Milan Travel Guide
First Time in Milan
The practical guide for a first visit: getting the Last Supper ticket, Duomo passes and dress codes, closing days, transport from the airports, the metro, tipping, safety and how Milan differs from Rome and Florence.
Milan rewards a little preparation more than most Italian cities. Its greatest treasure, the Last Supper, can only be seen in a short, timed slot that sells out months ahead; its museums close on different days of the week; and its charms are spread across neighbourhoods rather than packed into one historic centre. Get a few practical things right and the city opens up beautifully.
The Last Supper, step by step. Leonardo's painting is in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and visits last about fifteen minutes in small groups. The state museum releases official tickets online in blocks, usually a few months ahead: for example, tickets for September to December 2026 went on sale on 23 June 2026. Watch the official news page for the next release date and be online when it opens, because the best slots go fast and each online order is limited to a handful of tickets. Tickets are named, so bring ID. If the official tickets have sold out, book a guided tour that includes entry through an authorised reseller; it costs more but guarantees a slot and an explanation of the painting. The museum is closed on Mondays and occasionally for strikes or staff meetings, which are announced on its site. Arrive at least twenty minutes before your time.
The Duomo. Buy a combined Duomo Pass online with timed entry, including the terraces by lift or stairs and, if you have time, the museum. The dress code is strict for the cathedral and the roof: cover shoulders and knees. Large backpacks and luggage are not allowed. Security queues are the main delay, so go at opening time. Services can close the cathedral to visitors, especially on Sunday mornings.
Closing days to remember. Mondays: the Last Supper, the Pinacoteca di Brera and the city's civic museums, including the Sforza Castle museums and the Museo del Novecento. Tuesdays: Fondazione Prada. Wednesdays: the Ambrosiana. Many shops close on Sunday mornings or Monday mornings outside the centre, and in August a large share of restaurants and independent shops close for the summer break.
Arriving. Milan has two main airports. Linate, close to the city, is linked to the centre by the blue metro line M4, which reaches the San Babila area in around a quarter of an hour. Malpensa, the main international airport, is further out: the Malpensa Express train runs to Cadorna and Centrale stations in under an hour, and coaches run to Centrale. Bergamo's Orio al Serio airport, used by many budget airlines, is linked to Milano Centrale by coach. High-speed trains from Rome, Florence, Venice, Turin and beyond arrive at Centrale, the monumental station, or at Porta Garibaldi.
Getting around. The metro has five lines (red M1, green M2, yellow M3, blue M4 and purple M5), and you can pay by tapping a contactless bank card at the turnstiles. Trams and buses cover the gaps; the historic orange trams are part of the city's character. Central Milan is walkable, and walking from the Duomo to Brera, the castle or the Navigli is often quicker than the metro. Taxis are white and must be hailed at ranks or booked by phone or app. Do not drive into the centre, which is covered by a congestion charge zone.
Money and manners. Many restaurants add a cover charge (coperto) per person, which covers bread and table service; it is normal and listed on the menu. Tipping is not expected, though rounding up or leaving a little for good service is appreciated. Coffee at the bar is cheaper than at a table. A city tourist tax is charged per person per night by hotels. Card payments are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small purchases.
How Milan differs. Milan is not a city of ruins and fountains around every corner like Rome, or a Renaissance stage set like Florence. Its beauty is often behind closed doors, in courtyards, churches and galleries, and its rhythm is that of a working city: busy mornings, long lunches for business, and an evening that begins with aperitivo. Dress is noticeably smarter than in most Italian cities, though nobody will turn you away from a museum for wearing trainers. Locals are efficient and direct rather than unfriendly.
Safety. Milan is generally safe, but pickpockets work the metro, the Duomo square, the Galleria and Centrale station, so keep bags zipped and phones out of back pockets. Be wary of people offering bracelets or birdseed in the Piazza del Duomo, who expect money. The area around Centrale can feel rough late at night.
Seasons in brief. Spring and early autumn are the best times. Winters are cold and sometimes foggy, but the city is festive in December, and the opera season opens on 7 December. Summers are hot and humid, and August is quiet. Fashion weeks and Design Week in April fill hotels and push up prices, so check dates before you book. The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February 2026 left the city new venues and a refreshed transport network, and a slightly bigger tourism profile.
Beyond the headliners. Once the big bookings are made, leave room for Milan's quieter treasures, many of them free. The basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, founded by the city's patron saint in the fourth century, is a model of Lombard Romanesque. San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, on Corso Magenta, is covered from floor to vault in sixteenth-century frescoes and is often called the Sistine Chapel of Milan. Santa Maria presso San Satiro, steps from the Duomo, hides Bramante's trompe l'oeil choir, painted to look far deeper than it is. And Sempione Park, behind the castle, is the place to rest your legs between museums.
The one-line strategy. Book the Last Supper first, build each day around one timed booking, learn the closing days and leave every evening free for aperitivo.