2 days in Milan

Day by day

1. Day 1: Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

   Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Teatro alla Scala and Pinacoteca and Biblioteca Ambrosiana, then Navigli canals in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces

      The highlight is the walk across its roof terraces among the pinnacles, beneath the gilded Madonnina statue, reached by stairs or lift.

   2. Late morning

      Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

      It houses luxury boutiques and historic cafés under mosaic floors; tradition says spinning on your heel on the mosaic bull brings good luck.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Saffron risotto

      Traditional trattorias across the city; ask whether it is made with meat stock if you are vegetarian.

   4. Afternoon

      Teatro alla Scala

      Its museum displays costumes, instruments and portraits, and, when there is no rehearsal, lets you look into the red-and-gold auditorium from a box.

   5. Late afternoon

      Pinacoteca and Biblioteca Ambrosiana

      Pages from Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus are shown in rotation.

   6. Evening

      Navigli canals

      Arrive around 7pm for aperitivo, then walk the Naviglio Grande towards the Vicolo dei Lavandai as the lights come on.

2. Day 2: The Last Supper and Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio

   The Last Supper, Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore and Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, then Navigli and Darsena in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Last Supper

      To protect the fragile painting, visitors enter in small groups for about 15 minutes. The Renaissance church next door, with its tribune attributed to Bramante, is free to visit.

   2. Late morning

      Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio

      It is one of the oldest and most atmospheric churches in the city.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Breaded veal cutlet

      Classic Milanese trattorias and osterie.

   4. Afternoon

      San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore

      The rear hall, once reserved for cloistered nuns, is equally decorated.

   5. Late afternoon

      Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology

      Its biggest exhibit is the Enrico Toti submarine, which can be visited on a guided tour.

   6. Evening

      Navigli and Darsena

      Canal-side bars and crowds spilling onto the towpaths, busy every night in summer.

Before you go

• Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces: Buy combined cathedral and rooftop tickets online to skip the ticket queue, especially at weekends.
• The Last Supper: Tickets are released in batches and sell out weeks or months ahead; book on the official site as early as possible or join a guided tour.
• Teatro alla Scala: Opera and ballet seats sell out early; book on the official site when the season goes on sale.

If it rains

• Swap in Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera): After your visit, walk through the palazzo's courtyard to the small Brera Botanical Garden behind it.
• Swap in Fondazione Prada (Porta Romana): Stop at Bar Luce for coffee even if you only have time for one exhibition.
• Swap in Museo del Novecento (Centro Storico): Finish at the top floor, where floor-to-ceiling windows look straight onto the Duomo.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–13 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Five metro lines (M1–M5) cover the city; Duomo, Cadorna, Centrale and Garibaldi are the main interchanges.

More or fewer days

• One day in Milan
• 3 days in Milan
• 4 days in Milan
• 5 days in Milan

Questions travellers ask