Nouveau and modernist tombs. Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale, 20154 Milan, Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30, closed on non-holiday Mondays. Entry is free and needs no booking. Metro M5 stops at Monumentale; the information point answers on 02 884 65600.

In the evening the Navigli canals are where the city relaxes. Aperitivo runs roughly 18:00 to 21:00 and one drink usually includes food, which quietly makes it one of the better-value things to do in Milan.

• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – free, open all hours
• Sforza Castle courtyards and Parco Sempione – free daily
• Cimitero Monumentale – free, Tuesday to Sunday
• Navigli aperitivo walk – metro M2 Porta Genova

Historic Things to Do in Milan: Duomo and the Last Supper

The two headline historic things to do in Milan both reward booking ahead, and one will not let you in at all without a reservation.

1. The Duomo and its rooftop terraces. Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milan. Open daily 09:00 to 19:00, last ticket 17:50, last entry 18:00; the Duomo Museum runs 10:00 to 19:00 and closes Wednesdays. The combined cathedral, terraces on foot and museum ticket is 22 euro full and 11 euro reduced; by lift it is 26 euro and 13 euro. Tickets at ticket.duomomilano.it, office +39 02 361 691.
2. Leonardo’s Last Supper. Museo del Cenacolo Vinciano, Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2. Entry is 15 euro over 25, 2 euro at 18 to 25 and free under 18. Tuesday to Sunday 08:15 to 19:00, last entry 18:45, closed Mondays, 1 January and 25 December. Reservation is always mandatory and each slot lasts 15 minutes for a maximum of 40 people. Book at cenacolovinciano.vivaticket.it or call +39 02 92800360, then arrive 30 minutes early.
3. Castello Sforzesco. Piazza Castello. The courtyards are free and one ticket covers all the Castle Museums, open Tuesday to Sunday. Prices shift with the temporary exhibitions, so check milanocastello.it on the day rather than a third-party listing.

None of these needs a guide, but if you would rather have the timed slots handled, tiqets.com sells dated entry to the cathedral and the main city sights, and guided combinations and Lake Como day trips are easy to compare on klook.com. If you are stacking several paid attractions into a short trip, check whether a pass from gocity.com covers your actual list first.

Museums: The Best Indoor Things to Do in Milan

Milan holds more art per square kilometre than its business-city reputation suggests, and these are the indoor things to do in Milan worth a rainy afternoon. The Pinacoteca di Brera, Via Brera 28, is the heavyweight: the Grande Brera ticket is 20 euro full and 4 euro at 18 to 25, free under 18. Reservation is required, the call centre is +39 02 72105141 daily 09:00 to 18:00, and it closes Mondays, 1 May, 25 December and 1 January.

With children, head instead to the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci on Via San Vittore, around 13 euro full and 8 euro reduced, open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30. For opera history, the Museo Teatrale alla Scala charges 12 euro, or 8 euro for students and over-65s, daily 09:30 to 17:30 with last access at 17:00.

Fondazione Prada is the one I send people to when they say they dislike museums. Its ticket also admits you free to the Osservatorio above the Galleria within seven days.

Football, Fashion and Bigger Days Out

For some visitors the sporting things to do in Milan outrank every painting. The San Siro Museum and Tour, Piazzale Angelo Moratti, 20151 Milan, Gate 6, runs daily 09:30 to 17:00 from November to March and 09:30 to 18:00 from April to October, and takes about 60 minutes. Times and route change on match days, so check the calendar and current prices on tickets.sansirostadium.com first. Window shopping the Quadrilatero della Moda around Via Montenapoleone costs nothing. Between checkout and an evening flight, leave bags at a radicalstorage.com point near Centrale.

Getting Around Between Things to Do in Milan

You will not need a car for anything here. ATM’s official urban fares are 2.20 euro for 90 minutes, 7.60 euro for 24 hours, 15.50 euro for three consecutive days and 19.50 euro for a carnet of ten. Metro gates and many buses take contactless cards, so you can tap in and pay as you go. Over a long weekend the three-day ticket wins.

Milan has three airports: Malpensa for long haul, Linate closest to the centre, Bergamo Orio al Serio for low-cost flights. After a late arrival with luggage, a fixed-price transfer via welcomepickups.com is the calmer start, and an eSIM from airalo.com activates before departure so your ticket QR codes work the moment you land.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best free things to do in Milan?

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Sforza Castle courtyards, Parco Sempione, the Cimitero Monumentale and an evening on the Navigli are all free. They are the everyday things to do in Milan that residents never tire of.

Do I really need to book the Last Supper in advance?

Yes. Reservation is always mandatory, each slot lasts 15 minutes for a maximum of 40 people, and you must reach the ticket office 30 minutes beforehand. Book at cenacolovinciano.vivaticket.it or call +39 02 92800360.

How much does it cost to go up the Duomo?

The combined cathedral, terraces on foot and museum ticket is 22 euro full and 11 euro reduced, and going up by lift is 26 euro or 13 euro reduced. Buy from ticket.duomomilano.it, as available ticket types change through the year.

What are the best things to do in Milan with kids?

The science and technology museum on Via San Vittore, the Sforza Castle courtyards, Parco Sempione and the San Siro stadium tour all work well with children. The Last Supper, with its silent 15-minute slot, generally does not.

Can I see the main sights without a car?

Easily. Everything in this guide sits on the ATM metro and tram network, and driving in the centre means paying the Area C charge and hunting for parking. Buy a 24-hour or three-day ticket, or tap in with a contactless card.

Expat Essentials for Milan

A few quick wins make settling into Milan easier while you work through this guide. An Airalo eSIM keeps you online from the moment you land, a pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer takes the stress out of arrival day, and NordVPN protects your logins on public wifi. See our full list of trusted services below.

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Written by FinePassport team