Top Things To Do In Milan

Tailoring each tour to your wishes by locals who love their city

Tourist feeding pigeons in front of Duomo di Milano

Top things to do in Milan

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

See all

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

Wondering what to do in Milan?

A global capital of fashion and design, Milan is a city that shows off without even trying. Although the things to do in Milan include exploring centuries-old architecture, ancient art, and even Italy’s oldest mall, Milan simultaneously manages to be a modern marvel of steel and glass skyscrapers and hi-tech hubs. When the sun sets, the list of things to do in Milan gets even longer. Indulge in late-night dinners at cozy restaurants, dance in neon-lit clubs, or simply walk along the cobbled streets between jazz bars blasting live music – but before any of that, be sure to settle in for the Italian tradition of aperitivo right here in the city that invented it.

Meet some of our Milan local hosts

Like the people who travel with us, they have different backgrounds and interests – but they’re all so passionate about the place they call home, they choose to spend their free time sharing it with the like-minded travelers matched to them.

We’ve handpicked them and we’ll match you to your perfect one!

Tourists exploring the popular Isola neighborhood in Milan

History and heritage

Many of the things to do in Milan reveal a city where old and new exist together peacefully. Milan’s sense of style is decidedly modern, but it’s not all sleek angles and futuristic skylines – the city center is its own visual feast of medieval palaces, ancient ruins, and monuments like the iconic Milan Cathedral. The things to do in Milan span centuries of attractions – you could drink in 600-year-old architecture in the morning, muse over da Vinci’s The Last Supper in the afternoon, and end your day with aperitivo at an ultra-modern restaurant set along a centuries-old waterway.

Tourists and locals admiring art at a gallery in Milan

Best foot forward

Few metropolises in the world are as attractive as Milan – this is, after all, the heartland of world-renowned Italian design, so beauty is a big part of its appeal. Many of the places to visit and things to do in Milan celebrate the city’s reputation for fashion and design. Milan’s stylish soul can be seen everywhere: in its stunning Art Deco architecture, opulent malls, iconic shopping streets lined with designer boutiques, and locals that look like they’ve stepped from the pages of a high-fashion magazine. If you’re looking for your fashion fix, you’ve come to the right place.

Milan by night

The things to do in Milan at night range from glamour to grit. There’s grungy, graffiti-plastered Isola, a trendy enclave of thrift stores, cool cafes, and well-worn dive bars, and bohemian Brera, home to high society and some of the city’s sleekest bars. Maybe you’ll get all dressed up for a night at the prestigious Teatro alla Scala opera house, or keep things more low-key in a dimly lit local pub or traditional trattoria. Whatever you decide, canalside aperitivo – drinks and snacks – in the ultra-trendy Navigli neighborhood is one of the unmissable things to do in Milan after dark.

Milan travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find essential city info, travel tips and the best things to do in Milan and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

If you are after a different way of navigating Milan vs other tour groups, City Unscripted can do that for you. Just be specific with what you are looking forward to seeing so they can match you with a guide.

March 2023

Kristine T
He was knowledgeable in History and navigating the streets, letting us try local coffee and sandwich places — not your usual tourist destinations which we appreciated. He also moved according to our pace and readily adjusted if we wanted to try to do other things.

March 2023

Kristine T
Reza was punctual, knowledgeable, and kind. We had a most pleasant day enjoying Milan’s many highlights with Reza showing me many things off the tourist trappings. I can’t recommend his services enough

November 2022

David S
Con Reza, la nostra guida, ci siamo trovati benissimo. Abbiamo fatto davvero un bel tour del centro di Milano partendo da piazza Duomo, passando per la galleria per arrivare al Teatro alla Scala, per poi raggiungere il Castello Sforzesco, porta Ticinese e i Navilii. Grazie Reza! La coinvolgente passione per quello che ci mostravi ci hanno fatto apprezzare ancor di più la bellezza dei luoghi. With Reza, our guide, we had a great time. We had a really nice tour of the center of Milan starting from Piazza Duomo, passing through the gallery to get to the Teatro alla Scala, and then reaching the Castello Sforzesco, Porta Ticinese and the Navilii. Thanks Reza! The engaging passion for what you showed us made us appreciate even more the beauty of the places.

November 2022

Fulvia B