Traveling in Italy, I want to see Milan, feel the style of his life, admire the sights of the city. Information about the most interesting places will help you decide what to see in Milan in one day. We have prepared a rich route so that you can use every minute and not forget the most important and interesting. Walking through the beautiful streets will bring incredible pleasure and each of you will discover this city from different angles.

monumental cemetery

The city of the dead, designed by Carlo Mchiakini, was founded in 1866. Many famous artists, writers, great people of Italy, poets, composers are buried in a quiet, sad place. Sculptures and artists worked on the design of tombstones, crypts, monuments.

The rich people of the country planned in advance the places of burial, invested a lot of money in their design according to the requirements of fashion. The history of the city can be read while walking along the streets, alleys of the dead kingdom with a quarter of palaces, stone pyramids reminiscent of Egypt, Greek temples, numerous sculptures of saints, angels.

A real masterpiece of architecture, called “The Last Supper” (a stone copy of the famous painting), rises above the tomb of the Campari family. The cemetery is called an open space museum, which reflects the influences of various cultures over a long period of time. It is easy to get to the cemetery by bus, tram, metro. Entrance without payment until 18 pm.

Triumphal Arch of Peace

The tradition of solemn entry into the conquered city has been known since antiquity. At the entrance, majestic gates were built, created according to the architectural style of samples of the triumphal arches of Rome. The neoclassical monument, conceived to reflect the victories of Napoleon on the Apennine Peninsula, was erected by the architect Luigi Cagnola in the northern part of the city. Napoleon's dreams did not come true, but the beautiful arch was completed. In September 1838, a historical monument of Italy was opened. It was called the Arch of Peace, named after the peace agreement (at the Congress of Vienna) between the countries of Europe, signed in 1815.

The arch became famous monuments to the peoples who whitewashed Napoleon. The top (almost 25 m high) of the three spans of the arch is decorated with a cart of six horses (bronze sculpture of Sestiga of the world). Behind the slender columns, there is a panel depicting the fall of Napoleon. On the platform, located at the top of the arch, just take the elevator.

Sempione Park

There is a popular green zone of the city between the Sforzesco castle, the Arc de Triomphe. The park was made in the style of the landscape traditions of England in 1893. It is pleasant for residents and tourists to enjoy the silence, breathe clean air in the center of the metropolis. There are many interesting places in the park. Among them:

Sforza Castle

The former residence of the Italian dukes, who previously belonged to the Visconti family, is called the symbol of the city. The majestic towers of the castle, connected by a fortress wall, adorn the city. An architectural masterpiece appeared on the city square in the 15th century on the ruins of an ancient fortification. In the historical events of the 15th and 17th centuries, the castle was considered the largest stronghold among the countries of Europe. Now all the buildings of the castle (towers, walls, gates) have been restored. In the inner part of the castle there are two cozy courtyards (Rochetta, Ducal). The castle houses the Sforza museum complex.

The ensemble includes libraries, several museums (Archaeological, Reunions), an art gallery. The Ballroom was built for sports and other mass events. Leonardo da Vinci took part in the decoration of the palace. His famous frescoes are well preserved and adorn the walls of the castle. Sforza Castle is located at Piazza Castello, 3. Opening hours from 7 am to 19 pm. The entrance ticket costs 5 €.

Affari Square

Otherwise, it is called business or transaction area. It houses the stock exchange building or the “Midnight Palace”. Previously, there was an ancient Roman theater here. Its detailed scheme is located at the Exchange building. The current appearance of the square arose as a result of the program for the reconstruction of the city center. Rising above the square is the Palazzo della Borsa, the Palazzo Mezzanotte. In a strict building of a monumental appearance, there is the Hall of Screams (where auctions took place at the top of their voices).

In 2010, a sculpture was built in the central part of the square, causing a lot of controversy. The four-meter sculpture in the shape of a hand with one middle finger is called “Love”, as a symbol of eternity, hatred, freedom, revenge. The author of the sculpture is the Italian artist Cattelan. It is easy to get to the square by bus NM1, tram number 16, metro to the Cordusio stop.

Basilica of Saint Ambrose

The oldest church was erected in 1128 on the burial site of the martyrs of early Christianity. The relics of the founder of the original building of the basilica, St. Ambrose of Milan, the martyrs Gervasius, Protasius are the holy relics of the church. Much later, the remains of the famous king of Italy, Louis II, were buried in the basilica. A beautiful golden altar of the 9th century, an ancient interior, decorated with carvings and mosaics, have also been preserved here. In the center of the church stands the Serpent Column (a bronze snake is depicted on a granite column), confirming the Byzantine character of the work of the 11th century.

The basilica houses a museum with expositions dedicated to the history of the church. There are many interesting legends connected with the church, which are still alive today. The white pillar next to the church is called the Devil's Pillar. According to legend, two holes visible on the column were formed as a result of the struggle between Ambrose and the Devil. Address of the Basilica: Piazza Sant'Ambrogio, 15. The opening hours of the Basilica are from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm.

Milan Cathedral: Ticket with Terraces €16
Milan Cathedral and Terraces by Elevator: Fast Track Ticket €25
Hop-on Hop-Off Ticket for 48h, 72h or 1 day €22
Serravalle Designer Outlet: Bus to both sides – 20 €

Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology

You can walk for a long time through the numerous halls of three floors (an area of about 50 thousand square meters) of an ancient monastery or building of San Vittore. The museum opened in 1953. There are 15,000 exhibits, 50,000 videos, 40,000 books in seven thematic departments. Medieval pharmacy drugs, halls with amazing collections of cars, engines, electrical appliances, clocks, musical instruments, etc. tell about the versatile inventions of mankind. Famous drawings, wooden models of the brilliant inventor Leonardo da Vinci are stored in a separate pavilion of the famous National Museum of Italy.

Museum visitors can take part in a virtual trip on the Enrico Toti submarine, appreciate a fragment of an old model of a transatlantic liner, get acquainted with the masterpieces of the Renaissance era, and see distant space through a telescope. Museum address: Via San Vittore 21. You can get to the building by buses number 94, 50, 58, metro line M2, stop. S. Ambrogio. Ticket price 10 €. Reduced ticket 7.5 €.

Naviglio Grande Canal

The famous canals start at Piazza May 24, located next to the Ticinese Gate. Now two of them Naviglio have been preserved – Grande and Pavia. In the 18th century, access to the sea was created through them for the passage of ships with cargo. Now you can see separate parts of the locks, created by Fioravanti, improved by Leonardo to Vinci (Conca di Viarenna lock).

The Naviglio Grande canal is 50 km long and 12 m wide and leads from Milan to Ticino. It connects with canals, providing active shipping. In the old days, snow-white marble was delivered through it for the construction of the Duomo. The courtyards of houses located on the banks of the canal attract tourists with numerous artists' workshops and shops. Every last Sunday of the month, fascinating flea markets take place here. A romantic green paradise on the banks of the canal lives a special life.

Porta Ticinese gate

The history of the gate begins from the ancient times of the Roman Empire, when life was seething on the ancient road leading to the city of Pavia. Narrow streets, multi-colored three-story houses, tram lines formed the atmosphere of the old Ticinum quarter. At the entrance to the city (along the defensive walls) rose the ancient gate Porta Ticinese with one passage in the center. The passage through the side towers of the gate was created in 1861. The original name of the gate Porta Cicca is associated with interesting legends that can be heard during excursions.

In the place of the old gate, designed by the architect Cagnol, a new gate was built during the time of Napoleon. The massive architectural creation of the neoclassical style is a landmark of the city. Previously, they were called the gates of Porta Marenga in honor of the victory of the French troops near Marengo.

Duomo Cathedral

In the heart of the city on the Cathedral Square stands the Cathedral or the pearl in the crown of the city's sights. A symbol of the faith of Catholics, striking in size, a harmonious combination of architectural styles (used in construction for 7 centuries), the snow-white Duomo Cathedral is a unique monument on the planet. The official completion of the construction of the Cathedral, which can accommodate 40 thousand parishioners, is considered to be 1965. Its extraordinary beauty can be observed from the rooftop terrace. The view from the site helps to appreciate the magic of the openwork lace of 135 spiers of the Cathedral, the silhouettes of numerous statues (there are 3400 of them), and the exterior decoration of the architectural masterpiece.

The gothic attributes of the figures of chimeras, gargoyles hiding on the walls of the building and protecting it from all evil look mysterious. The inside of the dome is decorated with four rows of statues (15 pieces each) depicting martyrs and saints. The appearance of the Cathedral is striking in shades of marble, depending on the incidence of light. In the rays of the sun it appears pink, on a moonlit night it appears silver. Hundreds of poems, images in photographs, paintings are dedicated to the unusual structure of Italy. You can visit the Cathedral from 9 am to 7 pm daily. The lift to the observation deck costs 12 €. For tickets to the Treasury of the Cathedral you have to pay 2 €, the Baptistery 4 €.

Vittorio Emmanuele II Gallery

The building of one of the first passages in Europe, protected by a glass dome, decorated with a unique mosaic depicting elements of the four continents of the planet, was built in 1877. The gallery connects the squares in front of the Duomo Cathedral and La Scala Theatre. It has the shape of a Latin cross, emphasized by an interesting octagonal center with a majestic dome. The interior of the gallery impresses with bright frescoes, bizarre stucco, mosaic floor with images of coats of arms of famous Italian cities, and numerous elegant sculptures.

Now the gallery houses a huge number of shops of famous companies, cafes, restaurants, the richest boutiques in the country (including the world's first Prada boutique), located strictly under the center of the dome. The gallery regularly hosts exhibitions and concerts. The passage houses the most expensive 7-star hotel. The passage is open round the clock. It is interesting to wander around at night. Gallery address: Piazza del Duomo. Shops are open from 10 am to 10 pm.

La Scala square

Now the facades of several sights flaunt on the square: the Victor Emmanuel Gallery, the Marino Palace, the La Scala Theatre. The modern appearance of the square began to be created on the site of medieval buildings since 1858. Marino Palace, built in the 16th century, went to the city treasury in 1861. The decision to turn it into a city hall accelerated the formation of a beautiful architectural ensemble, a cozy square. Later, the city hall was located in the renovated building with the original facade. It houses the Trusardi Fashion Center, where demonstrations of clothing collections take place.

The facade of the world-famous La Scala theater with extraordinary acoustics has been overlooking the square (since 1778). On the right side of the building is the interesting La Scala Museum. In 1872, a monument to Leonardo da Vinci was erected in the center. Getting to the square is easy from the Duomo Cathedral through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Mercanti Square

The oldest square of the city has long been the center of life and played an important role in the historical events of the country. The main part of the architectural buildings of the Middle Ages has been preserved on the square. This is the Loggia de Ozia, made of white and black marble. The Gothic building of the Paigarola residential building, which served in the century as the registration chamber, the Courts of Legal Counsels with an interesting tower of the Commune (the statues of figures of famous personalities changed several times on its top).

The main attraction of the square is the Town Hall building. In the heart of the old town, you can see the beautiful Palazzo della Ragione, the Palatine. On the quadrangular square, surrounded by beautiful old buildings, there are numerous cafes, restaurants, antique shops, which have made it one of the liveliest, popular places among tourists and the local population. In the central zone of the square, a well of the 16th century is completely preserved in the form of a spring with two columns.

Palace of Legal Advisers

The project of the architect Serenyi for the construction of the Palace of Legal Counsels around the ancient tower ( Napo Torriani of the 13th century), was realized in 1562. Functionally, the tower was intended for the bell notification of residents in connection with the special events of the city. In the future, clocks were installed instead of bells. In the niche of the tower there is a sculpture of the patron saint of the city, St. Ambrose. Now the Palace has four floors, trimmed with cocoa-colored hewn stone. Its area is 2000 sq. m.

On the lower floor around the facade there is a gallery with numerous entrances, columns, balustrades. At different times, it housed the College of Noble Doctors or an educational institution for future lawyers for politicians. Stock exchange, bank, telegraph, Chamber of Commerce. All conference halls and exhibition pavilions have the required modern equipment and video recording systems. Palace address: Piazza dei Mercanti, 2.

Cathedral of San Carlo al Corso

Having defeated the terrible epidemic of cholera, the locals decided to build a Cathedral in honor of Bishop Carlo Borromeo (during the bubonic plague of the 16th century). His canonization took place in 1610. Construction was completed on the site of the ancient church of St. Mary (existed in 1317) in 1847. On 36 granite columns that limit the entrance to the Cathedral, a high dome rises, giving the church the appearance of a Roman pantheon.

The interior of the church is distinguished by unusually rich decorations made of frescoes, mosaics, and gilding. Above the altar is a wooden crucifix, a sculptural ensemble depicting the first communion of St. Charles Borromeo. The titular church is located in the historical center of the city.

Central station

The pompous building of the railway station appeared in 1931 under the rule of Mussolini. The first station (in the area of the modern Republic Square) could not cope with the ever-increasing flow of passing trains. The foundation stone of the new station was laid by King Victor Emmanuel III in 1906. The modern station has 24 operating platforms serving over 330,000 passengers daily. The infrastructure of the station includes cafes and restaurants.

Post office, lost property, social assistance, currency exchange, car rental. It belongs to the largest railway stations in Europe. The station, built at the request of Mussolini (confirming the power of the fascist regime), is decorated with a huge steel dome. Steel trusses with metal rivets, numerous drawings on the walls (zodiac signs, helmets, heads, Latin inscriptions). The beautiful station inspires respect, is considered an example of the cultural heritage of the Mussolini era. Powerful escalators lead to the metro, creating additional convenience for getting to the station.