What to see in Milan on your own if you have only 1 day in your city. BlogoItaliano tried to draw up a short plan for you, covering the most significant sights of the city, putting them into a single integral picture. Keep in mind that Milan is a large city and in order to be in time, it is better to get up early. It is also advisable to wear comfortable shoes for a walk, because you will have to walk a lot.
Morning in Santa Maria delle Grazie
Although you can start exploring the city from almost anywhere, the starting point of our walk will be one of the main attractions of the city, located in the refectory of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is most convenient to get here by metro Milan, leaving at Cadorna station.
The monastery itself belongs to the Dominican Order and dates back to the second half of the 15th century. It is curious that the final stage of construction was carried out under the auspices of the Duke Ludovico Sforza, who attracted one of the most famous Italian architects Donato Bramante and the great Leonardo da Vinci.
The construction of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie began in the XV century.
It is to the hand of the latter that the main treasure of the temple belongs - the fresco of the Last Supper. Surprisingly, even after the devastating bombing during World War II, she survived and remained almost unscathed.
Entrance to the territory of the basilica is free, but to get into the refectory, where the fresco is located, and admire Leonardo’s masterpiece, you need to buy a ticket. It is noteworthy that the mural is considered almost Italy's most inaccessible attraction.
The Last Supper of da Vinci - the main treasure of the temple
The fact is that the Italian authorities artificially limit the number of people who can inspect the mural every day. As a result, tickets at the box office officially cost 10 Euros, but it’s almost impossible to buy them at this price.
This is because tickets for several months are bought out by resellers, large hotels and tour operators, and if you come here without preparation, you can leave with nothing.
Tickets for the Last Supper sold out in a few months
To prevent this from happening with you, we recommend booking your tickets in advance to be guaranteed to see one of Leonardo da Vinci's greatest masterpieces. You can do this on this page.
From Santa Maria delle Grazie to Sforza Castle
After seeing the Last Supper, we will go to the next famous attraction - Ambrosian Basilica. It was built in the IV century. and is one of the oldest churches in the city. Here lie the relics of the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius and the bishop Ambrosius of Mediolans, who is considered the patron saint of Milan.
Church of San Maurizio al Maggiore painted by the best masters of Italy
From here we go along Via Sant'Agnese and then right onto Corsa Magenta to church of the monastery of San Maurizio al Maggiore. In the list of what is worth seeing in Milan for 1 day, this attraction must be included without fail. The facade is unremarkable, but inside there are genuine works of art - the walls are completely covered with frescoes painted by the best masters of Italy. This place is often compared to the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
After admiring the paintings, we continue along the Corsa Magenta and turn left onto Via S. Giovanni sul Muro to a round square called Largo Cairoli. Landmark - a monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi, riding a horse, behind which is located Sforza castle.
The castle was built on the site of the residence of the Visconti family. For his existence, many owners have changed. Fort was owned by Italians, then French, then Spaniards, then again French. Today, several museums dedicated to the art, history and culture of everyday life are located in these walls.
Piazza Largo Cairoli
Among the most significant exhibits are Michelangelo's sculpture and paintings by famous Italian painters. The territory of the castle is open to all comers, but visiting museums is only possible with tickets that can be purchased at the box office on the spot.
Helpful advice: Even if you have only 1 day in Milan, we recommend installing a mobile audio guide in the city center for the iPhone. You will get a ready-made audio tour of the city center with a map on which everything is already marked, and GPS-navigation to easily find the main attractions.
The full version of the audio guide costs only € 5, but it works even without the Internet and is much cheaper than even the most budget tours. The trial version has several points that you can listen to for free.
From Sforza Castle to the Duomo and La Scala
After visiting the castle, we will return to Giuseppe Garibaldi and from there along Via Dante we will go to the most recognizable symbol of the city, without which it is impossible to even imagine a visit to Milan. Of course, it's about great Duomo on the square of the same name.
White Marble Silhouette Milan Cathedral familiar to almost everyone. Its spiers soaring into the sky, decorated with graceful stone carvings, can be admired endlessly. The interior is also not inferior: skillful statues, paintings, ancient stained glass windows, carved arches ...
The Duomo is the most recognizable symbol of Milan
There is an observation deck on the roof of the cathedral, which offers stunning views of the city. Tickets for it can be purchased online on this page.
| Check schedule and availability of tickets ››› |
You can walk along the Piazza Duomo itself. In addition to the cathedral, there are several more interesting objects: Royal Palace and Museum of Novecento.
Well, while we move on through Gallery of Victor Emanuel IIthat opposite the northern facade of the Duomo. It's no secret that Milan is the world capital of fashion and a place of pilgrimage for millions of shopaholics from around the world. This gallery is one of the first in Europe - the progenitor of modern shopping centers, so to speak. Under the roof of the passage are collected boutiques of the most prestigious brands and some of the best restaurants in the city.
In the Milan Passage, boutiques of the most prestigious brands are collected
Passing through the Gallery, you will come to the square, where the world famous La Scala Opera House. You may not have time to watch the performance, but you can enjoy the theater’s interiors without hindrance and as part of a day trip. In the daytime, there are guided tours for those who wish (25 euros per adult), and in between theater seasons there is even the opportunity to get behind the scenes.
Gallery Brera and Aperitif
From Piazza La Scala we will head to the end point of our sightseeing walk along Brera street - "Milan Montmartre". This is a street of artists, poets and writers - in general, representatives of the local bohemia. And for good reason, because it’s located here Academy of Fine Artswhere we are going. Or rather - in Pinacoteca Brera - An art gallery located in the same building.
Pinacoteca Brera is located in a luxurious palace of the XVII century.
The Pinacotheca occupied the magnificent palazzo of the 17th century, and here the works of the most famous representatives of the Italian school are collected. Rafael, Tintoretto, Piero della Francesca, Mantegna, Caravaggio, Modigliani - if you know these names, then you should definitely include the gallery in your route. You can buy tickets to the Pinakothek in advance on the Selectitaly website.
We are sure that by the end of the examination of the exposition, you should already be very hungry. And the good news is that Milan is not only a city of fashion and business, but also traditional aperitifs. An aperitif in Milan is when you order a cocktail in an institution, but at the same time you can enjoy numerous snacks for free.
The Brera Gallery contains works by Raphael, Modigliani, Caravaggio and others.
The aperitif tradition is widespread in Milan. In the period from 18:30 to 21:00 almost every second institution offers them, including the most TOP places, and this is a great way to end an eventful day with a tasty and atmospheric experience.
Milan Itinerary BlogoItaliano
Of course, Milan is much more than it allows you to write a short article format. This city is like an iceberg, where the most interesting is hidden "under the water": there are many interesting places that even the locals do not know about.
It is not surprising that many travelers during their visit to the city simply miss most of these attractions.
For those who want to take the maximum from a short visit, Blogoitaliano in the second half of 2017 developed an author's mega-detailed route in Milan for 1 day.
This is not just a guide, but a ready-made plan for the day, in which there is all the most important "from and to" so that you come to Milan as a real expert in the city and take the maximum from a one-day visit.
There are many interesting places in Milan that even local people don’t know about.
Here is what you will find inside:
- A ready-made walking route for 1 day, covering 23 of the most notable places in Milan. Both world famous and hidden.
- An interactive route map in Google Maps and tags for Maps.me so you can easily use the map on your smartphone even without internet
- PDF version of the route that you can print and take with you
- Application recommendations with high-quality and free audio tours of the city that will fully replace your guide
- Little-known "chips" and places past which most tourists pass unknowingly
- 3 viewing platforms along the way so you have cool photos
- Detailed mode of operation of the main attractions of the route
- How to get on free and budget excursions in Milan
- What to try with food and where to make a selection of places along the Route from local guides
In addition to Milan, BlogoItaliano has developed similar routes to other popular cities in Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice. You can see their full description and order any of them on this page.
To do more in Italy, sign up for our free Email course, which contains many valuable travel tips and lifehacks for travelers. And be sure to keep this article on your social network: during your visit to Milan, it will come in handy several times.
