The best places for sightseeing in Milan

Duomo di Milano

The Milan Cathedral is a majestic sight and one of the first thing you will notice in Milans city center. Having the capacity for 40.000 people it is one of the biggest churches in the world and certainly the biggest one in Italy.

The history of this gothic cathedral is a long one. It’s construction initially started in 1386 it wasn’t until more than half a millennium later that it was finished. This can be seen in the abundance of rich details in it’s architecture. Generations of work have gone into its unmatched amount of 3400 statues, 700 figures, 135 gargoyles and 55 beautifully stained glasses that visitors can admire.

If you climb the stairs or take the elevator to the rooftop of the cathedral you will have a panoramic view of the city center. And you will be surrounded by beautiful statues with the most notable being the golden Madonnina, which is a golden virgin Mary statue at the top of the cathedral.

Near the entrance of the cathedral you will a ray of light following a path on the floor. This is a historical sundial from 1768 placed here by the astronomers from Accademia di Brera, which is used to accurately set the clocks from all over the city. Another ray of light shows the summer and winter solstice, which is the day with the most hours of daylight of the year.

A notable object which can be found in the cathedral is one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified. This nail is on display once a year during the Rito della Nivola.

The Duomo di Milano is one of the landmark locations in Milan. And it’s certainly one of the best places to go sightseeing in Milan as its central location allows you to combine a visit with many other nearby attractions.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

Santa Maria delle Grazie is an important church in Milan. After 34 years of construction it was finished in 1497. This is where Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper can be found, to which it owes its status as a UNESCO world heritage site.

If you wish to see The Last Supper, where Leonardo da Vinci portrays Jesus and his twelve disciples in the scene where Jesus announces that one of them will betray him, then it is important to book well in advance. As there can be waiting times of several weeks to see it.

From the outside of the church you can see it’s beautiful large dome towering over it. Santa Maria delle Grazie combines both renaissance and gothic styles. The beautiful nave uses a gothic style, while Apse and Dome showcase a renaissance style. The church also has a charming inner courtyard known as the frogs cloister, named after the little frog fountains which can be found in it. The courtyard is also a good place to take a pictures of the dome from.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Both cultural travelers and shopping lovers will have to discover the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. An elegant shopping mall named after the first modern King of a united Italy. And I can assure you that having this monument named after you is quite a compliment considering you can see attention to detail is given to every inch of this timeless masterpiece.

The entrance of the building looks like a majestic triumphal arch. The structure has an entirely mosaic floor with portrayals of the coat of arms of Milan and the capitals of the former Kingdoms of Italy. The inside of the monument shows an extravagant renaissance style design. The most notable feature is the monumental glass and iron roof that reaches a total of 47 meters high and adds a new dimension to the structure, as you will find the atmosphere of the galleria seems to change depending on the time of day.

The galleria functions as a luxury shopping mall where you can find haute couture, jewelry and cafes among other things. As it is often used as a meeting place for the Milanese it is often colloquially called the salon of Milan. At Meet The Cities we recommend to follow the example of the locals at least once and sit down for a cup of coffee simply to enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.

In front of the structure is the Piazza della Scala, where you will find a statue of a pondering Leonardo da Vinci. For a good reason as some of the most important museums of Milan can be found here. On the other side you will find the Duomo di Milano.

Castello Sforzesco

In the heart of Milan, in city’s central park called Parco Sempione, you will find the 14th century castle Castello Sforzesco. This castle is one of the biggest landmarks of Milan and should definitely be visited if you have the opportunity.

As you wander the castle’s halls and courtyard you cannot help but find yourself admiring the castle’s past and present beauty. The defensive walls have a hidden path in them for troop movement and the atypical and very recognizable castle tower Torre del Filarete shows the architects truly wanted to create something unique. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci helped decorate the castle as you can see in Da Vinci’s famous wall and ceiling fresco of intertwining trees called Sala delle Asse, which is still a major tourist attraction of the castle today. And there are many more hidden secrets to discover as you tour through this historical fortification.

The castle can be visited for free, so be sure to incorporate it into your trip. But the castle is home to several museums, which are described on the best museums in Milan page, which do require a ticket.

Arco della Pace

Within the central park of Milan, Parco Sempione, you will find the landmark city gate of Milan, Porta Sempione. The original city gate was part of the Roman wall of Milan. Although these days little of these Roman walls remain. Many of the stones of the Roman walls have also been reused to construct buildings in Milan.

A part of the city gate is the aesthetic Arch of Peace, or in Italian the Arco della Pace. This impressive arch that stands over 25 meters tall, which is 82 feet, is one of the most well designed triumphal arches in Europe. The construction of this arch started under the rule of Napoleon, who wished a triumphal arch marking the road that connected Milan to Paris.

The arch has bronze statues on it facing the city, with the classical Roman god Minerva standing on top. In the pillars you will find impressions of Apollo and Mars. Besides Roman mythology the decorations of the arch also portray major historical events in Europe.

Colonne di San Lorenzo

One of the more romantic places of Milan can be found at the Colonne di San Lorenzo. The Colonne di San Lorenzo is a 7 and a half meters tall colonnade from ancient times and a testament to the long and rich history of Milan. The pillars are assumed to be from the 2th century, where they were part of a pagan temple. But in the 4th century the roman columns were moved to their current location. There are a total of 16 pillars that have survived to this day.

The pillars can be found in a long shopping street on a square in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore church. This square can also be a popular gathering place for locals during the evening, who wish to enjoy a drink with a great view of the roman ruins in the background. It’s entirely public and free so if you go sightseeing in Milan be sure to take a stroll past these Roman columns.

At Meet The Cities we enjoy walking from the Duomo of Milan in the city center, through the long street called Corso di Porta Ticinese, to the south towards Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio. During this 2 km stroll you will encounter many shops and be able to see some of the most important historical sites of Milan as you walk past both the Colonne di San Lorenzo and the Porta Ticinese city gates. As you arrive you at Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio you check out the Milanese canals and drink a cup of coffee at one of the typically Milanese cafes there to finish it off.

Milan Monumental Cemetery

It might be the last place where people would look, but the monumental cemetery, or Cimitero Monumentale, is truly an artistic sight to behold. Filled with unique Italian sculptures, obelisk, shrines and tombs where the dead are honored with elaborate displays of heavenly themed grief and hope symbolism. A lot of famous Milanese sculptors have worked on projects that can be seen here, which shows in the sheer craftsmanship and diversity in the works that can be found here. A lot of famous people from Milan lay here, like the father of Einstein and Salvatore Quasimodo. The Milanese tradition to honor their people with monumental art pieces have turned this cemetery into a public museum that can be appreciated by everyone.

Some of the most famous people are honored in the marble building called the Famedio, which is also one of the biggest highlights as you will find the tomb of Alessandro Manzoni here. Other highlights are for example the Tomb of Antonio Bernocchi and the Campari family tomb, where the famous Jesus’s last supper is recreated with sculptures.

Palazzo Lombardia

One of the architectural highlights of Milan is the Palazzo Lombardia. Standing at a 161.3 meters tall, or 529 feet, the Palazzo Lombardia used to be the tallest building in Italy. The government of Lombardy has taken up seat in this building, but on the ground floor you will find a host of shops and restaurants which you can enjoy at your leisure.

Due to it’s large and complex design a single image does not always truly do this award winning building justice. The building is designed to form a complete and environmental friendly citysperience. And you will for example find one of the largest covered squares in Europe, the Piazza Città di Lombardia, which covers a total of 4000 square meters, between the buildings of the Palazzo.

If you go sightseeing in Milan then this building can be a nice vantage point. A public secret is that every sunday the building opens its doors to visitors, so you can take the elevator to the 39th floor to enjoy a grand view over the city of Milan.

Porta Ticinese

Porta Ticinese means the gate to the Ticino river. As the 12th century city gate has actually been moved to a new location in the 16th century, the name Porta Ticinese now actually refers to two city gates in Milan and a district with the same name.

The city gate pictured, with its distinctly huge pillars, is the 16th century city gate, that was rebuild in the 19th century with a neoclassical design. This gate which used to be part of the Spanish walls of Milan can be found on the Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio. It’s best to visit the city gate either when you go shopping or around dinner time, as it’s located in the romantic Navigli district, where you will also find the canals of Milan and an abundance of restaurants where you can settle down.

If you follow the street directly north of Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio then you will discover the original 12th century city gate, next to the Colonne di San Lorenzo and the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, one of the oldest churches in Milan from the 4th century when Milan was still the capital of the Western Roman empire. This medieval city gate has the design of a brick tower with large arches that you can walk under. The 12th century gate was part of the medieval walls of Milan that were supposed to protect the city from attacks from Barbarossa.

Unicredit Tower

If you have a passion for modern architecture than the Unicredit Tower is one of the highlights of the city. The Unicredit Tower is an impressive skyscraper and its actually the tallest building in Italy. It consists of three towers with the largest one being an imposing 231 meters high, which is 758 feet. It has also been awarded as one of the most visually appealing and sustainable skyscrapers in the world. The spire of the tower is one of it’s most iconic features. As the spire is entirely covered in led lights it can be shown in distinct colors, such as the colors of the Italian flag, on special occasions.

At the base of the towers you will find the Piazza Gae Aulenti, which is an artificial public square with solar panels, water and fountains that is raised several meters above ground level. This architectural highlight is a very photogenic vantage point to the observe the Unicredit Tower from. This futuristic square also has a handful of shops and eating venues for the locals who often pass by.

Teatro alla Scala

Since 1778 Milan has been home to one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. The Teatro alla Scala is often praised for its acoustics and the grandiose impression the interior leaves behind. The opera house has a neoclassicist design, with a stunning red and golden interior with six floors of golden balcony boxes from where you can view the grand podium.

Officially the theater has a capacity of 2030 seats, but in practise this is far below the actual capacity of the theater. Initially the building was able to house at least a thousand more guests. As you can imagine this exclusivity has ensured it can be quite difficult to get tickets to the opera house so you need to book well in advance.

It is worthy of note that the Teatro alla Scala also has a matching museum next to it. In the Museo Teatrale alla Scala you can find costumes, marionettes, musical instruments, set pieces and paintings documenting the history of opera. Visiting the museum is a great way to catch a glimpse of the life behind the theater.

Torre Velasca

The Torre Velasca is a pretty unique landmark and partially due to its controversial design it’s an interesting mention. It is a modern building inspired by the towers of medieval castles. This philosophy has given it it’s unique mushroom shape where the top is wider than the lower parts of this modern tower, which was unheard of for skyscrapers. And it’s crude architecture has given the building its massive feeling. Instead of making yet another glass skyscraper the designers attempted to use this tower as a connection between the modern world and the past of Milan.

Standing at a height of 106 meters the building towers over the city blocks next to it. When you stand on top of the Duomo di Milano you can see this building in the distance. The lower floors of the tower are used by shops, the middle segment by offices and the top parts are residential areas.