The best things to do in Milan in 2026, according to a local

What is it? Let us be clear: Milan’s Duomo is not just another church. It is the city’s most important landmark located smack-dab in the centre of it all, and it really is as special as they make out.

Why go? Building on this magnificent Gothic cathedral began in the late 14th century and lasted hundreds of years (even today, it isn’t unusual to see scaffolding on the façade or the back of the church as restoration is often underway). While there is plenty to see inside the cathedral, visiting the top – via stairs or an elevator – is an absolute must to see Milan’s ever-changing skyline. Make sure to book in advance. 

Time Out tip: The Duomo area and the cathedral itself gets very busy during the day. Plan to get there early – and we mean early – to enjoy it without the crowds. Also, this is a high-risk pickpocket spot, so keep an eye on your belongings. 

Address: Piazza del Duomo

Opening hours: Cathedral and Terraces daily 9am-7pm, Museum and Archaeological Area Tuesday-Sunday 10am-7pm. Closed on Mondays

Price: €12-€14 (cathedral only), €32 (cathedral and rooftop - €16 discounted), €32-€39 (full complex). Discounts available for children and groups

What is it? Founded in 1923, Triennale Milano is the city’s foremost design museum and one of Europe’s key institutions for contemporary culture. It’s best known for its historic International Exhibitions, bringing together leading voices in design, architecture, art and visual culture. 

Why go? Because this is where Milan’s creative pulse really shows. Whether you’re into cutting-edge design, architecture, photography or socially engaged art, Triennale Milano offers a consistently high-level programme that reflects both local and global conversations. Even when you don’t have a specific exhibition in mind, it’s worth dropping in to see what’s on – there’s almost always something thought-provoking happening.

Time Out tip: Pair your visit with a stroll through Parco Sempione just outside, or time it with one of the museum’s evening events for talks, performances or exhibition openings.

Address: Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10.30am-8pm. Closed Mondays

Price: Varies by exhibition. Entry to Triennale Milano itself is free, but tickets required for temporary exhibitions 

What is it? De Montel - Terme Milano is Italy’s largest urban thermal complex, and a (fairly) new Milan must-do if serious R&R is on the agenda. Opened in April 2025 near San Siro Stadium, the spa spans 16,000 square metres dedicated to wellbeing, with ten thermal pools, expansive green spaces and areas devoted to balneotherapy. The complex is housed inside the former Scuderie De Montel – historic horse stables and a jewel of Milanese Liberty architecture  – now beautifully brought back to life through a major redevelopment project.

Why go? The pools, for starters. But also the hammam, saunas, healthy dining spots and the near-instant sense of calm that hits the moment you walk in. Add the architectural wow factor – the setting really is gorgeous – and you’ve got all the ingredients for a perfect, switch-off-completely kind of day.

Time Out tip: Visit midweek or book an early-morning slot to enjoy the pools at their most serene, and don’t skip the outdoor baths, which are especially magical on cooler days.

Address: Via Achille 6

Opening hours: 9.30am-11pm Monday-Thursday, 

Price: Standard entry from €49-99, with premium packages ranging from €100-450

What is it? Perhaps one of the most famous paintings in the world, held at the UNESCO-protected church and convent Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Why go? Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ has been reproduced to death, but no tote bag or mouse pad or even large-scale reproduction can adequately capture the artist’s emotionally charged mural. Visit this incredible piece of history – even though Jesus’s feet were lost in 1652 given some ill-thought-out renovations.

Time Out tip: Tickets for ‘The Last Supper’ sell out fast and often well in advance, so book them as soon as you’ve got your flight and hotels for Milan down. 

Address: Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 2

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8.15am-7pm (last admission 6.45pm). Closed on Mondays

Price: €15 (standard), €2 (EU residents aged 18-25), free for under 18s

What is it? Milan’s coolest district, lined with lively bars and  restaurants. 

Why go? Constructed over hundreds of years with input from da Vinci himself, Milan’s system of navigable and interconnected canals granted the landlocked city more access to the outside world. Today, the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese are some of the only canals still visible, and around them have sprung up a torrent of bars, restaurants and cafés that thrum with activity on weekend nights. 

Time Out tip: Milan is famous for its cortili – the courtyards that hide behind many of its charming buildings. In Navigli, two are very much worth a visit: the Cortile degli Artisti, located on Alzaia Naviglio Grande 4, where local artists hang their paintings and works for everyone to see; and the cortile of the Centro dell’Incisione at Alzaia Naviglio Grande 66, an engraving workshop and exhibition space. 

Address: Naviglio Grande & Naviglio Pavese canals

Opening hours: Various. Navigli is best visited for dinner and drinks in the evening

What is it? Hidden on quiet Via Mozart, Villa Necchi Campiglio is one of Milan’s most captivating house museums (preserved old private homes turned into public exhibits). Designed by celebrated architect Piero Portaluppi and completed in 1935, this elegant villa, now part of the FAI heritage network, blends Italian Rationalist modernism with Art Deco touches and houses beautifully preserved interiors, lush private gardens, a tennis court and Milan’s first private swimming pool.

Why go? It’s a rare chance to experience how Milan’s industrial-era elite lived between the wars: spacious reception rooms, sleek lines, lavish materials and thoughtful design details that were ahead of their time. Inside you’ll find period furniture, decorative arts and a sense of refined 1930s style that feels cinematic (literally: the villa appears in films like I Am Love and House of Gucci). Beyond the house itself, the peaceful garden and terrace offer a serene escape right in the heart of the city.

Time Out tip: Go with a guided tour if you can. The stories about the Necchi family and the villa’s quirky features (like its elevator, intercoms and heated pool) make the visit that much richer. Afterwards, linger in the garden courtyard with a coffee to soak up one of Milan’s most elegant hidden corners.

Address: Via Mozart, 14

Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm

Price: Varies by tour/exhibition

What is it? Dating back to the 15th century, Castello Sforzesco, in Parco Sempione, is one of Milan’s most imposing landmarks – once among the largest citadels in Europe, and still very much a showstopper today. On the opposite side to it, is Arco della Pace, a monumental Neoclassical triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon in the early 19th century and later dedicated to European peace.

Why go? Part fortress, part museum complex, the castle now houses several museums packed with important artworks and historical relics (including Michelangelo’s last work and frescoes by Da Vinci), but it’s just as rewarding to wander through its vast courtyards and soak up the atmosphere. From there, the stroll to the Arco della Pace is one of Milan’s most pleasant urban walks, ending at a grand, photogenic monument that feels worlds away from the city’s bustle.

Time Out tip: Do it as one seamless route: exit the castle through the back gate and cross straight into Parco Sempione, Milan’s green lung and one of its loveliest spots for a wander, a breather or a sunset pause.

Address: Piazza Castello (Castello Sforzesco), Piazza Sempione (Arco della Pace)

Opening hours: Castle grounds daily 7am-7.30pm; museums Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5.30pm

What is it? A spa housed in a former tram depot, with several saunas and an elegant tea room on the ground floor.

Why go? Downstairs is where the magic happens: in this underground lair, there is a warren of stone rooms featuring warm baths, cold baths, geyser pools, a Jacuzzi waterfall and more. The gem here is the Underwater Museum, a mesmerizing crystal-walled tub built around ancient archeological ruins. Outside, in addition to the tram sauna, there are three warm pools spread out through the garden.

Time Out tip: Enjoy a jacuzzi ‘archeo-aperitif’. Thank us later. 

Address: Piazzale Medaglie d’Oro, 2, 20135 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-11pm, Friday 8.30am-midnight, Saturday 8am-midnight, Sunday 8am-11pm

Price: €68 for a day pass, €59 for a short visit. Evening entry from €46

What is it? If you’re into contemporary art, head to PAC – Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea – one of Milan’s most seasoned contemporary art spaces (it was established in 1954).

Why go? Until mid-September, it hosts the anthological show ‘I Only Want You To Love Me,’ which spotlights the artist duo Lovett/Codagnone. Don’t miss their neon installation and the early ’90s photography and video works – a striking commentary on identity, subculture, and power. It’s bold, immersive, and very now.

Time Out tip: Visit on a Thursday evening when PAC stays open late – it’s a good way to enjoy the exhibit in a quieter, more reflective light.

Address: Via Palestro, 14

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-7.30pm. Thursdays open until 10.30pm. Closed on Mondays

Price: €8, discounted tickets €6.50

What is it? A newer addition to Milan’s museum scene (it opened its doors in December 2024), Palazzo Citterio is a new high-brow destination in the heart of the boho Brera neighbourhood. 

Why go? A stone’s throw from the Pinacoteca, Milan’s main art gallery, the museum is actually linked to it as part of the ‘Grande Brera’ project, an initiative aimed at bringing together Palazzo Citterio, the Pinacoteca di Brera, and the Braidense Library under one umbrella.

Don’t miss: The palace itself dates to the 18th century, but has been beautifully restored to host an extensive collection of over 200 modern and contemporary artworks, including pieces by Amedeo Modigliani, Georges Braque, and Pablo Picasso – not to mention several Italian artists, from Giorgio Morandi to Umberto Boccioni. 

Address: Via Brera 12-14, 20121 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Thursday-Sunday 2pm-7pm. Closed Mondays

Price: €12 (standard), €8 (EU residents aged 18-25), free for under 18s and people with disabilities. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of every month

What is it? Pasticceria Cucchi in Porta Genova has been baking panettone in its humble kitchen for over 70 years, and the results have been consistently excellent.

Why go? Stop by the elegant, old-world shop to purchase a full cake (which, unlike most other pastry shops, Cucchi sells not just at Christmas but year-round). Order a slice of the fluffy masterpiece to go with your morning cappuccino, and either hang around or take it to go. Delicious.

Time Out tip: If you can, grab a curbside table – hot property on weekend mornings. 

Address: Corso Genova, 1, 20123 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 7.30am-9pm. Closed Mondays

Price: Cappuccino and brioche €8, pastries €10-€12, savoury mains €16-€23

What is it? The Biblioteca Ambrosiana is an old library stacked with masterpieces of Renaissance artists, including the most extraordinary collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s folios. 

Why go? Da Vinci is great and all, but we recommend making a b-line straight for a glass-cased reliquary containing a red-golden hair lock and two pendants, both of which belonged to Lucrezia Borgia, the illegitimate daughter of the lascivious Pope Alexander VI, who supposedly poisoned her lovers and committed incest with both her brother and father. It’s said the library is haunted by Lucrezia’s crying ghost, who at night returns to brush her lost lock of hair. 

Time Out tip: For more of Milan’s spooky history, consider booking a ghost walking tour of the city.  

Address: Piazza Pio XI, 2, 20123 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm. Closed on Mondays

Price: €15 (standard), €10 (under 18s, over 65s, students), free for under 14s. Combined ticket with Crypt €16.50

What is it? A restaurant on wheels in Milan. 

Why go? Train travel is romanticised, and rightly so: there’s just something about watching the world go by from a train window. The transportation authority in Milan has capitalised on this idea with ATMosfera, turning two of the city’s historic trams into full-blown restaurants that offer lunch and dinner runs. It’s pure joy to eat your way through a five-course menu as the tram rumbles around Milan.

Time Out tip: You can now also book a whole tram for exclusive private events such as birthdays and weddings. 

Address: Departs from Piazza Castello 2 (corner Via Luca Beltrami), 20121 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Dinner at 8pm (tram 1) and 8.30pm (tram 2). Sunday lunch at 1pm

Price: €90 per person for dinner, €75 for Sunday lunch (drinks included)

What is it? The ideal venue to get stuck into the Italian tradition of sitting outdoors and snacking on light bites alongside your cocktail. 

Why go? The aperitivo is considered an institution in Milan, and no visit to the city would be complete without partaking in this pre-dinner ritual. Near Porta Ticinese, Fonderie Milanesi is the perfect spot for it. The trend began in the late 19th century when Gaspare Campari, intent on serving a drink that stimulated rather than spoiled the appetite, started serving his eponymous bitter aperitif. Nibbles were added to the offerings and now it’s common to find bars serving up elaborate buffet spreads.

Time Out tip: Typically enjoyed between 7pm and 9pm, prepare for the best spots to be completely packed – but that community spirit is the aperitivo ethos.

Address: Via Giovenale, 7, 20136 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday 7pm-2am, Sunday 12pm-3pm and 7pm-1am. Closed on Mondays

Price: Aperitivo buffet from €8 (drinks around €15)

What is it? Inaugurated at the start of 2025, NAMA, Nuovo Anfiteatro Martesana is a ‘hybrid’ socio-cultural space found between two of Milan’s most multicultural neighborhoods, Gorla and Turro in the city’s northeast.

Why go? It hosts events, talks, seminars and lectures, as well as offering a co-working hub and recording studio, should you need to do some work while in town. Looking for ideas to fill a rainy day? Check out its workshop program, which includes tailoring, woodworking, 3D printing, and much more. 

Time Out tip: On your way in or out, explore the park where NAMA is located: With picnic areas, bike paths and a canal running through it, the Naviglio Martesana, it offers a nice respite from Milan’s hustle and bustle, and regularly draws families, groups of friends and immigrant communities during the weekend. 

Address: Parco Martiri della Libertà Iracheni Vittime del Terrorismo 1 (Parco della Martesana), 20127 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Various

What is it? Since its founding by Archduchess Maria Theresa in the late 18th century, the Teatro alla Scala has remained one of the finest opera theatres in Europe.

Why go? We’d highly recommend a night out at this grand auditorium, filled with red and gold interior, which is truly an experience like no other. And we don’t just mean booking to see a show and sitting through an entire night of opera – you can make the most out of this fabulous theatre by checking out its museum, which is located right next door. 

Time Out tip: Explore the museum via guided tours, virtual tours and more. 

Address: Piazza della Scala, 20121 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Daily 9.30am-5.30pm

Price: €15 (museum standard), €8 discounted. Family ticket €25, theatre guided tour €30-€37

What is it? A crypt built directly on the ruins of the Ancient Roman forum, which was the main square of the Roman city of Mediolanum (Milan’s name during the empire), where civil and religious rituals took place.

Why go? Tired of the crowd? Then go underground for a chilling archeological tour. The dark chambers of the crypt, right beneath the San Sepolcro church. Yep – even Milan has a Roman soul.  Walk on millennia-old white cobblestones and admire the frescoes and the vaulted starry sky, painted by persecuted early Christians who later took refuge in the crypt.

Time Out tip: For an even creepier sepulchral atmosphere, head into the crypt on a new night tour, led by a lantern-toting art restorer.  

Address: Piazza San Sepolcro, 20123 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Daily 10am-6pm. Closed on Wednesdays

Price: €8 (standard), €6 (discounted), free under‑14s. Combo with Pinacoteca Ambrosiana €20

What is it? One of the city’s most bike scenic routes, along the Naviglio della Martesana.

Why go? The bike path on this smaller canal, located northeast of the city centre, passes by meadows and farms and eventually reaches the town of Gorgonzola, where you can take a break to indulge in the buttery, soft, Italian blue cheese that residents claim originated in the area.

Time Out tip: Milan and cycling go hand in hand, and with numerous bike-sharing schemes (such as BikeMi and Mobike) now available, it’s never been easier to hop in the saddle. 

Address: Naviglio della Martesana, Via Tofane (near Turro), 20125 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: 24 hours (public area)

Price: Free 

What is it? Bar Luce is a café designed by Wes Anderson for Fondazione Prada – and it’s the stuff of Instagram dreams.

Why go? The vintage pinball machines and jukebox, the veneered wood wall panels, and the bubblegum pink and powder blue Formica furniture are just begging to be photographed. They are also reminiscent of Italian popular aesthetics from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as many of Anderson’s sets, particularly for his film The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

Address: Largo Isarco, 2, 20139 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 8.30am-8pm, Friday 8.30am-8.30pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-8.30pm. Closed on Tuesdays

Price: Coffee €1-5, sandwiches from €6.50

What is it? A quiet square right next to the fashion district is enclosed by Via Serbelloni, Via Mozart, Via Cappuccini and Via Vivaio. 

Why go? Escape Milan’s flashy streets and buzzy aperitivo bars with a peaceful afternoon at the ‘Quadrilatero del Silenzio’. As you stroll, you’ll see Liberty-style villas covered in mosaics, scary statues, secret gardens and plenty of quirky architecture. Look out for the huge ear-shaped bronze doorbell and a mansion somewhere between a castle and a space shuttle. There are sculptures throughout the space, including of fishes, lions, and dogs – some of which are completely overgrown with ivy. It’s a neighborhood frozen in time that feels like its own quaint village within the city. 

Time Out tip: If you want to see the flamingos, head to Villa Invernizzi’s secluded, quiet garden. It feels like you’ve stumbled into a scene from Alice in Wonderland.

Address: In the middle of Corso Venezia, Via Mozart, Via Vivaio and Via Serbelloni, 20122 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: 24 hours (public area)

Price: Free 

What is it? A swanky restaurant in Isola (and one of our best restaurants in Milan), which in the 1930s was a tavern run by a shaman priest.

Why go? Milanese locals might not eat regional delicacies on a daily basis – after all, sushi and ramen are as easy to find as local cuisine. But when they do crave the city’s iconic dishes, locals flock to Ratanà. Chef Cesare Battisti makes the one and only real risotto alla milanese (cooked the Milanese way) as well as risotto allo zafferano (cooked with saffron). In local dialect, it’s simply called risott giad (‘yellow rice’). He uses only locally-grown rice and serves it with bone marrow, gremolata (a lemon zest, parsley and garlic sauce), roasted meat sauce, and a piece of ossobuco to enhance the flavour. 

Time Out tip: Spore is only open for dinner (and closed on Mondays and Sundays). Book dinner for 7pm and spend the afternoon at Fondazione Prada, which is nearby. 

What is it? A shopping area encompassing Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni, Via Sant’Andrea and Via Montenapoleone, known as th ‘golden quadrangle’, or ‘fashion quadrangle’. 

Why go? Well, you can’t visit the world’s fashion capital and not at the very least engage in a bit of window shopping. Here, you will find all the luxury brands, Italian – Prada, Versace, Armani and Dolce e Gabbana – and foreign, such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent.

Time Out tip: Actually want to buy something? We’ve got a load of more affordable spots on our full guide to the best shopping in Milan. 

Address: Centred on Via Monte Napoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia, 20121 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Shop hours vary. Typically 10am-8pm

Price: Pricey

What is it? The best spot in town for vintage homeware finds. 

Why go? Nina Yashar is one of Milan’s top design dealers, having made a name for herself collecting and selling 20th-century Italian furniture. She has operated her gallery on Via della Spiga since 1979, and since back in 2015 has also owned her depot, Nilufar, a massive warehouse showcasing her collection of vintage and contemporary design pieces that she has assembled over the years. Expect pieces that are quirky and eclectic, and showcase à la mode Milan style.

Time Out tip: Visit during Milan Design Week (in April) to see the depot at its buzzing, lively best. 

Address: Viale Vincenzo Lancetti, 34, 20158 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-1pm and 2pm-7pm. Closed on Sundays

Price: The furniture here is pricey – but it’s completely free to have a snoop

What is it? This sprawling 18th-century farmhouse is a little strip of countryside in the big city.

Why go? Restored way back in 2002, the Cascina Cuccagna property houses a restaurant, Un Posto a Milano, with a seasonal menu featuring produce supplied by local farms. There is also a garden, farmers’ market, guest house, communal spaces and a bar, which has become a favourite spot among young creatives and families for aperitivo.

Time Out tip: It’s not just eating you can do here – there are also a variety of workshops, from cooking to crafts. These cost around €10-€20 per session. 

Address: Via Cuccagna 2/4 (corner Via Muratori), 20135 Milano MI, Italy

Opening hours: Restaurant/bar open daily 10am-1am 

Price: Mains €12–€20 each, wine around €25 per bottle