Things to enjoy in Milan
Milan is no doubt one of the most beautiful cities on earth with its iconic fashion extravaganza, glorious artworks, architecture and fine local restaurants. It offers a great shopping experience with a variety of big name brands and iconic shopping centres. We have put together some spicy places to visit while in town.
Milan Cathedral (The Duomo)
The enormous white marble breathtaking Milan cathedral is amongst the most famous places to visit in Milan. It has existed for over centuries but looks amazing especially after the most recent restoration project. To go inside ensure you are appropriately dressed with both hands and legs covered with decent clothing. For maximum enjoyment, do ensure to request an audio tour of the interior, check out the impressive stained-glass windows and a visit to the roof. If you can’t use the stairs, there is an elevator to take you to the top where you can enjoy a picturesque scene of the entire city.
Sforzesco Castle
The Sforzesco Castle is home to the Sforzesco family who ruled Milan in the past. The Sforzesco Castle is located near the Via Dante shopping complex, a stroll from the Milan cathedral. This iconic castle offers a variety of civic museums plus a treat to the vast Sempione Park. It presents an eye-catching display of architecture around the courtyards and an array of museums that exhibit Mantegna’s Trivulzio Madonna, Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pietà and showcases painted ceilings based on Leonardo Da Vinci’s designs.
Leonardo’s Last Supper and Santa Maria delle Grazie
The Il Cenacolo also known as Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is the icing on the cake when it comes to the iconic places to visit in Milan. Located in the monastery refectory near Santa Maria Delle Grazie church, this iconic fresco is truly a remarkable piece of arts. Tickets can be scarce since it always sells out. To guarantee a ticket, consider booking ahead or as part of a city tour or guided visit as you will be provided with a pre-arranged ticket. Also, tourist can only stay in the refectory for 15 minutes and in small groups. The Santa Maria Delle Grazie church is also an eye-catcher with its gorgeous architecture and paintings.
Cimitero Monumentale
Understandably, you can be forgiven for not wanting to visit a graveyard while on holidays, but trust me this is a hotspot you won’t want to miss. The Cimitero Monumentale offers an open-air display of the finest sculptures in Milan. It hosts a majority of the finest works of some notable Italian sculptors from the nineteenth and twentieth century. It is the burial grounds of some highly accomplished Italians as well as foreigners such as the writer Alessandro Manzoni and the violinist and director Arturo Toscanini.
Pinacoteca di Brera
Besides the well known Italian Renaissance paintings in Florence, you can also find two large collections of similar paintings in Milan. Close to the Scala opera theatre is the Brera Pinacoteca which offers a range of artworks popular artists such as Tintoretto, Mantegna, Piero Della Francesca, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, Bellini and more. Although the gallery’s website is in Italian, you can get a panoramic view of what is on display. Plus multilingual audio guides are available for tourists.
These are just a few of some iconic places to visit in Milan; there are a lot more places to visit while in the city. Try to book your tickets well ahead for peace of mind and comfort.
