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The Navigli canal in Milan, bars and old houses along the water
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MilanTravel Guide

Italy4 stories

Italy's fashion and design capital pairs a Gothic cathedral of astonishing scale with world-class art, opera at La Scala, and an aperitivo culture that turns every evening into an event.

Is Milan right for you?

When to come

Spring and early autumn

Around 31°C by day in July, 7°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

Milan is inDeepest in Europe
When to go
January: around 7 degrees by day, 0 at night, 36 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 10 degrees by day, 1 at night, 38 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 16 degrees by day, 4 at night, 42 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 19 degrees by day, 8 at night, 58 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 24 degrees by day, 13 at night, 70 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 28 degrees by day, 17 at night, 67 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
July: around 31 degrees by day, 19 at night, 44 millimetres of rain, some rain.
August: around 30 degrees by day, 19 at night, 82 millimetres of rain, wet.
September: around 26 degrees by day, 15 at night, 73 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
October: around 19 degrees by day, 10 at night, 82 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
November: around 12 degrees by day, 5 at night, 112 millimetres of rain, wet.
December: around 7 degrees by day, 1 at night, 46 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and early autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Linate Airport, Milan, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

NOAA NCEI (via en.wikipedia.org Template:Milan weatherbox) — Template holds two boxes (Linate 1991-2020 and Malpensa 1961-1990); Linate used as it is the in-city station on the current normals period.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Lake Como58 km

    an easy day trip · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (luxury)

  • Turin130 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mid)

  • Zermatt, Switzerland130 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · a different price level (luxury)

  • Verona140 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Milanad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Milan

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Milan

The ornate Gothic marble facade of the Duomo di Milano under a blue sky, with crowds and pigeons filling the cathedral square below
01
Destinations

Milan for First-Timers: The Complete Guide

Beyond the fashion-week gloss, Milan rewards first-time visitors with a rooftop walk on a Gothic cathedral, Leonardo's Last Supper, and canal-side evenings in the Navigli.

Italy · 2 min
Milan Cathedral at dawn, its spired marble facade glowing against a dramatic cloudy sky over a nearly empty Piazza del Duomo
02
The List

Milan's Most Photogenic Corners, Ranked

Milan hides its beauty in plain sight: a ranked, walkable route through the corners that repay knowing exactly where and when to stand.

Italy · 13 min
The marble arcade of Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II under its glass barrel vault, lamps glowing over the cafe awnings and a polished mosaic floor.
03
Itineraries

A Rainy Day in Milan: The All-Indoor Route

Milan keeps its best things behind doors, so a wet day here is not a fallback but a plan: one dry route from the cathedral to the last spritz, with the bookings, the closures and the costs worked out in advance.

Italy · 14 min
Milan's Naviglio Grande at dusk, lit restaurant terraces lining both stone quays beneath a violet sky and mirrored in the still canal water.
04
Stays

Basing Yourself in Milan: A First-Timer's Guide to the Right Neighborhood

Milan is compact and Metro-laced, but book in the wrong district and you will spend the trip commuting past the city's charm instead of living in it. Here is how the neighbourhoods actually differ.

Italy · 12 min
In pictures

Milan, framed

The great circular fountain in front of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan throwing up jets of water beneath the castle's red-brick clock tower
Photo: Marivaldo Vivan / Unsplash
Start at the Duomo, Milan
Photo: Fernando Meloni / Unsplash
Evenings belong to the Navigli, Milan
Photo: Siavash / Unsplash
Last Supper needs planning, Milan
Photo: Simone Daino / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Milan

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Italy

Money

Euro (EUR)

Language

Italian; English is spoken in hotels and tourist businesses but thins out quickly in smaller towns

Power

Type C/F/L, 230V 50Hz (Type L is the Italian three-pin)

Getting around

Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains link the major cities in a few hours; in town you buy a local paper ticket such as Rome's €1.50 BIT and validate it as you board.

Tipping

Service is included and tipping is uncommon — a few euros for genuinely good service is plenty, and the coperto on the bill is a cover charge, not a tip.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, although restaurants will normally bring bottled.

Driving

Right-hand side; a UK or EU photocard licence is accepted, though hire companies commonly require an International Driving Permit as well.

Emergency

112 (single European number; the old 113, 115 and 118 route to it)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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