With kids · Milan · Italy
Milan with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Novellón, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Milan is less obviously child-friendly than some Italian cities, but the science museum, the Sforza Castle, the Duomo rooftop, parks and tram rides keep children busy, and lake day trips add boats and gardens. Top picks: Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione and Arco della Pace. Families usually base themselves in Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- April
Best things to do with kids
Museum · Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio
1.Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology
Italy's largest science and technology museum fills a former monastery with working models of Leonardo's machines, locomotives, aircraft and the bridge of an ocean liner. Its biggest exhibit is the Enrico Toti submarine, which can be visited on a guided tour.
Book the submarine tour on arrival; places are limited and children love it.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Castle · Brera
2.Sforza Castle
The red-brick fortress of the Sforza dukes, rebuilt in the 15th century, now houses several civic museums. The star is Michelangelo's unfinished Rondanini Pietà, the last sculpture he worked on, displayed in its own hall. The courtyards are free to walk through on the way to Parco Sempione.
If time is short, buy a ticket just for the Rondanini Pietà museum and walk the free courtyards.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Kids
- Architecture
Park · Brera
3.Parco Sempione and Arco della Pace
Milan's central park stretches from the Sforza Castle to the Napoleonic Arco della Pace, with lawns, a lake and playgrounds. The Torre Branca steel tower by Gio Ponti offers views over the city, and the Triennale design museum sits on its western edge.
Combine a castle visit with a picnic in the park and a look at the Triennale's design collection.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Views
Religious site · Centro Storico
4.Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces
Begun in 1386 and finished only in the 20th century, Milan's cathedral is one of the largest churches in the world, with 135 spires and thousands of statues in pink-veined Candoglia marble. The highlight is the walk across its roof terraces among the pinnacles, beneath the gilded Madonnina statue, reached by stairs or lift.
Go up to the terraces in the late afternoon for softer light, and on clear days look north for the Alps.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Buy combined cathedral and rooftop tickets online to skip the ticket queue, especially at weekends.
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
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Architecture · Centro Storico
5.Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Opened in the 1870s, this cross-shaped shopping arcade with a glass-and-iron dome links Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala. It houses luxury boutiques and historic cafés under mosaic floors; tradition says spinning on your heel on the mosaic bull brings good luck.
Walk through after dark, when the arcade is lit and much quieter than in the daytime.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Waterfront · Navigli
6.Navigli canals
The Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese are the last open stretches of a canal network that once carried marble for the Duomo into the city. Today their towpaths are lined with bars, restaurants, art studios and the Vicolo dei Lavandai, an old covered washhouse. The Darsena basin at the top is the evening meeting point.
Arrive around 7pm for aperitivo, then walk the Naviglio Grande towards the Vicolo dei Lavandai as the lights come on.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Food
- Couples
- Photo spot
Rainy-day ideas
- Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology — Book the submarine tour on arrival; places are limited and children love it.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, culture and couples
Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio
West of the centre, Corso Magenta is lined with grand palazzi, old pastry shops and churches including Santa Maria delle Grazie, home of The Last Supper, and San Maurizio. The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio and the science and technology museum are close by. It is calm, central and convenient for the Cadorna station of the Malpensa Express.
- Good
- Quiet but central; Malpensa Express at Cadorna; Near the science museum for children
- Watch out
- Fewer bars; Limited budget hotels
- Nearby
- The Last Supper, Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, Science and Technology Museum, Sforza Castle
Family travel tips
- Ride one of the vintage 1920s trams across the centre; children enjoy the wooden benches and clanging bells.
- The Duomo rooftop is a hit with older children; younger ones may find the stairs tiring, so take the lift.
- Parco Sempione and the Giardini Indro Montanelli have playgrounds for breaks between sights.
- Book the science museum's submarine tour early in the day.
- Restaurants welcome children at lunch; many are happy to serve a simple pasta in bianco (with butter and cheese).
Day trips for families
- Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands (About 1 hour by train to Stresa) — From Stresa, boats visit Isola Bella with its baroque palace and terraced gardens, the fishing village of Isola dei Pescatori and the botanical gardens of Isola Madre.
- Sirmione on Lake Garda (About 1 hour 15 minutes by train and bus) — A narrow peninsula reaching into Lake Garda holds the moated Scaliger Castle, Roman villa ruins known as the Grottoes of Catullus and thermal spas.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. April is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Milan good for kids?
Milan is less obviously child-friendly than some Italian cities, but the science museum, the Sforza Castle, the Duomo rooftop, parks and tram rides keep children busy, and lake day trips add boats and gardens.
+What can kids do in Milan?
Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, Sforza Castle, Parco Sempione and Arco della Pace, Duomo di Milano and its rooftop terraces and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
+Where should families stay in Milan?
Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio: Elegant residential streets around The Last Supper and Sant'Ambrogio.