24 hours in MILAN

After another stopover in Milan on the occasion of my trip to Venice where I visited this year’s Biennale, I’m now ready to share an itinerary for a short 24-hour stay in Italy’s Northern capital of funds’n’fashion.

View of the Duomo from the Novecento Museum, both landmarks durinng 24 hours in Milan — Here you can kill two birds with one stone – which is actually quite a disturbing idiom: Best view at the Duomo, Milan’s cathedral, from one of the city’s nicest museums.

As always, when putting together these itineraries, I had in mind a stopover between flights or a quick break on a road trip down south. If you can stay longer and experience more of Milan, check out my recent post Best Things to Do on a Long Weekend in Milan for inspiration and information.

Of course, you won’t be able to see all there is in only 24 hours. But since Milan has much fewer touristy sights to offer than most other Italian cities, a day will definitely allow you to see the most important landmarks. Unless, of course, you lose yourself somewhere between the posh designer stores.

Local Currency

Euro (EUR) / 1 EUR = 1.07 US$ as of July 2024 / current rate

Emergency Contacts

Carabinieri (Police) 112

Fire Department 115

National Airline

Italia Trasporto Aereo ITA

Airports

Malpensa Airport, IATA Code: MXP

Linate Airport, IATA Code: LIN

Tourist Info Online and Onsite

Official Tourist Information of the Municipality of Milano and YesMilano
Via dei Mercanti, 8

They are open from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends, they are open only at 2.30 p.m.

Getting Downtown and Back

No matter what people say about Italy, I’ve been there so often and I really like their public transport system that brings you to almost everywhere at a reasonable price.

Two train lines connect Terminal 1 with the center of Milan. The Malpensa Express runs every 20 – 40 minutes. It stops at Milano Centrale, Cadorna and Porta Garibaldi stations. The journey, which takes around 50 minutes, costs 13 €uro and trains run approximately every 15 minutes.

The ride with the Terravision shuttle buses costs only 10 €uro and, with normal traffic, takes just as long as the train journey. If you buy a round trip, you only pay a total of 16 €uro!

From Linate airport you have to take a coach, there is no train connection.
There is also a bus connecting both airports. So getting to the city center and back is really a piece of cake.

Tram in Milan — My favorite means of public transportation are the old trams.

A single ticket costs 2.20 €uros and is valid for 90 minutes after stamping. During these 90 minutes, you can travel as much and as often as you like. Hence, if you’re fast, you can use your single ticket even for a round trip.

Gone are the days when you had to get your ticket at a Tabacchi, hence a kiosk. Nowadays, if you prefer, you can just tap your NFC-equipped credit card, and you’re good to go – literally.

However, you can save lots of money by purchasing a 24-hour Milano Card which allows you unlimited use of public transportation for as little as 7.60 €uros. Unfortunately, you cannot buy it from the driver, but need to get it at a ticket machine or a vendor like a Tabacchi.

Morning Activities

You cannot visit Milan and without visiting the Duomo. With the option to climb to the roof, a visit is a must!

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, aka the Duomo, is one of the largest churches in the world. Construction began in 1386, yet, it was not finished by the tim it was consecrated almost 200 years later. Then, construction continued to be rather bumpy. In fact, it took almost six centuries to complete this Gothic masterpiece!

Duomo di Milano — The view from the Duomo’s roof terrace is pretty outstanding.

Today, the Duomo with its intricate façade boasts an impressive 3,400 towers and statues. Also, one entrance is not enough. Therefore, there are five portals leading inside. The most beautiful one is, of course, the central portal with bronze doors showing the seven delights of Mariae in comparison to her seven sorrows.

I’d argue that to visitors, the cathedral’s most alluring feature is the roof that can be walked upon. Up there, you can take a close look at the lavishly constructed stonemasonry and the golden statue of Madonnina, the city’s protector. Obviously, you also have an unobstructed view of the entire city and beyond; on clear days all the way to the Alps!

The Cathedral is open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. as long as there is no service taking place. The roof terrace opens only at 9 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m., however, the last admission is already at 6.10 p.m. The museum and San Gottardo Church are open from Thursday to Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

There are various ticket options and different combo tickets available. When planning your visit, you should definitely check out their website for the version that suits you best and preferably also purchase your ticket right away online to avoid standing for hours in long queues.

Around the Piazza del Duomo

Right next to the cathedral is another famous landmark, namely the oldest covered shopping mall in the world. In 1865, in celebration of the unification of Italy, King Vittorio Emanuele II laid the foundation stone for the Galleria named after him, which was then built within three years.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan — Entrance to the world’s probably most elegant shopping mall.

Designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni, the complex consists of two intersecting wings spanned by a barrel-shaped glass roof. Everything is lavishly decorated with stucco, frescoes, and marble.

Probably hardly any of those who are pressing their noses against the shop windows of Armani, Gucci, Prada, and Versage realize that this structure was a momentous signifier of national identity. After all, an Italian state was only proclaimed in 1859.

Travelling way back in time: In the middle of Milan in the Middle Ages, before the Milan Cathedral was even thought of, the Piazza dei Mercanti emerged in the 13th century as a central craft and trading center.

Piazza Mercanti in Milan — A fountain from the 16th century still stands between the Palazzo della Ragione and Loggia degli Osii.

Today, it is just a few steps west of the Piazza del Duomo and surrounded by many historic buildings.

Morning Activities

Although Milan does not overwhelm its visitors with statues, alleys, and façades like Rome, Florence, or Venice, there are some great museums to enjoy on rainy days.

One of my favorites is the Galleria D’Arte Moderna di Milano GAM. It shows art from the 19th century in the neo-classicist Villa Reale. The palace was built at the end of the 18th century as Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte and was Count Ludovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso’s posh home.

Besides the wonderful paintings from Italian Romanticism, Divisionism, and Futurism, you get to see late neoclassicist sculptures set among the ancient decorations and furniture of the majestic rooms and halls.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. and the general admission is only 5 €uros.

To get to another great venue, you just have to cross the villa’s inner courtyard. There you’ll find the Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, in short PAC.

This small art venue does not display a permanent collection, but organizes temporary exhibitions. Over the years, I have seen extraordinary shows there. Interestingly, art from countries that are not as much the focus of the art world such as Cameroon, Congo, and Cuba.
The PAC is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., on Thursdays even until 10.30 p.m. The general entrance fee is 8 €uro.

Hungry for lunch yet? Although on a nice day, you could walk to the pizza place in less than 20 minutes, you might not wanna do it in the rain. No problem, hop on the M1 at Palestro, get off at Duomo, and rush to Via Dogana. It’s literally just one minute from the stop.

Lunch

I’m a sucker for carbohydrates, and unfortunately, it shows. However, Italy to me is food heaven! Not only for the pasta. Mainly for all those snacks to go like Pizza, Focaccia, Pannini – there’s dough everywhere.

Pizza at Spontini — A big slice of pizza with ham and *carciofi*, artichoke hearts.

If you actually only have one day in Milan and want to eat something delicious without sitting in a restaurant for hours, you can eat a juicy piece of pizza at Spontini. The Milanese do that too.

That’s why Spontini has several branches in the city. The best location is on Via Dogana, just a few meters from the cathedral. It’s easy to reach even on rainy days, as the Duomo subway station is a minute away and the tram station is right outside the door.

Afternoon Activities

Now it’s time to work off those calories from the lavishly topped pizza. Simply stroll from the Piazza del Duomo up the straight Via Orefici towards the Castello Sforzesco.

Via Orefici in Milan — Walking down Via Orefici towards the Castle.

The Visconti family commissioned the fortress in the 14th century. In the 15th century, it underwent significant transformations under Duke Francesco Sforza who had married Bianca Maria Visconti in 1441. Over the centuries, many architects like Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante have altered and completed it. Today, you can visit the fortress’ grounds and external structures free of charge. Actually, they are also a popular excursion destination among Milaneses.

Rondanini Pietà by Michelangelo — Rondanini Pietà in Milan

Obviously, if you want to visit one of the museums housed in the castle, you have to buy a ticket. For only 8 €uros, the galleries can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Particularly worth seeing is Pietà Rondanini, Michelangelo’s last and unfinished masterpiece. You’ll find it at the ancient Spanish Hospital in the castle’s Cortile delle Armi.

In comparison to other Italian cities, Milan is a very green metropolis with lots of lovely greeneries and spacious lush parks.

Parco Sempione in Milan — If you choose to walk, you can enjoy the scenic Parco Sempione, basically the Castello’s fancy backyard.

The nicest one is definitely Parco Sempione right behind the Castello Sforzesco in the heart of the historic center. Designed by Emilio Alemagna, it was established in 1888.

Afternoon Activities

I admit that the activities I suggest for a rainy day do not differ that much from those on a sunny day. At least much less than in the 24-hour itineraries I put together for other cities. That’s because even on a sunny day, you have to see the Duomo. Otherwise, it’s like visiting Paris without…you know what. Also, as you have lunch at Spontini’s, it’s just a short walk to the other side of the Piazza del Duomo. And if there’s heavy rain, you can just walk below the arcades of the surrounding buildings.

Nevertheless, on a rainy day, you probably won’t be allowed to walk around on the roof terrace for security reasons. Never mind, you get a good view of the Duomo and its surroundings from a neighboring building that houses another great museum, namely the Museo del Novecento.

The Duomo, or more precisely, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the largest churches in the world. Construction began in 1386, yet, it was not finished when it was finally consecrated almost 200 years later. In total, it took almost six centuries to complete this Gothic masterpiece! But it wall worth the wait as today, with its columns and stained glass windows, the cathedral is absolutely beautiful.

The Cathedral is open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. as long as there is no service taking place. To check out the various ticket options and different combo tickets, go to their website and make sure to book your ticket online.

Museo del Novecento

As I said above, right next to the Duomo is the Museo del Novecento. This art museum houses works from the 20th century.
So why is it called the Museum of 900?
Great question!
In contrast to most countries, Italians don’t refer to centuries retroactively. So when we talk about the 20th century, we mean the years from 1900 to 1999.
This is different in Italy: The so-called Novecento defines the period from 1900.

Piazza del Duomo in Milan — View of the busy Piazza del Duomo.

Therefore, the museum has an interesting permanent exhibition of all the famous Italian futurists and constructivists, but they also organize inspiring special exhibitions.

Already the building as such is very intriguing since they basically pulled a modern glass construction over the old structures so these are still visible. Also, from the upper floors, you have an unobstructed view of the Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral, and the adjacent streets.

For a general entrance fee of 9.50 €uros, you can visit the galleries from Friday to Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

My Tip:

There is a Tourist Museum Card including all the so-called Musei Civici di Milano, hence, the Municipal Museums of Milan. For as little as 12 €uros, you have the opportunity to visit not only the castle, but among others also the Museo del Novecento, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, and many more. You can purchase the Museum Card online as well as at the ticket office of each of the participating museums.

Dinner

A visit to one of the most beautiful and definitely hippest neighborhoods in Milan can be perfectly combined with a dinner to round off the day. To do this, simply take tram #2 or #14 to Piazzale Antonio Cantore. From there it’s just a five-minute walk to Naviglio Grande.

The so-called Navigli, actually, that’s the plural of Naviglio, were waterways, dug to facilitate the transportation of goods to and through the city. Basically like the Grachten in Amsterdam or the Fleete in Hamburg. Today, this area full of shops, bars, and restaurants attracts crowds of nighthawks and mosquitos alike.

The latter species is the reason why I suggest having dinner at the Le Striatelle di Nonna Mafalda which is located in a sidestreet a bit remote from the waters. They are open every day for lunch from 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner from 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. You get delicious no-nonsense Italian cuisine at reasonable prices.

Nightcap

Although the Navigli are in the busiest neighborhood when it comes to food and drinks and joy and fun, I’d recommend taking a nightcap a bit closer to the city center and the hotel.

Aperitivo in Milan — On some days, those niblets you get with your drink might replace an entire dinner.

Northeast of the Milano Centrale station is the wonderful bar Cocktail Bar Mogamo serving an amazing variety of delicious drinks until 2 a.m.

From there, it’s only a five-minute walk to the Doria Grand Hotel*.

Accommodation

Especially if you are on a layover and need to get back to the airport in the early morning, staying close to either Milano Centrale station is the best option, and the Doria Grand Hotel* is a pleasant place at a reasonable price and a short 10-minute walk from the main train station where also the airport bus station is located.

Booking.com

Nevertheless, on this map, you can choose from various lodging options according to your budget and a location that’s convenient for you*:

Booking.com

Map

This map should help you to easily find all the wonderful places I’m introducing in this post. To switch between the itineraries for a sunny and a rainy day just open the legend at the left upper corner and you can hide or unhide the respective layer as you wish. This way, the map will show only the section you really need and be more clear.

Need more ideas for what to do in Milan? You’ll find a comprehensive guide in my post Best Things to Do on a Long Weekend in Milan.

Note: If you have a couple of days in Milan – or in case you don’t want to see the city center at all – you can easily go to one of the lakes North of Milan like Lago di Como – which is my favorite – or Lago di Garda – which is everybody else’s favorite.
Since the train ride takes about an hour and you don’t even have to go downtown to take it but can hop on right at Malpensa, it’s a great opportunity to check out this world-famous lakeland.