Milan

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Milan - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Duomo

    Duomo

    There is no denying that for sheer size and complexity, the Duomo is unrivaled in Italy. It is the second-largest church in the country—the largest being St. Peter's in Rome. This intricate Gothic structure has been fascinating and exasperating visitors and conquerors alike since it was begun by Gian Galeazzo Visconti III (1351–1402), first duke of Milan, in 1386. Consecrated in the 15th or 16th century, it was not completed until just before the coronation of Napoléon as king of Italy in 1809. The building is adorned with 135 marble spires and 2,245 marble statues. The Duomo's most famous sculpture is the gruesome but anatomically instructive figure of San Bartolomeo (St. Bartholomew), who was flayed alive. As you enter the apse to admire those splendid windows, glance at the sacristy doors to the right and left of the altar. The lunette on the right dates from 1393 and was decorated by Hans von Fernach.

    Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Lombardy, 20122, Italy
    02-72023375

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Cathedral €7; museum €7; cathedral, museum, and archaeological area €10; stairs to roof €15; elevator €20
  • 2. The Last Supper/Il Cenacolo/Santa Maria delle Grazie

    Sant'Ambrogio

    Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, housed in this church and former Dominican monastery, has had an almost unbelievable history of bad luck and neglect. Its near destruction in an American bombing raid in August 1943 was only the latest chapter in a series of misadventures, including—if one 19th-century source is to be believed—being whitewashed over by monks. After years of restorers patiently shifting from one square centimeter to another, Leonardo's masterpiece is free of centuries of retouching, grime, and dust. Astonishing clarity and luminosity have been regained, helped by lighting, and a timed entry system where small groups are ushered into climate-controlled rooms with automatic glass doors, to prevent humidity.  Despite Leonardo's carefully preserved preparatory sketches, in which the apostles are clearly labeled by name, there still remains some small debate about a few identities in the final arrangement. There can be no mistaking Judas, however—small and dark, isolated from the terrible confusion that has taken the hearts of the others. Reservations are required to view the work. Viewings are in 15-minute timed-entry slots, and visitors must arrive 30 minutes before. Reservations can be made online. Reserve at least three weeks ahead if you want a Saturday slot, two weeks for a weekday slot. Some city bus tours include a visit in their regular circuit, which may be a good option.

    Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-92800360-reservations

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Last Supper €15, Closed Mon.
  • 3. Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio

    Sant'Ambrogio

    Milan's bishop, St. Ambrose (one of the original Doctors of the Catholic Church), consecrated this church in AD 387. St. Ambroeus, as he is known in Milanese dialect, is the city's patron saint, and his remains—dressed in elegant religious robes, a miter, and gloves—can be viewed inside a glass case in the crypt below the altar. Until the construction of the more imposing Duomo, this was Milan's most important church. Much restored and reworked over the centuries (the gold-and-gem-encrusted altar dates from the 9th century), Sant'Ambrogio still preserves its Romanesque characteristics, including 5th-century mosaics. The church is often closed for weddings on Saturdays.

    Piazza Sant'Ambrogio 15, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-86450895
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  • 4. Battistero Paleocristiano/Baptistry of San Giovanni alle Fonti

    Duomo

    More specifically known as the Baptistry of San Giovanni alle Fonti, this 4th-century baptistry is one of two that lie beneath the Duomo. Although opinion remains divided, it is widely believed to be where Ambrose, Milan's first bishop and patron saint, baptized Augustine. Tickets also include a visit to the Duomo and its museum.

    Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-72023375

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: €10, including admission to Duomo and museum; €20, including Duomo, museum, and roof with elevator, valid for 72 hrs
  • 5. Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore

    Sant'Ambrogio

    Next to the Museo Civico Archeologico, you’ll find this little gem of a church, constructed starting in 1503 and decorated almost completely with magnificent 16th-century frescoes. The modest exterior belies the treasures inside, including a concealed back room once used by nuns that includes a fascinating fresco of Noah loading the ark with animals, including two unicorns.

    Corso Magenta 15, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-88445208
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  • 6. San Lorenzo Maggiore alle Colonne

    Ticinese

    Sixteen ancient Roman columns line the front of this sanctuary; remnants of 4th-century Paleo-Christian mosaics survive in the Cappella di Sant'Aquilino (Chapel of St. Aquilinus).

    Corso di Porta Ticinese 35, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-89404129

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Mosaics €2
  • 7. Santa Maria Presso San Satiro

    Duomo

    Just a few steps from the Duomo, this architectural gem was first built in 876 and later perfected by Bramante (1444–1514), demonstrating his command of proportion and perspective—hallmarks of Renaissance architecture. Bramante tricks the eye with a famous optical illusion that makes a small interior seem extraordinarily spacious and airy, while accommodating a beloved 13th-century fresco.

    Via Torino 17–19, Milan, Lombardy, 20123, Italy
    02-874683
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