With just 24 hours in the magnificent fashion capital of the world, you can see and do mighty a lot. Milan is the perfect compact city to wander around and get lost while admiring the chic outfits of the passerby. It’ll be a busy day, so let’s get started!
Tour the Duomo
The Duomo di Milano is Milan’s most iconic structure. This magnificent cathedral sits in the middle of Milan central and took nearly 6 centuries to complete, dating all the way back to 1386! You have probably seen photos of the Duomo on Instagram, but pictures can’t do it justice. It’s absolutely massive, and the detailing is a work of art.
Because the Duomo is the most famous landmark in Milan, the plaza in front of it is almost always filled with crowds. If possible, start your day at sunrise when the sun peeks over the cathedral and you have the square all to yourself! (Or if you’re unlucky like me, it will be cloudy and grey.)
It’s free to admire the Duomo from the front, but you will need a separate ticket to visit the cathedral’s roof or inner sections. The roof opens at 9 AM and gets crowded quickly, so I recommend snagging the earliest time slot!
Like many churches in Europe, there is a strict dress code for the interior. Make sure to have your shoulders and knees covered before going inside.
Ready to visit? Check out my more in-depth guide on everything you need to know to visit the Duomo di Milano.
Eat Breakfast at Lubar
Lubar is one of my favorite spots in Milan. They offer modern breakfast housed in an incredible hexagonal stone greenhouse—I don’t know how else to describe it—filled with plants and string lights. I really enjoyed the avocado toast with salmon.
Lubar is also a popular spot with other Europeans, so chances are you’ll be sharing your breakfast space with diners from other countries! When we were there, I heard at least 4 different languages from our table alone.
Walk Around Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Located right next to the Duomo is the stunning Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is Italy’s oldest active shopping mall (established in 1865!) and entirely comprised of luxury shops. Even if you aren’t planning on buying anything, which most of the tourists here aren’t, the structure is absolutely gorgeous. High arches, gilded floors, and golden lighting make this open-air mall a quintessential spot.
This is another spot that gets incredibly busy during the day! If you’re looking to get photos without anyone else in them, consider coming as early as 6:30 AM to avoid people. If you’re just looking to walk around and take in the sights, you can afford to come after breakfast.
Eat Lunch at La Latteria
This tiny restaurant is a local favorite that’s always buzzing. It’s a reasonably priced spot that features classic Italian primi and secondi plates (the former usually a pasta, and the latter usually fish or meat). There are only 7 or 8 tables and the restaurant is always packed.
Local tip that we learned from the people there: while La Latteria officially opens for business at 12:30 PM, you can put your name down for a table earlier. I highly recommend this as all the locals do it! We arrived at exactly opening time and the servers told us we had to come back in an hour because locals had booked out all the tables ahead of us!
My go-to order there is the olive oil pasta with green chiles. Not sure what it is in Italian, but the server recommended it to us and it was amazing.
Go (Window) Shopping
Eating lunch at La Latteria will place you nicely at the edge of the Brera District, which is Milan’s artistic neighborhood. It’s lovely to wander around the streets full of expensive boutique apparel and people watch for a bit. As a bonus, there are cute old-fashioned trams here as well!
Milan is the fashion capital of the world and you will certainly see this reflected in the stores as well as the residents’ choice of dress. Every shop window featured up-and-coming trends of the season that I later saw in the United States months later. And the locals here? They wouldn’t be caught dead without a color-coordinated ensemble or high-fashion luxury look.
Explore Navigli
Everyone knows Venice as the city of canals, but did you know Milan has a canal district as well? That’s Navigli, the charming neighborhood full of bridges and lights. It’s best to come in the evening here as Navigli is best known for its nightlife. You’ll also catch locals here having an aperitivo, or pre-dinner drink, around 5 or 6 PM. Feel free to follow suit.
The aperitif of choice tends to be the aperol spritz, a bright orange fizzy drink with ice that looks tantalizingly like orange Fanta. I don’t drink alcohol, but we tried one and it was surprisingly good. They are super popular in Italy, so I highly recommend doing as the Romans do!
Eat Dinner at Mi Scusi
If you’re looking for a way to eat as much pasta as possible on your one day in Milan without breaking the bank, go to Mi Scusi. This is a local chain with spots all over Milan and was by far the most affordable restaurant we visited during our time here. Plus, the pasta is excellent! They have preset and build-your-own varieties, so there’s an option for everyone in your party.
I recommend going for the build your own just because I prefer to try as many things as possible. Don’t skimp on the add-ons; they’re so cheap, you might as well. I loved the sun-dried tomatoes as an addition to my already delicious pesto pasta.
If you’re looking for an option nearby that’s a bit less casual, consider Al Cortile. The octopus is apparently amazing! Unfortunately, Al Cortile was temporarily closed while we were in Milan, so you’ll just have to trust that the thousands of reviews speak for themselves.
How was your one day in Milan? It’s amazing how much you can cover in just 24 hours in one of the most famous cities in Italy. I firmly believe this is a destination that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. Do you agree?
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