Milan attractions

The Bagatti Valsecchi Museum (Museo Bagatti Valsecchi) in Milan is a showcase of what Italian mansions (palazzi) were like back in the day. Once home to two brothers—Fausto and Giuseppe—the stunning palazzo displays their vast collection of antique paintings, ceramics, tapestries, ivory, and furniture that they acquired during the last part of the 19th century.

Get a taste of Milan’s high fashion on a budget at the Fidenza Village outlet shopping center. Popular with Italians, this complex has over 100 shops featuring brands such as Versace, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Diesel, and Furla. Several restaurants and a children’s play area make the outlet center an easy half-day trip from Milan for the whole family.

Housed in the 17th-century palace that was once the Pezzoli family residence, this house-museum contains one of Milan's most prestigious collections. It’s a treasure trove of paintings by Botticelli, Bellini, and Mantegna, as well as decorative art, armor, and ancient artifacts accrued by Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli in the 19th century.

Milan’s Fashion Quarter is home to a handful of luxury shopping streets including Via della Spiga. This is where locals come to buy their designer clothes from brands such as Roberto Cavalli, Hermes, Moschino, and Armani. The chic fashion street is also home to a number of upscale dining options, cocktail bars, and cafés.

One of nine hills that form the UNESCO-listed sacred pilgrim routes in Piedmont and Lombardy, the Sacro Monte of Varese (Sacro Monte di Varese) is dotted with 14 chapels, three archways, and three fountains marking a medieval trail dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary, and set against a scenic backdrop of forested mountain peaks.

The towering bronze figure of San Carlo Borromeo near the town of Arona on Lake Maggiore is impossible to miss. Second in size only to New York’s Statue of Liberty, the hollow statue has steep stairs and ladders inside leading up to its head, where visitors can peer out over the surrounding landscape.

The 18th-century Villa Panza is home to an impressive collection of contemporary American art—the Panza Collection, with more than 150 works of art from the 20th century. A visit here is a must for art aficionados, though the elegant villa and surrounding grounds are a draw for architecture and garden enthusiasts, as well.

In a city known for its contemporary architecture and design, the award-winning Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) stands out. These twin high-rise residential buildings are wrapped in lush greenery from the thousands of trees and plants that grow from the balconies, which mitigate Milan’s carbon dioxide levels and provide a soothing sight for sore city eyes.

Made up of three elegant historic palaces, just steps from La Scala opera house, Gallerie d’Italia is one of Milan’s most important centers of art and culture. The permanent collection has hundreds of Italian artworks from the 19th and 20th centuries, plus there are temporary exhibitions and cultural events. It is a must-see for art lovers visiting Milan.

The epicenter of Milan’s legendary nightlife, the Naviglio Grande is a landmark canal with a much less sophisticated past. Once part of an urban network of transport waterways, it is one of only two canals left today. It sits at the heart of the buzzy Navigli District, and its nearby galleries, eateries, and clubs are among the city’s trendiest.

Housed in Villa Reale—the former summer home of Napoleon Bonaparte—Milan’s Gallery of Modern Art (Galleria d'Arte Moderna) boasts paintings by Italian and international artists such as Boccioni, Cezanne, Picasso, and van Gogh. Tucked away in the city’s public gardens, the museum is a peaceful retreat for art and history lovers.

The Quadrilatero d’Oro, or the Golden Rectangle, is the center of high fashion in Milan—a district filled with luxe boutiques, swanky bars, smart cafés, and cool restaurants. The windows boast the latest haute couture from high-end labels such as Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Versace, Valentino, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana.

Built in 1030, San Sepolcro Church (Chiesa di San Sepolcro) was originally designed in the Romanesque style, though Baroque additions were made in the 17th century. Most visitors come to visit the church’s crypt, known as the Crypt of Leonardo after da Vinci, who appreciated the crypt so much that he placed it at the center of a map of Milan.

Formula 1 racing enthusiasts will love visiting the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, one of the most famous car and motorcycle race tracks in the world. There are three tracks on the grounds surrounding a historic royal palace; the main 3.6-mile (8-kilometer track hosts both the Formula 1 and the motorcycle Italian Grands Prix each year.

The largest surviving collection of notes by Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Atlanticus is a priceless set of documents and the crown jewel of Milan’s historic Biblioteca Ambrosiana library. The more than 1,120 pages of the Codex Atlanticus contain handwritten text and drawings dating from 1478 to 1519 and a glimpse into da Vinci’s genius.

Perched on the western shore of placid Lake Maggiore, the tiny resort town of Stresa is backed by the Alpine foothills of Monte Mottarone and boasts elegant hotels on a tree-lined promenade. Stroll through picturesque Piazza Cadorna in the town center, relax on the waterfront lidos, or take a ferry to the charming islands nearby.

Splurge on Milan’s famous fashion and design without breaking the bank at The Style Outlets, a designer outlet shopping center in Vicolungo, just outside the cosmopolitan capital city. Browse Italian and international brands to your heart’s content at more than 100 boutiques offering discounts of 30-70% off regular retail prices.

While many travelers visit the adjacent Santa Maria delle Grazie church—home of da Vinci’s fresco The Last Supper—the Bramante Sacristy (Sacrestia del Bramante) is an often-overlooked gem. Designed by architect Donato Bramante, the sacristy features a vaulted ceiling painted by da Vinci and exhibits on the inventor’s Codex Atlanticus.

This 12th-century Cistercian abbey, located just outside the center of Milan, is a welcome respite from the urban bustle of Italy’s fashion capital. Visit the historic complex that blends Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque elements in its church, cloister, and granges, and savor the reflective silence in the monastic interiors.