Destination Guides: Milan, Italy - Attractions

Meazza (San Siro) Stadium

Via Piccolomini 5, Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 404 2432
Milan's Meazza Stadium was named after Giuseppe Meazza, a famous football (soccer) player who played for both the Inter and Milan city teams It now has a capacity of around 85,000 and is Italy's number one stadium. It is also often referred to as San Siro, after the surrounding district. An enormous sculpture of a horse was created in 1999 and placed between the Meazza Stadium and the nearby San Siro racetrack. It was actually designed by Leonardo da Vinci, who never found time to construct it himself.

Palazzo Marino

Piazza della Scala, Milan, Italy
Designed in 1558 by Galeazzo Alessi for the banker Tommaso Marino, construction started shortly afterwards. It was not completed until 1892. It has been Milan's town hall since 1860 and was the birthplace of Marianna de Leyva, the famous nun of Monza.

Palazzo Reale

Piazza del Duomo
Tel: +39 02 8646 1394

Sunday to Wednesday - 09:30 to 20:00 (14:00 on Monday)
Thursday to Saturday - 09:30 to 23:00
The Palazzo Reale is located in central Milan and was the seat of the commune administration in the 11th century. It was completely rebuilt in the 1330s and became the headquarters of the lords of Milan. In 1598 it housed the first permanent theatre in Milan and Mozart performed there when has was a child. The city purchased the building in 1965 and converted it into offices and museums, including the Civico Museo d'Arte Contemporanea (CIMAC), which contains a futuristic art collection.
 
Palazzo della Ragione

Piazza Mercanti, Milan, Italy
Built in 1233 by the chief magistrate Oldrado da Tresseno, this courthouse is also often referred to as 'Broletto Nuovo'.   The first floor was used as the law court. Underneath, busy markets were held and in 1773, another story was added, to house the notorial archive.

Cimitero Monumentale (Cemetery)

Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale, Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 8846 5600

Tuesday to Sunday - 08:30 to 17:15

Free map available at the entrance
The Cimitero Monumentale contains many tombs and shrines produced by famous sculptors. It was created in 1866 and covers more than 250,000 square metres. Highlights include the Famedio (House of Fame), a pantheon-style building where many well-known people are buried and numerous tombs and shrines, many of which are works of art. 

 
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Piazza della Scala

Milan, Italy
This is a large and elegant arcade, lined with shops, bookstores, cafes and a famous restaurant, Savini. Designed to join the Piazza della Scala and Piazza del Duomo, construction started in 1865. The gallery was opened just two years later by the king, Vittorio Emanuele II, its namesake. It features a 155 foot high glass dome, standing above the central octagonal area and some intricate mosaics on the floor.

Palazzo Borromeo

Piazza Borromea

Milan, Italy
Situated in central Milan, this grand 15th-century palace was badly damaged by bombing in 1943 and much of it has since been rebuilt and restored. There are courtyards, many frescoes and in one room, Sala dei Giochi, there is a large, well-known painting of the aristocracy playing games, where the original blue of the sky has undergone a chemical reaction which has changed its color to red.

 

Palazzo Cusani

Via Brera, Milan, Italy
This palace, situated in north-east Milan, was originally built around 500 years ago and was completely rebuilt by Giovanni Ruggeri in 1797.  He designed the  Brocade facade, ornate windows and balconies. It is widely thought that twin entrances were built for the Cusani brothers, so that they could both have separate access. In the 19th century, the palazzo was the seat of the Ministry of War.

Palazzo Litta

Corso Magenta 24, Milan, Italy
Tel: 02 8846 5720

Daily
The Palazzo Litta was built in 1648 for Count Bartolomeo Arese by Francesco Maria Richini. Some100 years later,  the interior was updated and the pink facade was added by the heirs.  The palace is widely believed to be one of the most beautiful examples of 18th-century architecture in the region. Highlights include many stunning rooms, a typical 17th-century courtyard, a grand staircase decorated with marble and a room that still has the original 18th-century wallpaper. Since 1905, the palace has housed the State Railways offices.

Fiera di Milano (Trade Fair)

Largo Domodossola 1, Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 499 71
Founded in 1920, the Trade Fair was set up in Milan to help boost the domestic market in postwar Italy. Originally there were a number of pavilions and buildings, many of which were destroyed in the Second World War, although some Art Nouveau buildings are still standing and in good condition. Each year the Fiera di Milano attracts almost 3 million visitors and over 30,000 exhibitors.

Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi

Via Conservatorio 12, Milan, Italy
The Giuseppe Verdi Music Conservatory in south-east Milan was founded in 1808.  Over the years many renowned musicians and composers have studied here, although Verdi himself was actually refused admission when he was young. It  houses an extensive collection of musical instruments and  an impressive library with over 30,000 books and almost 500,000 pieces of music.

Palazzo di Guistizia

Corsa di Porta Vittoria, Milan, Italy
The Palazzo di Guistizia was built between 1932 to 1940 in southeast Milan and is home to the Milan Law Courts, notorial Acts Archive, 1,200 rooms, 65 law courts and also some contemporary works of art.

Palazzo Isimbardi

Corso Monforte 35, Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 7740 2973
Dating back to the 15th-century, Milan's Palazzo Isimbardi has been enlarged over the years by the many noble families who lived there. It 1775 is was purchased by Isimbardi who soon made many alterations of his own. It has been the seat of the Milan Provincial Government since 1935 and was only recently opened to the general public. It is situated in southeast Milan.  Highlights include original herringbone pattern paving, many interesting and highly decorated rooms, works of art, frescoes, glass chandeliers and a landscaped garden.

Palazzo Sormani Andreani

Corsa di Porta Vittoria 6, Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 782 219

Monday to Saturday – 09:00 to 19:30
Constructed in the 18th century, Milan's Palazzo Sormani Andreani was enlarged shortly after and quickly became one of the most extravagant residences in Milan. After the end of the Second World War, the palace became the home of the Municipal Library and now houses Stendhal's private library. With over 600,000 works, including over a newspaper library with more than 20,000 Italian and foreign papers, a record / CD collection and much more, this is the largest library in Milan.
 
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio

Piazza Sant'Ambrogio 15 MM2 Sant'Ambrogio), Milan.

Phone 02-8645-0895.

The basilica is open Monday-Saturday 7 am-noon and 2:30-7 pm, Sunday 7 am-7:45 pm. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-noon and 3-5 pm, Sunday 3-5 pm. Entrance to the basilica is free, Small museum - admission is charged. No credit cards.

This church was built in the fourth century by St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan and Milan's patron saint. It has been enlarged and rebuilt over the centuries, but the stunning fourth-century chapel with its fifth-century gold mosaic dome is still standing and was recently restored. The museum houses beautiful frescoes, Flemish tapestries and paintings, sculpture, liturgical objects and illuminated manuscripts. Self-guided audio tours are available in English

Basilica San Lorenzo

Corso di Porta Ticinese 39 (bus 94; tram 3), Milan

Phone 02-8940-4129
Daily 7:30 am-6:30 pm. 2 euros. No credit cards.

One of the oldest central-plan churches in the world (from the fifth century), this site reused 16 second-century Roman columns in the church's portico. The central plan  has many eastern, Byzantine elements

Castello Sforzesco

Inside Parco Sempione on Piazza Cairoli

MM1 Cairoli or Cadorna, MM2 Cadorna or Lanza), Milan.

Phone 02-8846-3700.
The castle is open daily 9:30 am-5:30 pm; the museums are open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30 -5:30 Admission to the castle and its museums is free

Admission is charged for the weekend castle tour.  

Built at the end of the 14th century, this red brick castle is one of the city's most imposing landmarks. It now houses several museums: Museo d'Arte Antica, whose most notable piece is the Rondanini Pieta by Michelangelo, which was left unfinished at his death; the Pinacoteca, a collection of paintings and frescoes; and Egyptian and prehistoric collections. Tour offered Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm, through the castle. Bring a flashlight and good walking shoes.

Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie

Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie MM1/MM2 Cadorna or Conciliazone), Milan.

Monday-Saturday 7:30 am-noon and 3-7 pm, Sunday 3:30-6:30 pm. Free

Phone 02-4801-4248.
The Last Supper is displayed  in the refectory next door.   The church of Milan's ruling classes, it was built in late-Gothic style in 1465. At the end of the century, Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, commissioned the architect Bramante to complete the dome and apse in the Renaissance styleThe church also has elaborate frescoes and carved wooden paneling.

The Duomo

Piazza del Duomo MM1/MM3 Duomo), Milan.

Phone 02-8646-3456.

Daily 7 am-7 pm. The rooftop is open March-October daily 9 am-5:45 pm, November-February daily 9 am-4:15 pm. There is a charge go up on the roof:  the stairs cost a little less than the elevator. 
Almost five centuries in the making, the Duomo is the most recognizable symbol of Milan. Begun in the 14th century, the Milan Cathedral is a combination of Gothic and baroque styles. More than 2,000 statues and 135 marble spires stand on its exterior, and almost 500 more statues adorn the interior. Inside, visitors can view the splendidly attired remains of St. Charles Borromeo, a cardinal known as an advocate for the poor, and the tomb of Gian Giacomo Medici. A climb to the rooftop provides one of the finest views of the city and a closer look at the statue of the Virgin Mary atop the Duomo's spire. (This statue commands such reverence that until recently, laws prohibited the construction of buildings taller than its height at 354 feet.)

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Built in 1865, this beaux-arts architectural beauty was the  cruciform gallery, with its soaring glass-and-steel roof and mosaic floors, has many small shops.

The Last Supper

Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2), Milan.

Phone 02-8942-1146 for reservations.

Tuesday-Sunday 8:15 am-7 pm (last entrance is at 6:45 pm). Guided tours in English are offered Tuesday-Sunday at 9:30 am and 3:30 pm
Leonardo da Vinci painted this famous fresco, known in Italy as the Cenacolo Vinciano, between 1495 and 1498 on the wall of the monastery refectory, or dining hall, attached to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. During the bombing of Milan in World War II, the refectory was almost completely destroyed. One of the few parts left intact was the wall with the fresco, which had been covered from floor to ceiling with sandbags. The fresco has had five restorations

Fondazione Antonio Mazzotta

Foro Bonoparte 50, between Castello Sforzesco and the Piccolo Teatro

MM1 Cairoli or MM2 Lanza), Milan.

Phone 02-878-197.

Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-7:30 pm. 6.20 Admission charged.
This foundation, established in a 19th-century textile factory in 1988, presents three exhibits of contemporary art per year. It also has a permanent collection of works on paper by such artists as Goya, Modigliani, Boccioni, Kandinsky, Matisse, Warhol and others.

Museo Civico Archeologico

Corso Magenta 15

MM1/MM2 Cadorna, Milan.

Phone 02-8645-0011.
Tuesday-Sunday 9 am-5:30 pm. Free. Purchase a pamphlet in English for a very low cost.
A former monastery filled with everyday objects, some dating back to Etruscan times.

Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica

Via San Vittore 21

MM2 Sant' Agostino, Milan.

Phone 02-485-551.

Tuesday-Friday 9:30 am-5 pm; Saturday and Sunday 9:30 am-6:30 pm. Admission charged; No credit cards.
Both children and adults enjoy the National Museum of Science and Technology, a homage to Leonardo da Vinci: It is very crowded on school days. Although it highlights da Vinci's scientific work with models and plans of his many inventions, it covers a wide span of modern technology, including trains, cars, airplanes and even an Italian submarine. Hands-on displays let you experiment with how things work. Most of the exhibit descriptions are in Italian, but the spacious Renaissance monastery setting adds to the experience.

Museo Teatra alla Scala

While the historic opera house undergoes restoration, the museum is in a temporary location in the Palazzo Busca, overlooking the Piazza Santa Marie delle Grazie. Daily 9 am-6 pm.

Palazzo Busca, Collegio San Carlo, Corso Magenta 71 MM1 Conciliazione or MM2/FNME Cadorna, Milan.

Phone 02-469-1249.

The La Scala Museum contains a collection of items having to do with opera, including theater costumes and stage sets, puppets and instruments. One of the most fascinating items is the composer Verdi's death mask.

Osservatorio Astronomico

Via Brera 28 MM2 Lanza), Milan.

Phone 02-7232-0301.

The observatory itself is open two days a month, though sometimes there are night sessions for viewing the stars.

Monday-Friday 9 am-12:30 pm, 1:30-4 pm. Museum, free; observatory charge.

The observatory, one of 12 in all of Italy, has been located in the Palazzo Brera since 1765. There you can visit the museum of antique astronomical instruments, the observatory where the canals on Mars were first charted and the rooftop where meteorological measurements have been made for 200 years. Guided tour times vary by season

Palazzo Reale

Piazza Duomo 12 MM1/3, Milan.

Phone 02-3932-2737 for information; 02-875-672 to reserve tickets.
Hours and ticket prices vary according to individual exhibits. Credit card payment accepted only by telephone
This beautiful 18th-century palazzo houses the CIMAC, the city museum of contemporary art, which has an important permanent collection of 20th-century art as well as changing exhibits. Milan's first theater company played there, and Mozart also performed there as a child. Most of the original interiors were bombed in World War II, but the spectacular Sala delle Cariatidi survived.

Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

Piazza Pio XI 2 MM1/MM3 Duomo or Cordusio, Milan.

Phone 02-806-921.

Tuesday-Sunday 10-5:30
Established in the early 1600s by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, this collection of paintings is in a 17th-century palazzo that is superb in itself. The impressive collection of mostly Italian art is grouped in rooms by century, providing an intimate viewing experience. Caravaggio's The Fruit Basket, Italy's first still-life painting, is probably the most important work in the collection. Another rare treasure is a series of small paintings by Jan Bruegel.

Pinacoteca di Brera

Via Brera 28 MM3 Montenapoleone, MM2 Lanza, Milan.

Phone 02-722-631.

Tuesday-Sunday 10:30 am-8:30 pm. An audio guide is available at a small charge.
Considered one of the finest galleries in Italy, it contains works by Raphael, Bellini and Tiepolo. Andrea Mantegna's Cristo Morto is a major attraction.

Triennale di Milano

Viale Alemagna 6

MM1/MM2 FNME Cadorna, Milan.

Giardini Pubblici

Corso Venezia

MM1 Porta Venezia or Palestro, MM3 Turati, Milan.
Daily 6:30 am-sunset. Free.
The oldest (from 1786) and largest park in Milan, it was originally planned by the architect who designed the La Scala opera house. It's a great spot for children, with a merry-go-round, go-karts and three lakes.

Orto Botanico

Via Brera 28

MM3 Montenapoleone, MM2 Lanza, Milan.

Phone 02-5031-4696.
Monday-Friday 9:30 -4:30. Free.
These lovely gardens are in the heart of the chic Brera neighborhood, on the grounds of the Palazzo Brera itself. You can combine a visit there with stops at the observatory and the Brera art gallery for a culturally enlightening day.

Parco Sempione

Starts at Piazza Cairoli and stretches about 1 mile 

MM1 Cairoli, Milan.

Open daily at 6:30 am; closes in October at 9 pm, November-February at 8 pm, March and April at 9 pm, May at 10 pm and June-September at 11:30 pm. Free.
This large park near the center of Milan is home to the Castello Sforzesco, the Palazzo dell'Arte and the Torre Branca. On Sundays, it's a major meeting place, filled with people walking, playing ball, lounging on the grass or playing music. A large monument, the Peace Arch, sits at the northwest side of the park. It was originally commissioned to mark Napoleon's victorious entrance into Milan, but the Austrians assumed power before it was finished.