If you’re wondering what to do in Milan in 3 days, you should know that there is so much to explore! Milan is an underestimated Italian destination for travel junkies and backpackers, but there are so many things to do, that there is a bit for everyone. As the fashion capital of the world, a museum-lover like me wouldn’t think it would be such a marvelous place. And, yes. It’s very Instagrammable 😛
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Getting to Milan from Bergamo Airport
If you’re flying to Bergamo (the low-cost airport), there are a few options to getting to Milano Centrale, Milan’s Central Station. The first one is catching two trains – one from the airport to the village of Bergamo, and the second – to catch a bus! The buses stop right in front of the arrivals gate of the airport, so they are a very convenient option. Getting around in Milan is quite easy using the subway, get a 2-3 day ticket from the ticket machines when you arrive at the subway station Milano Centrale. You can’t purchase tickets from the city bus drivers, so make sure you’ve got one in advance (usually available at Metro stations).
Where to Stay in Milan
The city center of Milan is obviously a bit more expensive. However, provided that you book your stay a couple of months in advance, you can absolutely find really good deals for accommodation in Milan! My main advice is: choose a hotel or apartment that is near a subway station. The subway in the city is the fastest way to travel around. It’s also pretty quick, so you can pick a spot a bit outside the center.
Here are a few recommendations, all within 5-7 minutes walking from a subway stop:
- Hotel Folen – Booking.com score: 8.6, price per night: 230 EUR (this one tends to fill up pretty quick! It’s right next to Milano Centrale train station and has two subway stop nearby).
- Hotel Pierre Milano – Booking.com score: 7.9, price per night: 250 EUR (this one is only a 15-minute walk to Piazza Duomo, so you’re right in the heart of the city)
Reasonable budget options:
- Doria Grand Hotel – Booking.com score: 8.2, price per night 150 EUR (great value)
- Best Western Hotel Major – Booking.com score: 8.1, price per night: 150 EUR (it’s a bit further out – 40 mins walk from Piazza Duomo but only 7-8 minutes with the subway, including walking right up to it).
- Best Western Hotel Madison – Booking.com score 8.2, price per night: 170 EUR
- Ibis Milano Centro – Booking.com score: 7.6, price per night 100 EUR (this one also tends to fill up quickly)
What to do in Milan in 3 days
So, why should I go to Milan if shopping is not really my thing? Let’s see what to do in 3 days in Milan and how to get to know Italian culture!
1. Piazza del Duomo
Typical visit time: 15-30 minutes
Entrance fee: Free
Before you step into the Cathedral itself, you inevitably need to pass through the gorgeous Duomo square. Please remember that selfie sticks are actually prohibited (yep, that’s a thing) in the square, due to a few tourists hurting themselves/other people around. You can still take a normal selfie with Milan’s main attractions if you feel like it, though!
You’ll see a lot of pigeons and a lot of streetsellers around the square. Be careful, the streetsellers usually come to you and give you something “for free”, pushing it into your hand. Then, of course, they ask you for money. Just try to ignore them and tell them you don’t have any cash on you, only card, maybe they’ll go away fast enough. But this is just something I couldn’t leave out of my guide, so consider yourself warned when exploring what to do in Milan in 3 days. However, if you do want to feed the pigeons and you didn’t bring any seeds with you, it’s worth buying from one of these guys. They’ll show you how to lure them to your hand! It was awesome, I admit, I quite enjoyed it 🙂
2. The Infamous Duomo di Milano
Typical visit time: 2-2.5 hours
Entrance fee: 12-16 EUR
No wonder the Duomo is leading the chart of what to do in Milan in 3 days! The architecture is just breathtaking <3 The Duomo di Milano is the absolute marvel of art!
The tickets to the Duomo vary a bit. I’d recommend getting one of the passes – Duomo Pass A (includes lift) or Duomo Pass B (you have to climb up the old-fashioned way 😀 ). The first one is €16, while the second is €12. Not that much of a difference in the price, to be honest. For more info on the tickets, check their official website here.
To actually buy the tickets, facing the Duomo, go to the right side of it and check the building across the street (queue 1). If you go in close to the closing times to get a ticket for the next day, you might just avoid the queues! And then try to go as early as possible on the next day (we went around 9 a.m.) to fully enjoy the terraces hassle-free. You have a total of 4 queues to wait in if you’d like to see it all!
Both of the passes I mentioned above include 4 sights – the inside of the Duomo, the terraces, the archaeological site and the Duomo museum. The main entrance (queue 2) to the inside of the Duomo is where you’d think it might be – right at the center. Through that entrance you can find the archaeological area as well, which, to be honest, was not that impressive at all (but you can take a quick 10-minute stroll to check it out).
I was personally so confused by all of these different entrances, because – yes – the Duomo di Milano is pretty huge. But hey, this is the most important thing to do in Milan in 3 days, so let’s see the rest! 🙂
After you’ve finished exploring the inside of the Cathedral, head out of the Duomo for the terraces and, facing it, go to its left side. The first entrance you’ll encounter is the stairs one, if you go a bit further to the back corner, you’ll see the lift one (queue 3). We thought we’d save our strength for further sightseeing that day and well.. we took the lift 😀 (lame but plausible excuse! 😛 ) The terraces were absolutely fantastic and the views were breathtaking!
The Museo Del Duomo is on the right side of the square (queue 4, whew). This is the place where, if you don’t have a jet pack handy, you can see some of the elements of the Duomo up close – statuses, gargoyles, and there’s even a dark room full of stained-glass windows! <3
3. Royal Palace of Milan
Typical visit time: 15-30 minutes
Entrance fee: Free
The visit to the Royal Palace of Milan is not like the usual visit to other palaces around Europe (Spain, Germany, etc.). Usually, they have different paid exhibitions on display in one part of it, while there are a 4-5 rooms you can explore on your own. It is not as impressive as the UK’s or Spanish palaces, but it’s pretty close. There are 3 main reasons why I’m including it in my list of what to do in Milan in 3 days – there are no queues. it’s a very quick stroll and it’s free! It’s right next to the Duomo, so you might as well walk around these pretty rooms.
Looking for even more to explore around the city? Check out these 6 best road trips from Milan, Italy!
4. Santa Maria Presso di San Siro
Typical visit time: 15 minutes
Entrance fee: Free
Walking around Milan, you’ll find lots of small churches and basilicas. This is a cute hidden gem and even if it’s not open, you can still admire it from outside.
Are you looking to explore even more of Italy? Check out this awesome post with 25 best places to visit in Italy!
5. Pinacoteca & Biblioteca Ambrosiana
Typical visit time: 1-1.5 hours
Entrance fee: 15 EUR
These two attractions – the gallery and library, are housed in the same place, don’t get confused by other travel guides. The Biblioteca is actually only 1 room (but quite large and super impressive). The audio guide is not really worth it, as it is an old Android phone that reads everything in the “Google” translate voice… There are no photos allowed inside, only in the gardens, but there were a few quite amazing works of art there! I definitely recommend including it in your list of what to do in Milan in 3 days.
6. Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle
Typical visit time: 15-30 minutes
Entrance fee: Free
This is actually not a gallery – it’s kind of a shopping mall! Such “galleries” are not a rare sight around Europe – you can find a similar one in Brussels and even in Bucharest! Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle should definitely be on your itinerary for Milan – it houses some of the most high-end brands in the world. The architecture is stunning, and I am such a sucker for Gothic & Roman elements! It is located right next to Piazza di Duomo, you can’t miss it 🙂
7. Teatro alla Scala
Typical visit time: 30 minutes
Entrance fee: 9 EUR
Ever since I was a little girl, my mum had been telling me about this absolutely gorgeous Italian theater – La Scala! Okay, maybe I was a bit too hyped for it, but seeing it still felt like a childhood dream coming true. I didn’t see a performance there, just walked around, but I could almost see beautiful ballerinas twirling endlessly on the stage, while a mustached man with a monocle admires them <3 It was really on top of my list of what to do in Milan in 3 days.
8. Museo Poldi-Pezzoli
Typical visit time: 1 hour
Entrance fee: 10 EUR
This was by far my favorite art gallery in the city, so don’t skip this awesome place in your itinerary for Milan! The audio guide was great; there is also a video display to let you learn all about Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli – the owner of this house, which was turned into a museum after his death. He collected beautiful pieces of art and his dream was to own a Leonardo (pretty understandable), but since he couldn’t get his hands on one, he has lots of paintings by his disciples.
9. Science Museum
Typical visit time: 1-1.5 hours
Entrance fee: 10 EUR
When looking at what to do in Milan in 3 days, pick the Science Museum – it was such a pleasant surprise for me. After visiting the Science Museum in London, I thought nothing could ever impress me. I couldn’t be more wrong! The museum has a few fascinating rooms – some dedicated to climate change and even a whole hall dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci and some of his amazing inventions. The gardens of the museum are gorgeous as well, so take a stroll outside.
10. Santa Maria delle Grazie – Last Supper Viewing
Typical visit time: 30 minutes
Entrance fee: 24-40 EUR
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing The Last Supper in person – put this place on top of your list of things to do in Milan in 3 days. Pro tip: book your tickets to The Last Supper at least a few weeks before your visit to Milan! In this beautiful little square you’ll see the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, and, facing it, to your left you’ll see the Last Supper viewing – definitely on top of the list of what to do in Milan in 3 days. Unfortunately, we apparently thought it would be easy to see one of most amazing paintings in the world. Oh well. When we entered, they said they’re fully booked for the next 2 weeks 🙁 Apparently they only let 25 people every 15 minutes, in order to preserve the temperature/humidity in the room where it is held. Share your experience in the comments if you’ve seen it!
11. Parco Sempione
Typical visit time: 1 hour
Entrance fee: Free
This beautiful park is located in the heart of the city and is a great spot to relax and take in the sights. The park is full of lush green lawns, trees, and flowers, making it a great place to take a stroll or just sit and relax – you should definitely include it in your itinerary for Milan. There are also plenty of benches and tables scattered throughout the park, so you can take a break and enjoy a picnic. The park is also home to some of Milan‘s most iconic landmarks, including the Sforza Castle and the Arch of Peace. The castle is a great place to explore and learn about the city‘s history, while the arch is a great spot to take a photo. The park also has plenty of activities to keep you entertained. There are several playgrounds, a skate park, and a bike path. There are also several cafes and restaurants located within the park, so you can grab a bite to eat or a drink while you‘re there.
12. Castello Sforzesco
Typical visit time: 1.5 hours
Entrance fee: 5 EUR
These walls are actually 7 meters thick! 😱 Within them, you will find several amazing museums – an art gallery, museum of ancient art, museum of musical instruments, antique furniture and wooden sculpture museums and a few more! Make sure you have a few hours to spare when you visit, you will surely enjoy half a day in Castello Sforzesco and its gardens.
13. Leonardo 3 Museum
Typical visit time: 1.5 hours
Entrance fee: 10 EUR
The Leonardo3 Museum is one of the most FUN things you can do in Milan in 3 days! As no photos are allowed inside, you can find out more on their website. There are lots of interactive machines and “replicas” of Da Vinci’s ideas. Don’t miss this museum, it’s right at the heart of Milan!
14. Day Trip to Lake Como
Lake Como is just an hour train ride away from Milan! It’s so charming, that you will certainly want to go back 🙂 See the awesome things to do in lake Como here. I would even put it in the very top of the list of what to do in Milan in 3 days, I fell in love with it! <3 If you have a bit more time in Milan, you should try to spend at least 1 or 2 nights at lake Como, you won’t regret it at all. You can go on your own or book a guided tour from Milan for a peace of mind.
Bonus: Bosco Verticale
Unfortunately, if you only have 3 days in Milan, the wonderful Bosco Verticale might be a bit out of reach for you, as it’s quite far from the city center. It’s about 40 minutes walking from the city center or 20 minutes by public transport. However, you can try to make time for it – it’s pretty amazing to see in person!
3-Day Full Itinerary for Milan
Day 1
(click here to get it preloaded in Google Maps)
Piazza del Duomo ~ 15 minutes
Milan Cathedral, Terraces ~ 1.5 hours
Museo Duomo ~ 45 minutes
Royal Palace of Milan ~ 30 minutes
Santa Maria Presso di San Siro ~ 15 minutes
Pinacoteca & Biblioteca Ambrosiana ~ 1 hour (lots of cute restaurants in this area to have your lunch!)
Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle ~ 15 minutes
Leonardo3 Museum ~ 1 hour
Teatro alla Scala ~ 45 minutes
Museo Poldi-Pezzoli ~ 1 hour
Total time: 6 hours 15 minutes; walking time – 20-30 minutes; entrance fees – €60.
Day 2
(click here to get it preloaded in Google Maps)
Science Museum ~ 1.5 hours
Santa Maria delle Grazie ~ 30 minutes (the Last Supper viewing – book your tickets at least a few weeks earlier!)
Parco Sempione ~ 1 hour
Castello Sforzesco ~ 1.5 hours
Pinacoteca di Brera ~ 1 hour
Total time: 5 hours 30 minutes; walking time – 20-30 minutes; entrance fees – €61.
Day 3
For day 3, I would highly recommend visiting the stunning lake Como! Find out all the awesome things to do in lake Como.
Whew, so much to see in Milan, right? What would be on top of your list of what to do in Milan in 3 days?
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