Top Things to do in Milan, Italy!
Italy is one of our favorite countries so when we had the chance to visit the north for a conference, we jumped on it! Everyone who had visited Milan told us that as a city it’s very underwhelming, so we were expecting much. After visiting we agree that it’s not our favorite Italian city, but it’s still worth seeing for sure. You will only need maximum 2 days in Milan to see everything and we will let you know what you cannot miss on your trip!
How to Get Around Milan
Milan’s public transportation works great and we used it to get everywhere! The metro was always on time, clean, and very affordable. I believe we paid €12 for a 3 day metro pass and we definitely got more than our money’s worth. Milan is also a pretty walkable city so if you stay near the center, you might not even need to take the metro to get around. The metro stops running around midnight but Uber works in Milan so if you are ever in a pinch you can use that!
To get from the Malpensa airport to the city center, there is a direct train line called the Malpensa express. That is how we got from the airport to our accommodation and is much more affordable than a taxi/Uber. A one way ticket for the Malpensa express is €13 and the Ubers were around €80-100.
(also if you are heading to surrounding cities to/from Milan, Italy’s train system is perfect. It goes everywhere in the country and you can access most trains from Milan Centrale!)
Where to Stay in MiLan
We recommend getting an accommodation in the Porta Venezia neighborhood. We didn’t stay there because we were in Milan for a conference so we stayed near the business hotel. However almost every night we went out for dinner/drinks in Porta Venezia and it was definitely a trendy, busy neighborhood! It’s also near the center of the city and you can walk to all the main attractions.
The other area we would recommend staying in is Navilgi, it had a more chill vibe and reminded us a lot of Brooklyn! It’s a bit outside of the city center, but is easily accessible from the metro.
Book your Milan accommodation here!
Best Things to Do in Milan
Navigli
Piazza Del Duomo
Piazza Del Duomo - probably the most famous landmark in Milan. It’s a massive cathedral in the city center and is very central in the city. If you want to get a picture here, try and go at sunrise to avoid crowds. You can visit the rooftop of the Duomo which is ticketed, but we opted out. Out friends who did it said it wasn’t really worth it.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - an indoor shopping and dining area next to the Duomo. The architecture in the Galleria is beautiful and here you will also find all the high-end stores Milan is known for like Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc.
Porta Venezia - A cool, hip, and trendy neighborhood in Milan! Here is where you will find lots of bars and restaurants and is great for nightlife. It’s also known as the LGBTQ+ neighborhood of Milan and we saw a few pride flags while walking around.
Navilgi - Navigli is a neighborhood in the southern part of Milan. It’s known for the canals that run though the area. We visited on a sunday and there was a thrift/flea market happening that was really cool! There was also more affordable shopping and thrift store in this area. Navigli reminded us a lot of Brooklyn (which we loved) and we wish we would have spent more time walking around here!
Sforzesco Castle - a 15th century castle in Milan! The castello is beautiful and tickets cost €3-5.
Via Monte Napoleone - Known as “Europe’s most expensive street.” Milan is known for it’s shopping, so you will see a lot of luxury (and non-luxury) stores all over the city. Via Monte Napolene is the street where you can find all the luxury shops in one place. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s still a must-see in Milan.
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Where to Eat & Drink in Milan
La Colubrina
Hygge
La Colubrina
Pop Milano
Mono Bar
Hygge Milano
Signorvino
Linfa Eat Different
MARITNI
The LGBTQ+ Scene in Milan
Milan has a great LGBTQ+ scene and we felt vey welcomed there as a couple. The LGBTQ+ neighborhood is Porta Venezia and there you will find a lot of the gay/queer bars as well as a lesbian bar (there are only a few lesbian bars left in the world so it always makes us happy when we get to support a local on abroad)! We also saw a few pride flags around the Porta Venezia neighborhood. There were a lot of other queer people/couples we saw in Milan and it made us feel safe and comfortable. Milan is definitely a great city to visit if you are LGBTQ+!
If you want to see more of what we did while in Milan, make sure you check out our Milan YouTube video!
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