Milan Italy is one of the perfect places to explore when it comes to fashion, food, and arts. Located in the Northern part of Italy and close to the bordering country Switzerland, Milan Italy is a favorite place to visit by tourists. This city is the capital of the region of Lombardy and is considered the second most populous city in Italy, next to Rome. Going to Milan is a nice way to start a tour or to spend a weekend in Italy. From the Netherlands, there are various flights that can be booked going to Milan Italy such as Ryan Air, Transavia, and Easyjet. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes by plane to go to Milan from the airport of Eindhoven in the Netherlands. The flights are connected to various airports in Milan that include Malpensa, Bergamo, or Linate. As I mentioned in my blog How to travel sustainably? Ten recommendations, note that traveling by plane emits a lot of carbon emission. So if you choose to travel by plane to Milan Italy, the traveler can either consider compensating for the CO₂ emission or spend a little longer in Italy since it is more sustainable when staying longer in a certain place during travels. Personally, we would prefer to go on a land travel going to Milan Italy (around 10 hours’ drive from the Netherlands). This gives us more freedom and do further visits to other places such as Switzerland, Southern part of Germany, or Eastern part of France.

If you only have a limited time to visit Milan Italy, it is still possible to experience this city in one day. Combining your visit in Milan with other Italian cities is also possible since Milan has well connected train connections. For this blog, I will mention the top places to visit in a day when in Milan Italy.

One day itinerary when in Milan Italy

1. Duomo Cathedral & Piazza del Duomo Milan Italy

If you don’t want to miss posing in one of the largest Catholic churches in the world, then the Duomo Cathedral of Milan should be in your top lists to visit. The Duomo Cathedral was built over a period of 600 years, from 1386 to 1965, and represents the story of faith and art in Milan. Every year, million of worshipers gather in this cathedral to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries. Climbing to the rooftop of the cathedral gives an impressive view of the city. However, going inside the cathedral is not for free and costs around € 13 using elevator or € 8 using stairs (adult admission price).

The Piazza del Duomo is the square in which the Duomo cathedral is the most prominent attraction. Since thousands of people flock in this place everyday, making a photo with the Duomo cathedral can be challenging. Therefore, it is best to do photo session early in the morning while there are still less tourists around. The Piazza del Duomo is a very busy and vibrant city square with many restaurants and shops. When in Milan, you should not miss trying out some of the Italian foods.

2. Galleria Vitorio Emmanuel II

If you fancy shopping and dining in to taste some Italian and Milanese cuisines, then you can head straight to the Galleria Vitorio Emmanuel II. This old shopping center is just a minute walk from Duomo Cathedral and Piaza del Duomo. This major landmark of Milan is named after the first king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. You can find many luxury shops in this place such as Prada and Louis Vitton. If you love shopping, you may end of spending a whole day in Galleria Vitorio Emmanuel II.

3. Santa Maria del Carmine Church Milan Italy

This church, which you will pass by if you are on the way to Castello de Sforzeco, has been the façade of several times. is a neo-gothic church

4. Castello Sforzeco (Sforza’s castle)

Another historical structure and cultural heritage of Milan is the Sforza’s castle. This once medieval defense structure was built beginning of 1360s. It was continued to be built in the 15^th century by the Duke of Milan named Francesco Sforza (thereby getting its name Sforza’s castle). Famous Italian painters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Donato Bramante were involved in the construction of the bridge overlooking at the channels and the painting of the murals inside the Sala delle Asse.

5. Parco Sempione

If you want to rest and to breathe fresh air in the heart of Milan, then Parco Sempione is a place to be with. This 47 hectare park is close to Castello Sforzeco features lots of plants, animals, lakes, and monuments.

5. Cenacolo Vinciano

If you are a religious and art lover, then you should not miss the masterpiece by Leonardo The Vinci! Cenacolo Vinciano is a small place that features the mural or wall painting of the “The Last Supper”. It takes visitors around 15 minutes to view the mural painting.

Aside from the Cenacolo Vinciano, there is also the Hotel Da Vinci, which is located outside the city center of Milan Italy. The hotel rooms are quite big and is at affordable price due to its location (around 7 kilometers away from the city center). We stayed here for the reason. Though note that it could be challenging to travel from here to the city center of Milan due to walking and bus travels. But it is interesting to explore this hotel because it also has many artworks from the inside.