A short history of Milan
In the middle of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II you'll see people spinning on their heels on the bull in the floor mosaic. Stepping on this bull from Turin's coat of arms and turning three times is believed to bring luck, and a hollow has worn into the mosaic. The arcade opened in 1867, a few years after Italian unification.
In Roman times, as Mediolanum, it was one of the capitals of the empire. The decree of 313 that granted Christians freedom of worship is known as the Edict of Milan. Work on the Duomo began in 1386, and its facade was only finished in the 19th century. The city was ruled first by the Visconti, then by the Sforza family. While in the Sforzas' service, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Last Supper on the refectory wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the 1490s. The refectory was badly hit in the 1943 bombing, but the wall, protected with sandbags, survived.
After the Second World War Milan became Italy's centre of industry and finance. Today fashion weeks and the Salone del Mobile, held every April, set the city's calendar.
Milan neighbourhoods
In Porta Venezia, Liberty-style facades, Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurants and the city's gay bars meet within a few streets. The area around Via Lecco is busy in the evenings.
Via Paolo Sarpi is the pedestrianised main street of Milan's Chinatown. Between the dumpling shops and tea rooms, a few old Italian butchers are still in business.
South of Porta Romana, Fondazione Prada, set in a former distillery, fills half a day with contemporary art shows and its gold-leaf-covered building. Bar Luce, designed by Wes Anderson, is inside.
NoLo, short for North of Loreto, is the area around Via Padova where immigrant-run shops sit next to newly opened bars. Few tourists come, and prices are below those in the centre.
In CityLife, towers by Zaha Hadid, Arata Isozaki and Daniel Libeskind rise around a park. If modern architecture interests you, it's worth an hour.
Where to stay
- Duomo / Centre: The cathedral, the Galleria and La Scala are all a walk away, about as central as it gets.
- Brera: A chic, bohemian quarter of galleries and cafés.
- Navigli: Canal-side bars and aperitivo make the evenings lively.
- Isola / Porta Nuova: A lively area with local bars beside modern towers.
- Centrale Station: Airport trains and buses leave from here, and there are many business hotels.
When to visit Milan
The best time for Milan is April to June, plus late September and October. Days are 17-26 °C, good for day trips to lakes like Como as well. The big trade fairs squeezed into these months upset the maths, though. During the Salone del Mobile in April and the fashion weeks in February and September, hotel prices can double, so check the dates in advance.
In August the city turns into a different place. Temperatures pass 30 °C and the humidity is high. In Ferragosto week the Milanese go on holiday, many restaurants and shops close and the streets empty.
Winter brings many foggy, cool days of 0-8 °C. On 7 December the city celebrates its patron saint, Sant'Ambrogio. La Scala opens its season that evening, and the Oh Bej Oh Bej market sets up around the Castello Sforzesco. All through December the big Christmas tree on the Duomo square and the shop windows draw crowds.
Food culture in Milan
Around 18:00 the bars start filling up. At aperitivo time you order a Spritz, a Campari or a Negroni sbagliato, and snacks come with it. Some bars lay out a large buffet for the price of a drink. This is called apericena, and it can stand in for dinner.
Milanese cooking is built on butter and rice. Saffron risotto alla milanese, ossobuco, a braised veal shank, and the thick bone-in cotoletta, fried in breadcrumbs, are the classic three. In winter there's cassoeula, made with cabbage and pork, and in December panettone fills every pastry shop window.
Lunch is 12:30-14:30, often a quick fixed-price menu near the offices. Dinner starts around 20:00. You'll see a coperto on the bill as a cover charge, and leaving a tip on top is up to you.
Milan trip budget
Milan is known as Italy's most expensive city, and hotel prices bear that out. Food is a different story, since aperitivo and pizza can make an evening cheap. In 2026 daily spending per person stays at 80-120 € with a hostel and pizza. A three-star hotel and trattoria meals come to 170-260 €. A four-star hotel and good restaurants start at 400 €. During trade fair weeks every band moves up.
A 90-minute metro and tram ticket within the city is 2.20 €, and a 24-hour ticket around 7-8 €. Seeing the Last Supper costs 15-20 €, and tickets sell out weeks ahead. The combined ticket for the Duomo and its rooftop terraces by lift is over 20 €.
Walking through the Galleria, the courtyards of the Castello Sforzesco and the Parco Sempione behind it are free. On the first Sunday of the month you also get into state museums like the Pinacoteca di Brera for free.
Prices are approximate as of October 2026.
Build your route on the Milan map
More guides for Italy
Florence travel guide · Naples travel guide · Rome travel guide · Venice travel guide