Love, Hate & Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Milan (Honest Guide from an Italy Expat)
If you’re heading to Milan for the Winter Olympics, or for anything else, you’re in the right place. I lived in Milan for three years and married a true Milanese. Together, we put together our version of a travel guide to Milan, to tell you all the secrets we wish more visitors knew before visiting this deeply underrated Italian city.
These are our personal, local tips – exactly what we tell friends when they’re visiting the city we both love… and sometimes hate.
Like most places, Milano is more complicated than it might seem at first. There’s more to this Northern Italian city than its high-fashion fame might lead you to believe.
So let’s start with a little personal introduction to the capital of the Lombardia region:
What I Hate about Milan
The first thing to know is that Milan is – and I say this almost with admiration – the least friendly city in all of Italy.
That middle finger statue is one of my favorite things to see in Milan, and definitely should be on your list for a self-guided walking tour. (More on that below.)
Milan is also the place with the worst food in all of Italy, which is kind of like being the worst athlete at the Olympics. Milan’s food is still better than many places in the world, and I’m from the US – a country that, at least in Italy, is best known for diner coffee, obesity, and hot dogs. So who am I to talk?
Milan is also known for traffic, and with that traffic, plus industrialization, comes some of the worst air quality in Europe. That’s bad enough, but combine it with Lombardia’s famous fog, and winters in the city can be much less pleasant than Milan’s boiling summers.
(Fun fact: “Nebbia” means fog in Italian. In the Milanese dialect, it’s “schigera,” which goes to show how wildly different Italy’s local dialects can be! Less fun: The fog is getting less common, and yes, it’s because of climate change.)
The second-biggest city in Italy (with about 1.3 million very busy people), Milan definitely doesn’t have as much of that “outdoor museum” quality as you’ll find in Rome, for example, a city where it feels like there’s an ancient relic around every corner, not even trying to hide in plain sight.
(On my first visit to Rome, when I had just moved to Italy, I found this adorable stone foot completely by accident, by wandering down a random street. The city has since added a small fence around it, but at the time, it wasn’t even on the map, or officially recognized in any way. It remains one of my favorite things in Rome.)
Milano is much more of a working city. It’s where people from all over the country move, especially for professional jobs. You certainly won’t feel that “dolce vita” energy here. No, no.
In Milan, people walk fast.
They have places to go. Offices to fill in skyscrapers. Papers to push.
And work they must, because Milan has long been the most expensive city in Italy, and prices have gotten much worse recently. Expect to pay 20 – 30 euros for a pasta dish or risotto (“un primo”) in Milan. A cappuccino will run you 3 to 5 euros, which is a shock for anyone arriving from Sicily, Campania or the beautiful Marche region.
Most Milanese don’t have time for long lunches or early aperitivo dates. In fact, Milan is the home of the “aperi-cena,” or “aperitivo-dinner,” a relatively cheap way for young working people to get dinner (usually buffet style) and a drink for under 20 euros.
(Note: As I’ve mentioned before, people often translate aperitivo as “happy hour,” but that’s just not it.)
What I Love about Milan
But Milan, the city of Madonnina, the adopted home of Leonardo da Vinci, and home of my favorite sports team, still has a lot to offer… if you know where to look.
It’s a city full of energy and young people. Creativity, protest and design are vibrant here. There’s music, theater, beautiful parks, gorgeous courtyards, unique architecture, skyscrapers like you won’t find anywhere else in Italy and, of course, art – contemporary art, street art, and ancient art. It’s all here.
Speaking of da Vinci, if you want to see his most famous work (of the ones in Milan), The Last Supper, make sure you book ahead of time. (More on that below.)
And while the workaholic energy is palpable here, at least it’s authentic. Milan has been one of the economic capitals of the Italian peninsula for centuries, long before the Republic of Italy existed.
In fact, that’s why Leonardo first moved here, in 1482 – for a better job. And if you’re interested in Da Vinci, the Renaissance, and Italian history, I highly recommend this Da Vinci biography.
These are the other books on my Italy reading list:
And the fact that the city doesn’t have as much ancient history as Rome means that at least they’ve been able to build a decent subway system, so getting around with public transit is much easier than in other Italian cities.
(Every time they start digging to build a new metro line in Rome, they discover a new archeological site. So Italy’s capital city still only has two subway lines, and countless epic traffic jams.)
Hopefully all of that gives you a sense of the place. I think it should.
Now, let’s get into a few details for your trip to Milan, starting with the most important part: the food.
How to eat well in Milan
Never eat in a restaurant within three blocks of the Duomo, or the cathedral. That’s good advice for anywhere you go in Italy, but it’s especially true in Milan because of what I said at the top about the food. You have to know where to look, but there are great restaurants in the city.
You’ll find our recommendations in my post about our favorite restaurants all over Italy. (Save it for later!)
Milan has a totally different local cuisine from the famous Italian dishes you’ve heard of like carbonara (from Rome) or pizza (from Naples).
Of course, you’ll still find those in restaurants in Milan, but make sure you also try the true local flavors like Risotto alla Milanese, which is saffron risotto, often served with osso buco, but vegetarian-friendly if you order it without the bone.
Cotoletta (veal schnitzel) is another classic Milanese dish, and polenta is the staple of Northern Italy, often served with fontina, gorgonzola, or another northern Italian cheese.
(The valley of the Po River has always been farm land and the traditional dishes aren’t very vegetarian-friendly. But lots of Italian dishes are! I’ve written up several of our favorite vegetarian Italian recipes to try.)
Also, my surprisingly controversial take on the Italian diet is a must-read.
Neighborhoods & Things to Do in Milan
There’s so much to do here, but below are our “local” opinions on a few of Milan’s main neighborhoods and attractions. Some are famous for a reason, some are overrated, some are quiet spots we just enjoy.
Wander and enjoy Art
If you love art, you’ll be in heaven in Milan. There are galleries and museums literally everywhere, so it’s hard to narrow down where to go. I recommend wandering.
The Brera district is home to many of them. It’s expensive, exclusive, and usually crowded with tourists, but still absolutely worth a visit. You can enjoy the medieval and Renaissance art of the famous Pinacoteca di Brera, or other museums, or just wander the narrow, cobble-stoned streets.
This is a neighborhood that really does feel like an outdoor museum (so take that, Rome).
See the Last Supper
Da Vinci’s Last Supper is probably the most famous work of art in Milan, which is why entrance tickets are timed and book out weeks, if not months, in advance.
It’s inside the Santa Maria Della Grazie church and convent, which is impressive on its own, and is absolutely worth seeing. (Remember – NO flash photography!)
You can book your ticket to the Last Supper here (directly with the museum, no third-party). Or book a private tour of the Last Supper, with an English-speaking guide.
Walk through Milan’s “Central Park”
The huge park at the center of the city is what makes Milan livable. It’s a city of very little green space, so Parco Sempione provides a green lung, as well as a place to touch grass when you’re tired of stone and concrete.
At the northwestern end is the Arco della Pace, the Arch of Peace, like Paris’ Arc du Triomphe, but smaller (don’t tell Italians). There are lots of great wine bars around here, and they’re a bit less touristy than the ones in Brera and quieter than the ones around the canals of Navigli (below).
At the southeastern end of the park is the Castello Sforzesco, Milan’s castle. Not as dramatic as a fairytale German mountain castle, perhaps, but historic and impressive.
Check out Chinatown
Just north of Parco Sempione, Milan’s Chinatown is definitely full of affordable restaurants and kitschy Chinese stores. Via Paolo Sarpi, the pedestrian-ish walking street, is home to many of them and definitely worth a visit.
(NOTE: “Pedestrian-only” would be too generous of a term. Sarpi is closed to cars, but hosts bikers, scooters and delivery people traveling at highway-like speeds. Be aware of your surroundings.)
See Milan’s most iconic statue
That middle finger statue above? Nope, not an AI invention (nothing I publish ever is). It’s a real artwork that was planted in Piazza degli Affari, right in front of the Italian stock exchange, after the 2008 financial crisis.
It’s generally interpreted as a gesture to both finance and fascism, since the hand would make a fascist salute, if it had all its fingers. The neighborhood is pretty quaint compared with Wall Street, but this part isn’t subtle at all.
The statue is also on the edge of the Cinque Vie neighborhood, which dates to the Middle Ages and is one of my favorite places for a quiet wander in Milano.
See the Bone Church
If you spend much time in Europe, you might eventually get tired of looking at old churches. They’re beautiful, but after a while, they’re pretty much all the same.
That is not the case for San Bernardino Alle Ossa. Just a few minutes’ walk East of the Duomo, this church has a side chapel that’s extremely unique. It’s decorated with hundreds of human skulls and femurs. Macabre, but intriguing.
Go shopping…
Milan is absolutely known for shopping. Some of the most popular (basic) options are the ultra-high-fashion designers on Via Spiga, the high-ish fashion brands on Corso Como and in the Rinascente Mall (right next to the Duomo and the gorgeous but crowded Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II).
Those are all fun places for a wander, but honestly, they’re all selling stuff you can find in any city.
Another street I enjoy for shopping is Corso Garibaldi (on the way to Corso Como, but not quite as fancy, though still not unique, local designers).
Via Piero Della Francesca is a bit more out of the way, and has some small shops selling local brands and hand-made items! If you walk it from North to South, you’ll be close to both Via Sarpi (Chinatown) and Parco Sempione.
… Or go vintage shopping
But my favorite kind of shopping has undoubtedly become vintage shopping. (In fact, it’s pretty much the only shopping I do anymore, besides occasionally refreshing my favorite merino wool basics, which are the best clothes for travel, and restocking on organic cotton underwear, once the old ones have too many holes.)
For everything else, I’ve found that getting strict about buying used turns a walk in a new city into an adventure with a mission – and no guarantee of success, since every item is one-of-a-kind. And I love that. It takes me to neighborhoods I wouldn’t otherwise see in every city I visit.
And Milan is a fantastic place for vintage shopping! Look up “designer consignment stores” and you’ll find several around the city that are worth checking out.
See the Canal District (Navigli)
Milan’s Navigli neighborhood is one of those places everyone has to go when visiting Milan, but honestly it’s not my favorite.
The two canals, dating back to at least the 1200s, do have a unique charm. And the neighborhood has a good selection of funky stores (including vintage and second-hand shops) and lots of aperitivo bars.
It’s definitely known for nightlife, and every time I go there after about 7pm, it just feels like a sloppy party scene. Maybe I’m getting old?
Nearby is Italy’s best known business school, Università Bocconi. (Where yours truly got her master’s degree in sustainable business! It’s the place that eventually led me to start Tilted Map.)
Explore a hip neighborhood (Isola)
The neighborhood of Isola, which means Island, is one of those areas that was entirely working class a few years ago, and now is one of the hippest in Milan.
Isola is also where you’ll find the Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, which is the coolest piece of architecture if you’re interested in urban green spaces. (And would be a great place to live, if you happen to be an Italian football star or rapper.)
It’s just beyond Piazza Gae Aulenti, which is my favorite spot to see Milan’s modern side.
See the Three Towers
Milan’s Tre Torri, or Three Towers, are one of the newest, most modern neighborhoods, and kind of an odd place. It always feels very quiet. The architecture is a mix of unique, fancy apartment buildings surrounding three skyscrapers. It’s unique, and if you’ve got time, it’s worth a wander.
Scream your head off at San Siro
San Siro is Milan’s 75,000-seat football stadium, nicknamed “La Scala del calcio,” or the Scala (theater) of football. It’s a big deal.
(Speaking of which, seeing a classic Italian opera at the Teatro all Scala is probably a more… traditional travel guide recommendation for Milan. But what can I say – while I never, ever thought I would care, I’ve become a massive Italian football fan, so San Siro comes to mind first.)
(That’s the football Americans call soccer, by the way. And my team is Inter, not AC Milan. I think I’m ready for my Italian passport, per favore.)
Both of Milan’s pro soccer teams call San Siro home – at least for now, although there are plans to replace it.
The stadium also hosts major concerts, so you can catch something else there, or go on a tour. But I recommend a game. 🙂
Getting to Milan
Milan has three airports nearby, and more than five main train stations within the city limits, so you’ve got options.
The airports:
- Milano-Malpensa (MXP) – the biggest and best known, where most transatlantic flights arrive, but it’s actually an hour northwest of the city. You can get to the city center from MXP by shuttle bus, taxi or the Malpensa Express train.
- Linate (LIN) – the small airport that’s actually within Milan’s city limits. Locals love it.
- Bergamo (BGY) – an hour northeast of Milan is Bergamo airport, where most of the low-cost airlines fly in and out of. It’s less convenient than the others. (But Bergamo is worth a visit, so if you land there, try to stay for a night!)
I recommend booking your flight to Milan through Book Better. It’s an alternative to Kayak or Google Flights that shows useful information on more sustainable flights, and lets you invest in SAF (sustainable aviation fuel)!
The trains:
If you’re not crossing an ocean, Italy’s train system can get you just about anywhere you need to go, and usually on time.
The most important station is Milano Centrale, one of the biggest in all of Europe. Porta Garibaldi and Cadorna are also useful, especially for regional trains. Check where you’re staying on the map, and you might be able to book your train tickets from the closest station.
The creative way:
If you’re leaving Milan and looking for an adventure, also check out Byway Travel. They can create a custom train trip for you anywhere in Europe, with off the beaten path stops, and hotels included.
It’s a great way to travel to or from Milan and reduce the number of flights you have to take, while also seeing something new. (Ideal if you can get a direct flight from your city to a European hub like London, Paris, Amsterdam or Munich, but not to Milan, for example.)
I did a Byway trip from London to Prague recently and saw places I never would have known to visit on my own!
Getting Around Milan
Milan probably has the best public transportation of any Italian city, with tons of ways to get around.
There’s bike and scooter sharing everywhere, so be sure to download the apps before you go, like Lime, Bolt, RideMovi and BikeMi. (BikeMi is the original service provided by the city, and the only one that you have to park at special docks.)
Milan’s Metro, Trams & Busses
The city has five subway lines plus lots of buses and trams that run pretty close to on time, at least by Italian standards. (After all, Milan is pretty close to Switzerland, geographically and culturally.)
So you can easily stay somewhere slightly outside of the city center to save some money and have no problem getting to the center within 20 minutes or so on transit.
This is also a great way to experience a more real part of the city, like the neighborhood where I lived for three years! Full of young and old Italians, as well as immigrants from Africa, South America, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Before you fly: Data, Insurance & Other Essentials
Two things to “pack” before your trip to Milan are an eSIM, and travel insurance.
An eSIM means you’ll have data everywhere, so you can easily use bike sharing, check subway schedules, and find your way around with Google Maps, without having to buy a physical SIM card (wasting extra plastic and rare earth minerals).
I recommend Gig Sky, because it has real customer service, and switches you between carriers, so you’re not just stuck with one. There’s even a free plan you can try, and beyond that, you can use the code below to save some money:
For travel insurance, I recommend Safety Wing (the simplest, most flexible choice, which I currently have for long-term travel).
For more options, check out Insure My Trip.
For details, my Travel Resources List has all the websites and travel gear I use and recommend!
More Resources for Your Trip to Milan:
That’s all for now – I hope you enjoy your trip to Milan! If you stay as long as I did, you might end up picking up the same Italian habits that I’ve adopted.
- Our guide to train travel in Italy should answer all your questions
- Our break-down of Italian menus and dinner courses will come in handy for your meals out
- Want to get out of the city and see a part of Italy most travelers miss? Check our upcoming small group e-bikes trips!
