Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ? The mother of all shopping malls: upscale shops in a splendid 19th century palace of a mall, with a stunning mosaic floor, and wonderful glass roof and cupola. Contains boutiques such as Louis Vuitton and Prada, a McDonald's fast-food restaurant, a silverware store called Bernasconi, and eating places such as the Zucca in Galleria, Biffi or a Gucci cafe (and loads more, notably art galleries, fashion boutiques, bookstores and restaurants). At Christmas time, it becomes an enchanting place, with beautiful lights and glitzy decorations. For real Milanese cheap food, go to Luini for a Panzerotti on nearby Via San Radegonda. Get off at the Duomo station.
Biblioteca Ambrosiana ? Historical library with treasures such as Leonardo Atlantic Codex.
Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense ? A library established in 1770 by the Austrian governor. It has since acquired other historical collections and the archives of RAI (Italy's state television). It is very active in organising workshops and debates on new media and new technologies.
Piazza del Duomo ? the grandest square in the city, the Piazza del Duomo is the cultural and social heart of Milan, and contains several of its most famous sights. Of course, the majestic cathedral and classy Galleria are there, but there also is the Royal Palace, a fine 18th century building which is currently an art exhibition centre, and several big, austere, old buildings. The street, with its huge lights, enormous statue of King Victor, huge buildings, and dark floor does at first sight seem quite overwhelming and overly majestic, but with its lovely cafes, top-quality restaurants and shops, constant flow of pigeons, and the presence of people make it an extremely appealing and interesting place. Since lots of the main streets and sights are or are routed from this place, you can't really miss it. It is reached by the Duomo metro station.
Piazza Mercanti ? a truly enchanting and tiny medieval square, hidden by the grand palaces in the central part of Milan. Here, in "Merchants' Sqaure" you get lovely Gothic and Renaissance-porticoed houses, and a well right in the middle. At Christmas time, it fills up with markets selling local produce, including mouth-watering panettone, sweets, bonbons and souvenirs. Reachable easily via Duomo or Cordusio subway stations.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
Piazza Belgiojoso ? a small, yet very impressive square, which hosts the magnificent neoclassical Belgiojoso Palace, built by Milanese noblemen in the late 1700s, and the House of Manzoni, where notable Italian writer and literary figure Alessandro Manzoni lived, and which today hosts a library and the Centro Nazionale di Studi Manzoniani (National Centre of Manzoni-related studies). Reachable via Montenapoleone station.
Piazza Cadorna is a medium-sized, normal square in central Milan with the funky modern North Station and some fine buildings, but notably a set of peculiar modern sculptures in the middle. Reachable via the Cadorna FN station
Via della Spiga is a lovely and classy little cobblestone street, with some beautiful ancient buildings. The street and its neighborhood are more famous for the center of high-class shopping, where almost every luxury brand can be found. A short walk from the MM1 San Babila metro stop.
The magnificent roof of the Duomo (it has truly breathtaking views of Milan).
Corso Vittorio Emanuele ? near to the Duomo, this is one of the most popular high street shopping arteries in the city. It has a very elegant modern appearance, but too has some well-preserved grand 18th and 19th century buildings, including a rotunda-like neoclassical church. The Corso contains some great retail stores, including big shopping centres, fashionable outlets, and youthful, sporty designer boutiques. Can be reached relatively closely either by Duomo metro station or that of San Babila. It is pedestrian.
Via Montenapoleone is Milan's top high fashion shopping street. It contains many of the biggest names in fashion, and some of the trendiest and famous emporia and designer stores in the world. Today, despite containing mainly fashion boutiques, there are also a some jewellery shops and cafes scattered here and there. Reachable via Montenapoleone or San Babila metro stations.
Via Dante ? one of the grandest and most frequented fashionable high streets in Milan. The Via Dante, named after the poet, is a beautiful and debonair pedestrian avenue which goes from the busy Piazzale Cordusio, all the way to the Largo Cairoli, just in front of the city castle. With loads of street vendors, restaurant and cafe tables, and oftenly, street art, glamorous boutiques and often bustling with people, it's great for anyone who wants to get to the Sforzesco Castle, but who also wants to do some high-class shopping, observe at some glorious Milanese palaces, and possibly sip at a coffee in one of the many open-air bars. It also contains the Piccolo Teatro, a renowned local theatre. Via Dante can be reached by the "Cordusio" metro station, or that of "Cairoli", at either side of the street. At times, especially Christmas and some of the holidays, it can be chokingly filled with locals, shoppers and tourists.
Via Manzoni is an impressive refined-air street lined with aristocratic apartment blocks and opulent churches. It also hosts the Poldi Pezzoldi museum. Today, it is also one of the city's premier shopping streets, and is noted for containing the Armani Megastore. It is very close to La Scala opera house. Reachable via Montenapoleone metro station. The street can also be reached via tram.
Impressive Piazza del Duomo.
Corso di Porta Venezia is considered one of the finest and most beautiful streets in the city. Right near the glitzy Montenapoleone area, it is flanked by a series of beautiful villas, museums and palazzi, from all eras. It also contains parts of the Giardini Pubblici, an old and leafy garden and park. On addition to being an aristocratic-aired place, today, several elegant boutiques have opened up here, so it's great for both sight-seeing and designer shopping. Best station to reach it is that of Palestro right in the middle, but San Babila and P.ta Venezia are within decent walking distance.
Corso Magenta is an elegant and aristocratic street in the north-western part of Milan. It contains sophisticated cafes and shops, and also some fine, mainly Baroque, palaces, notably the Palazzo Litta, one of the best examples of 18th century Milanese architecture, and also a place in which Napoleon I spent some time. Metro stations Conciliazione, Cadorna, Cairoli and Cordusio are the closest to the avenue. The famous Santa Maria delle Grazie church and convent, where Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper can be found, is very close to the Corso.
Piazza Duca d'Aosta is a very big, relatively modern and busy square in the north-east of Milan, famous for hosting the city's majestic central station, and the Pirelli skyscraper. The Piazza is generally bustling with people, and is at the heart of Milan's economic and business district. It is where you'll end up if you need to go to the central station, but it is also a good place to go because it boasts some excellent examples of post-Second World War modern architecture, such as the Pirelli building, and some elegant hotels, such as the Hotel Excelsior Gallia. To go here, hop off the Centrale F.S metro station, which is the closest (Caiazzo and Zara are relatively close too).
The Porta Nuova, a city gate which marks the end of the fashionable Via Manzoni.
Piazza della Repubblica is a modern and very busy square north-west of Milan. It contains some of the most important office blocks and company buildings in the country, and boasts some good examples of 1950s and 60s Italian architecture. The square in itself is an important one for transportation, and contains some grand hotels. It is also close to the Piazza Duca d'Aosta and the city Central station. Hop off at the Repubblica metro station, right in the middle of the square. Close stations include P.ta Venezia, Turati and Centrale F.S., which are, within a mediumly long walking distance.
Torre Velasca is a tall, huge, castle-like skyscraper built in the 1950s, and one of the first in Italy. Stunning modern architecture. Closest metro stations in order are Missori and Crocetta.
Piazzale Cordusio is a central and busy square in Milan, right near the Duomo. It boasts some grand and beautiful late-19th century architecture. Once, and to some extent still today, it was an economic hub of the city, with the headquarters of several companies, and big banks and postal offices. To be reached via Cordusio station, or, the slightly further Duomo.
Corso Buenos Aires is one of the longest shopping streets in Italy and Europe. It is a large avenue, who, at first, is quite old, but the buildings gradually become newer further along. Today, it contains loads, loads and loads of shops, such as Swarovsky, H&M, Milano House of Cashmere, Calzedonia, Outlet, United Colors of Benetton, Adidas, Nike, Calvin Klein, Zara, Luisa Spagnoli, and a good number more. Since the Corso Buenos Aires is so long, you have the P.ta Venezia and Loreto stations at either side, and the Lima one more or less in the middle.
Naviglio Pavese
Porta Ticinese and the surrounding area is a very old-fashioned quarter nearly untouched by WWII bombings. At night Milanese people like to have a walk near Colonne di San Lorenzo (S.Lawrence's columns).
Piazza San Babila is a busy and modern square just north of the cathedral and near the city's fashion district. Architecturally, Piazza San Babila's buildings are virtually all Art-Deco office blocks from the 1930s, but it has a trendy business and cosmopolitan feel to it, and despite being very modern, boasts a very old sight, San Babila, a tiny, pretty, Romanesque church standing shadowed away by the huge modern skyscrapers. Piazza San Babila also contains numerous banks, post offices, fast-food restaurants and today also a touch of some funky designer stores too. Conveniance wise, it's a great place to go, because it connects the Montenapoleone shopping area, with the more central Duomo zone. It can be reached via the Via Montenapoleone, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele or the Corso di Porta Venezia. To visit it, one may stop at the San Babila metro station, right in the middle of the piazza.
Piazza del Liberty is a small square, which however, is noted for a stunning Art Nouveau palace today called the Hotel del Corso, but once the Trianon. You reach it just off a tiny opening at the beginning of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The closest station is Duomo, but San Babila is a decent distance too.
Piazza Della Scala ? The location of the Statue of Leonardo Da Vinci and La Scala theatre. It is a small, but grand square flanked by fine palaces, such as the city hall and the commercial bank. Great place for a photograph and right next to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Ticket office is underground in the Duomo Metropolitana stop.
Leonardo da Vinci's statue in the charming and impressive Piazza della Scala.
I Navigli ? Once the hubs of the city's commercial life (the industrial canals), after years of abandonment, these pretty and "quintessentially Milanese" places are currently the location where many night spots are open until late, and today, there is a nice mix of old-world ancient shops and cafes, and funky bars and fashion boutiques. I Navigli (or The Canals) consist of Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese. On the last Sunday of every month there is an antiques market along the Naviglio Grande.
San Siro Stadium ? The famous stadium of Milan, home to AC Milan and Internazionale, two of the most famous and successful football(soccer) clubs in Italy. Terminal point of streetcar 16 or a 10 min walk from MM1 Lotto metro stop.
Leonardo's Horse ? A bronze sculpture realised according to an original project of Leonardo da Vinci. It is on the courtyard of the race-track of San Siro, just behind the Stadium. The race-track is open on race days but the courtyard is open everyday.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Milan
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Milan - updated May 2024
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Milan Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
