Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Milan Duomo and The Last Supper Skip-the-Line Small-Group Tour

• Historic Milan Tour with Skip-the-Line Last Supper Ticket

• Full-Day Milan: Skip-the-Line The Last Supper and Duomo Cathedral

• Milan Highlights and Hidden Gems Private Guided Walking Tour

• Milan Sights by Segway Small-Group Tour

It doesn’t cost anything to stroll around the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, as it’s a shopping arcade. However, if you want to buy some things, you'll need serious funds—this is home to some truly high-end boutiques, including Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. Taking a walking tour that passes through or by the arcade—alongside other major Milan sites—will cost upward of US$45.

Yes, it's definitely worth visiting the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II when you're in Milan. This is Italy's oldest shopping arcade—dating back to the 19th century—and one of the most beautiful in the world, where you can still shop, browse, and enjoy a cappuccino to this day. Though you can head there independently, lots of Milan walking tours also include this landmark on their itineraries, alongside the city's other major attractions.

Per one customer who booked the Milan Duomo and The Last Supper Skip-the-Line Small-Group Tour, "This was a very informative and entertaining way to see some of Milan's main sights. The focus is on the Duomo and the Last Supper, but we also walked through the Galleria and saw the outside of La Scala. Our guide, Simone, also provided insights into life in present-day Milan. This tour was admittedly costly, but very much worth it."

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan was built between 1865 and 1877 by architect Giuseppe Mengoni. The shopping gallery, which features two glass-vaulted arcades, is among the oldest in Italy and was part of an urban modernization project after the Second War of Italian Independence. The Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy following unification.

Nicknamed il salotto di Milano (Milan’s living room), the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a major tourist attraction, known for its neoclassical architecture and bull floor mosaic in the center of the gallery. There are major attractions on the arcade’s doorstep, such as the Duomo and the Piazza di Marino.

It really depends. You can stop for an espresso and take a stroll among the shops in about 30 minutes to an hour, but you can easily spend half a day or longer browsing and watching tourists mingle with Milan locals.

No, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a public shopping gallery and doesn't require an entrance fee. To visit, find one of four public entrances and simply walk in. If you want to visit the Duomo nearby, and you’re not headed for mass, you’ll have to pay for admission.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is home to some of the city’s oldest and most famous shops, restaurants, and cafés. Head to the restaurant Biffi, founded in 1867, the upscale Savini Restaurant, and Libreria Bocca, thought to be the oldest bookshop in Italy.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is mostly accessible for those in wheelchairs—all four entrances to the gallery are step free and sidewalk ramps lead from street level to the gallery floors. The closest restrooms for wheelchair users are within the Duomo Museum.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Milan:

• Milan Cathedral

• Da Vinci's Last Supper

• Sforza Castle

• La Scala

• Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Milan.