Milan: Experience art, history and Milanese city life

When planning accommodation for a holiday in Milan, you encounter art, history and modern city life within a compact thematic area. The Duomo di Milano combines restoration expertise with special insights, while museums, palaces, churches and gardens offer different ways to discover the city. Aperitivo is also part of Milan: the convivial ritual around sunset is associated with iconic cocktails.

Art and architecture around the Duomo

The visitor programme at the Duomo di Milano includes themed tours in which restorers and experts explain restored sites and works, as well as the techniques used in the process. You can reach the Duomo terraces on foot or by lift. The highest level currently accessible to visitors is 45 metres above the ground. From there, the panoramic view extends across Milan and, in clear weather, as far as the mountains surrounding the Po Valley.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie includes Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. The exhibition room of the Museo del Cenacolo Vinciano is located in the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Reservations are mandatory for every admission ticket; visits last 15 minutes and are limited to a maximum of 40 people at a time.

Museums for different interests

The Pinacoteca di Brera has been open to the public since 1809 and is located in the Palazzo Brera, after which it is named. MUDEC's permanent exhibition presents a selection of objects from collections from America, Africa, Asia and Oceania across three rooms. Overall, MUDEC's collections comprise more than 7,000 objects dating from 1500 BC to the 20th century.

The Museo Teatrale alla Scala displays portraits, busts, memorabilia and musical instruments that tell the history of the theatre and opera. A complex with three courtyards and several museums includes, among other things, the Museum of Ancient Art with the Sala delle Asse, painted by Leonardo. Palazzo Reale is a publicly accessible exhibition venue for important exhibitions in Milan and houses more than 1,500 masterpieces across 7,000 square metres.

Church history and places in the surrounding area

The Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio was founded by Ambrose in honour of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius on the site of an ancient necropolis west of Milan. It is the venerated burial place of Milan's patron saint, Ambrose. The surrounding area of Milan also contains Palazzo Giureconsulti and Palazzo Clerici as palaces, as well as Museo Bagatti Valsecchi and Pinacoteca di Brera as museums.

Porta Garibaldi and Arco della Pace are natural arches in the surrounding area of Milan. The Giardini pubblici Indro Montanelli and Giardino Valentino Bompiani are located there as gardens. A park was laid out between 1888 and 1894 in the romantic English style, is completely enclosed and features large shaded green areas and numerous seats along its paths.

City life and practical orientation

For more than 100 years, Triennale Milano has brought together creativity and culture. It offers a garden, restaurants and spaces for music and design and is open to everyone. To help plan your visit, the city's official tourist information office at Piazza Duomo 14 provides information on visit planning, exhibitions and event calendars.

On Milan's public transport network, you can pay contactlessly on the metro as well as on buses, trams and trolleybuses using credit cards, debit cards, smartphones or smartwatches. The cheapest fare is applied automatically. This specific payment option complements the city's wealth of content with practical guidance for travelling between museums, churches, exhibitions and green spaces.

Choose a hotel for your Milan holiday

When choosing your hotel, you can first decide which themes will shape your stay: restored works of art and Leonardo, collections from different regions of the world, theatre history, important exhibitions, church history or Milan's evening aperitivo ritual. Gardens, panoramic views and use of public transport can likewise shape your personal daily itinerary. This allows you to compare accommodation based on your preferred travel schedule without reducing Milan to a single attraction.

More places for planning your trip

For further orientation, you can also view Milano, Parabiago, Ortica, Vimodrone, Vimercate, Vermezzo, Lissone, Limbiate, Legnano, Lainate, Gorgonzola, Garbagnate Milanese, Desio, Corsico, Cornaredo, Concorezzo, Cologno Monzese, Cinisello Balsamo, Cesano Maderno, Cerro Maggiore, Cavenago Di Brianza, Cambiago, Buscate, Binasco, Bernate Ticino, Bareggio, Arese, Arcore, Assago, Cusago, Caponago, Limito Di Pioltello, Pregnana Milanese, San Vittore Olona, Settala, Burago Di Molgora, Canegrate, Busto Garolfo, Gudo Visconti, Castellazzo, Zibido San Giacomo, Gaggiano, Cassina de’ Pecchi, Truccazzano, Buccinasco, Castano Primo, Pioltello, Robecco Sul Naviglio and Morimondo, Magenta, Rozzano, Villa Cortese, Settimo Milanese, Basiglio, Pieve Emanuele, Ozzero, Boffalora Sopra Ticino, Pantigliate, Inzago, Baranzate, Dresano, Magnago, Linate, San Colombano Al Lambro, Paullo, Bussero, Senago, Segrate, San Giuliano Milanese, San Donato Milanese, Robecchetto Con Induno, Rho, Ponte Nuovo, Nerviano, Varedo, Vaprio Dʼadda, Trezzano Sul Naviglio, Trezzano Rosa, Sesto San Giovanni, Locate Di Triulzi, Terrazzano, Cesano Boscone, Cormano, Ornago, Turbigo, Novate Milanese, Opera, Rodano, Bollate, Ossona, Biassono, Millepini, Lentate Sul Seveso, Abbiategrasso, Arluno, San Zenone Al Lambro, Agrate Brianza, Pero, Trezzo Sull’adda, Cernusco Sul Naviglio, Paderno Dugnano, Cassano D'adda, Bresso, Rosate, Colturano, Corbetta, Melzo, Arconate, Cesate, Casarile, Gessate, Vittuone, Mediglia, Besate, Rescaldina, Novegro-Tregarezzo, Tribiano, Basiano, Vernate, Bellinzago Lombardo, Moncucco, Melegnano, Albairate, Peschiera Borromeo, Inveruno, Vanzaghello, Bubbiano, Pozzo D'adda, Carpiano, Casone, Cuggiono, Carugate, Pogliano Milanese, Cusano Milanino, Vanzago, Casorezzo, Santo Stefano Ticino, Cassinetta di Lugagnano and Cisliano for further information.

To the overarching travel overview: Lombardy.