How to Spend a Fun, Jet-lagged Weekend in Milan

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Milan Itinerary Day 1 - Jet-lagged Saturday

After a ~20-hour trip from Hong Kong, we arrived bright and early (7:00 am) at Milan's Malpensa Airport. Immigration was a breeze and our luggage arrived promptly. Then, we made our way to Milan on the Malpensa Express train.

Arriving at Milano Centrale Station

Purchasing a SIM Card

Because Milan was our first stop on a 3-week trip around Italy, our first goal was to purchase a SIM card for our phones. We stopped at the TIM store in Milano Centrale Station and purchased 2 Tourist SIM cards. For both the SIM cards and the activation fee, the total came to 75 €.

Taxi from Milano Centrale Station to Brera Neighborhood

Once we were ready to leave, we followed signs to the taxi stand. Several taxis were waiting and it was easy to grab one. This wasn't the case in every city we visited, so we got lucky that day.

The taxi to our hotel - B&B Hotel Milano City Center Duomo - in the Brera neighborhood cost roughly 12 €. When we got to our hotel around 10:30 am, we weren't able to check in yet. But they stored our luggage for us so we could start exploring. 

Breakfast at Princi Bakery Brera

By the time we reached Milan, I was hungry and under-caffeinated. So, we immediately found a café for a bit of breakfast. The Princi Bakery was my favorite breakfast spot. In addition to sweet pastries (a traditional Italian breakfast), Princi had savory options, as well as yogurt and fruit. Sweet pastries aren't really my thing in the morning, so I appreciate the variety.

Since we were sleepy and feeling a bit gross from air travel, we decided to explore the Brera neighborhood until we could check in to our hotel at 2:00 pm.

Castello Sforzesco

One of the most prominent attractions in Brera is the Castello Sforzesco - a medieval Visconti fortress. In the 15th century, it was reconstructed and became the home to the Sforza dynasty that ruled during Milan's Renaissance.

Today, you can wander the outside grounds of the castle for free during the day. To visit the museums and exhibits inside the fortress, there's a small admissions fee.

Since it was a beautiful day, we wandered the castle grounds and admired the architecture. The castle also seemed to be a popular spot for fashion photo shoots on the Saturday we visited.

Parco Sempione

If you walk through Castello Sforzesco, you'll end up in Parco Sempione which was historically where the dukes living in the castle would hunt. In 1891, it became a public park and seems a popular location for picnics and families hanging out on the weekends.

On a sunny day, we also found it was a great spot to get some shade. Plus, the park has several public water fountains around it where you can refill your water bottle.

At the northwestern end of the Parco Sempione, be sure to admire the triumphal, Neoclassical arch - Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace) - in the Piazza Sempione.

Grab a Pizza for Lunch

By the time we'd walked around the castle and park for a couple of hours, we were hungry again. What can I say, travel works up an appetite! Across from the Piazza Sempione, we found a spot called Taglialà to satisfy our pizza craving.

Though after consuming an entire pizza and sharing a carafe of wine, the jet-lag hit hard and we had to return to our hotel to check in and to nap!

Shopping in Milan

If you're not traveling to Milan from as far away as we were, then you could easily use the afternoon hours to shop. Being one of Europe's premier shopping destinations means you're bound to find something that appeals to you. On our way back to our hotel, Jeremy even managed to find a pair of dress shoes he liked.

Walking through Milan

After our afternoon nap and getting cleaned up, we decided to walk to the Navigli neighborhood in the south. Our route took us through central Milan where we admired many churches, colorful buildings, street art, etc.

Along our walk, we passed the cathedral and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - two of the main sights to see in Milan. At that time of day (6:00 pm), they were quite crowded so we planned to return the next morning.

Aperitivo along the Canals

Although you may think of Venice for canals in Italy, historically, Milan also had its fair share of waterways. Today, you can see the last remnants of the canal network in Milan in the Navigli District. 

A Bit of History on the Canals of Milan: Initial construction on the canals in Milan began in the 12th century. Throughout the 12th to 17th centuries, a network of canals (navigli) was developed. Eventually, the canal system was connected to the Ticino River and Adda River. This canal system brought goods and wealth to the landlocked city of Milan.

Wandering around the Navigli neighborhood today, you'll find artisan shops, cafes, and lots of bars and restaurants. It's a great spot for an aperitivo and people-watching, though it gets really crowded in summer. 

Dinner in the Navigli District

After enjoying an Aperol Spritz, we headed to dinner. Since we didn't have a reservation and it was a Saturday night, places were kind of full. As a result, we ended up sitting inside at El Brellin. Luckily, their air conditioning was better than many places we sat inside later in the trip, so it wasn't too stuffy.

At El Brellin, we tried a few of the Lombardy regional specialties: Osso Buco, veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth, as well as Saffron Risotto. 

Walk through Milan and Admire Sights at Night

After we stuffed ourselves at dinner, we walked back the ~2.5 km to our hotel in Brera. By the time we finished eating at 10:30 pm, it was dark outside so we enjoyed seeing the churches lit up as we walked. 

Milan Itinerary Day 2 - Sunday Sights

After sleeping like the dead, we awoke on Sunday morning feeling (mostly) refreshed. Luckily, I'd set an alarm, because jet-lag didn't wake me up early like I'd expected. We only had one full day in Milan, so we had to get started.

Beat the Crowds to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a gorgeous neoclassical 4-story shopping arcade and a famous landmark in Milan. Nicknamed 'il salotto di Milano' (Milan's drawing room), it's home to luxury brands, such as Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. You'll also find a number of (expensive) restaurants and cafes there.

If you want to admire the beautiful architecture and artwork in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, I highly recommend getting there early before the shops open. That way, you can appreciate the soaring glass ceilings and intricate mosaic floors properly.

Breakfast at Ravizza

After taking photos at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duomo, we searched for a café for breakfast. The city felt quite empty at 9:30am on a Sunday morning. 

Eventually we stumbled upon a place that seemed popular with locals - Ravizza 1871. They had a great sweet pastry selection. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see any savory options.

Duomo di Milano - Highlight of Milan

Once we finished breakfast, we headed back to the Milan Cathedral - Duomo di Milano. For me, the beautiful and architecturally fascinating duomo was the star attraction of Milan.

Construction on the cathedral began in the 14th century by Giangaleazzo Visconti. However, many of the pinnacles, arches and buttresses were added much later, in the 19th century. Made of Candoglia marble, the cathedral has a pearly white façade with a pinkish hue which I found especially impressive at night.

Purchasing Tickets for the Duomo di Milano

Although you can pre-purchase tickets online, we did not for this particular cathedral. As it turned out, we only had to wait ~10 minutes in line at the ticket office at 11:00 am on a Sunday.

When you purchase your ticket, you can decide how many parts of the cathedral you'd like to visit. We purchased the combo ticket - Duomo Pass - Stairs (15 € pp), which includes the cathedral, archaeological area, rooftop (stairs), plus the museum.

If you're not up for climbing stairs but still want to see the view, you can purchase the Duomo Pass Lift (20 €). They also sell individual tickets if you only want to visit certain parts of the cathedral.

Visiting the Milan Cathedral

Upon entering the Milan Cathedral, we realized that Mass was in progress. Visiting a cathedral during Mass has its pros and cons. On the positive side, it's a cultural experience to see how Mass is conducted in another country. Plus, it's a more sensory experience as you listen to the organ and smell the incense.  

On the other hand, since it's a worship service, it's important not to be disruptive. This means that you cannot tour the entire cathedral or get close to the altar during the Mass. In the Duomo di Milano, you can still walk most of the way up the side aisles and admire the smaller chapels on the sides of the cathedral.

What to Wear: In order to enter the cathedral, you'll need to make sure you're respectful and wearing appropriate clothing - shoulders covered and no short shorts. Easier to observe in winter, I'm sure. We noticed they were stricter about the shoulders. Many men entered wearing shorts and ladies in short(ish) dresses (no short shorts though). I carried a scarf to throw around my shoulders whenever we entered a church and wore knee-length dresses.

Duomo di Milano Rooftop

Next on our tour of the Duomo di Milano, we climbed the stairs to the rooftop. It wasn't a bad climb and the stairs were not too steep. Once we got to the top, we admired the intricate spires surrounding us. The Milan Cathedral has 135 spires and pinnacles, each one adorned with a saint or symbolic figure.

It was quite toasty on the rooftop since we visited at midday and temperatures were in the 90s (low 30s Celsius), but the views were beautiful.

Archaeological Area

To finish our tour of the Duomo, we descended into the archaeological area. When construction began on the "new" Milan Cathedral in 1386, they decided to build upon the remains of the ancient basilicas - Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Tecla. 

It was fascinating to see the ruins of these old churches along with the Baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti hidden beneath the cathedral. 

An Afternoon of Wandering and Eating

By the time we finished our tour of the cathedral, we were ready for more sustenance. Since we'd visited the main sights we wanted to see, we basically spent our afternoon wandering, shopping, and eating. Not a bad way to pass the time! I'll list a few spots below where we ate and that I'd recommend. 

After a few hours of wandering, we also had a brief nap and refresh at the hotel because, well, jet-lag + summer heat = sleepiness. 

Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo

Right around the corner from the Duomo, you'll find this hugely popular street food place. Serving deep fried calzone pizza with lots of yummy cheese, sauce, and meat for only ~4 €, it's a delicious option for a cheap lunch. Though be prepared for a wait.

We shared a calzone and sat behind the Duomo to people-watch. It was super messy, but delicious. Just be sure to have napkins or tissues on hand.

De Santis - Paninis

This panini place has been around since 1964 serving delicious sandwiches with fresh ingredients. We ate in the original De Santis location on Corso Magenta - a cozy space with original furnishings and loads of charm.

Ciacco Gelato Senz'altro

Is it true that when a place has queue, then it has to be good? I don't know, but it was true of Ciacco Gelato Senz'altro. One of the more flavorful gelatos we tasted in Milan, I highly recommend a stop for a refreshing snack.

Alfresco Aperitivo in a Courtyard

For our second evening of aperitivi, we wandered through the charming cobblestone alleys in Brera. Eventually we stopped at Rosso Brera for an Aperol Spritz and a Negroni. The drinks were great, but when they brought me olives with my drink they won me over completely.

Dinner at Salsamenteria di Parma

Despite being in Milan, the restaurant we chose for dinner focused on products from the Parma region, such as parmesan cheese and cured meats. I'm one of those Americans that dumps parmesan cheese on all the pastas I make (sorry, not sorry). So, Salsamenteria di Parma was the perfect restaurant for me.

Milan by Night

To walk off our dinner, we revisited some of Milan's attractions to see them lit up at night. The Duomo and the Castello Sforzesco are as beautiful at night as they are by day. 

Milan Itinerary Day 3 - Monday Morning Delights

Although we left Milan on Monday, we had most of the morning to enjoy. It was our first time seeing Milan on a work day and it was interesting to feel the shift in the city. Despite the summer heat, we noticed many locals dressed in full suits commuting to the office. Sweating in my t-shirt and shorts, I didn't envy them.

After eating a quick breakfast at Princi Bakery, we explored a new area of Brera. Our goal was to make it to the Orto Botanico di Brera (botanical garden), located behind the Palazzo Brera. 

Palazzo Brera and the Orto Botanico di Brera

The Palazzo Brera is a monumental palace located in the Brera neighborhood of Milan. It was a Jesuit college for 200 years, but now houses several of the city's leading cultural institution, including the Accademia di Brera (art academy), Pinacoteca di Brera (art gallery), and the Orto Botanico di Brera (botanical garden). 

To get to the Brera Botanical Garden, we had to walk through courtyard of the Palazzo Brera. Although a bit austere, I found the columns, archways, and balconies impressive.

Once we reached the garden, we found ourselves in a lush and verdant oasis in the heart of the city. Beware the mosquitos in the summertime though! 

Leaving Milan by Train

Milan was only the beginning of our 3-week trip to Italy, so we got a taxi back to Milano Centrale station to catch a train to our next stop - Cinque Terre. 

Read the next post on our Italy trip -> 2 Days in Beautiful Cinque Terre, Italy

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