In the summer, Milano does not go on vacation.The days get longer, the events in the neighborhoods multiply and there is plenty of exhibitions, museums, monuments to discover, unusual itineraries, outdoor sports and experiences related to shopping and gastronomy: there is always an opportunity to experience the Milanese lifestyle, live the creative energy of the city and feel stylish in the Italian fashion capital.

Where to start your city trip then? We've prepared a list of 100 things to do in Milano in the summer - start ticking off your list.

Plan your trip to Milano

You have decided to spend a few days in Milano this summer: an excellent idea. 

#1. Arrive prepared. Browse our website and start exploring the neighborhoods that innervate Milano with new energies: each has its own identity, discover your favorite one.

#2. Now that you've got an idea, all you have to do is book your hotel.

#3. Pack your bags: comfortable shoes and light clothes to walk around town and withstand the high temperatures, and then your best look for an evening in style. However, leave room in your suitcase: you are about to arrive in the city that is a mecca for power shopping.

Discover summertime events in Milano

Milano is happening the summer, with concerts that enliven its arenas (#4): from the Castello Sforzesco to the Hippodrome and the San Siro Stadium, which from a temple of football turns into a giant music stage for the summer, with international artists like Florence and The Machine, Coldplay, Muse, Rosalia, Red Hot Chili Peppers. There is something for all tastes in live shows.

 

#5. Maybe you don't know that this summer Milano hosts some unmissable exhibitions. From contemporary art, to photography,  you will be able to see some very special works of art. #6. But those of the Summer are not the only exhibits not to be missed: discover the best 2023 art shows here.

Must-see things in Milano

Since you're ready to explore Milano, let's start from the basics, with the great classic destinations of the city. Impossible not to start with a photo of the Duomo (#7). But don't stop there: step onto the terraces for one of the best views of the city, especially at sunset (#8). Then go down to the square and look at the facade: can you see the Statue of Liberty among the sculptures above the front gate (this is one of the amazing things to look out for in the Milano Duomo)? If so, tick #9 and go straight to #10.

 

Milano also has its superstitious ritual: go to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and find the image of the bull on the floor. Tradition has it that placing the right heel on the bull’s lower parts and making three turns on oneself brings luck.

 

#11. From Piazza Duomo, walk straight to Castello Sforzesco: you can choose to take a tour of the battlements, relax in its gardens or visit the civic museums housed in its halls. Be sure not to miss Michelangelo's Pietà Rondanini which is exhibited here (#12).

 

Fill up on beauty with points #13, #14, #15: next to the Duomo, visit the Museo del Novecento with its rich collection of modern and contemporary art ranging from Futurism to Surrealism and Arte Povera. Then enter the "Sistine Chapel of Milano": the Church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore in Corso Magenta 15, just a stone's throw from Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, one of the most admired paintings in the wordl, in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (if you want to see it, book the entrance in advance). On the other side of the road, at number 65, is Casa degli Atellani with Leonardo's Vineyard (#16).

 

#17. Change neighborhood and move to Brera, a bohemian and creative district. This is where the Brera Art Gallery and some of the most famous paintings in the world are to be found, such as The Kiss by Hayez and the Dead Christ by Mantegna. We know that after all this touring you need a break: #8, have an espresso at Caffè Fernanda, the most elegant of cafes in Milano's museums.

 

From the classics, to a new icon: the shimmering gold of the Haunted House and the 13-story Tower are a telltale sign that you have arrived at the Fondazione Prada, a former distillery transformed into a vast citadel dedicated to contemporary art. Snap a photo of the giant mushrooms in Carsten Holler's Upside Down Mushroom Room and discover the museum's other wonders (#19).

While you're at it, check the number #20 and stop for an aperitif at Bar Luce, designed by visionary director Wes Anderson.

#21. Take a stroll and stop in piazza Olivetti to see the Milano to come: you are in the new Symbiosis business district which is part of the area that will host the Olympic Village for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

#22. Take the Lilac metro line to the M5 Ponale stop to reach another former industrial plant transformed into a culture factory: go to the Pirelli HangarBicocca and feel small in front of Kiefer's Seven Heavenly Palaces.

Free and open-air masterpieces

You don’t need no tickets to enjoy art in Milano: you can also admire some masterpieces in the open air. Then check points #23, #24, #25, #26: you will be able to see L.O.V.E, better known in Milano as “the Finger”, a sculpture by the famous Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, at the center of Piazza Affari; cycle in front of the Arco della Pace and reach Giorgio de Chirico's Metaphysical artwork Bagni Misteriosi (Mysterious Baths), created in 1973 for the fountain in the garden of the Palazzo dell'Arte in Parco Sempione and now restored and permanently exhibited in the Triennale Garden; and stroll in the Monumental Cemetery, an open-air museum for its mausoleums and a tree-lined walkways, making it an oasis of tranquility away from the city's din.

Finally, wander across ArtLine, the park in the shadow of CityLife skyscrapers, a free tour of contemporary art installations that is enriched by new works every year.

Do sports or relax in the parks of Milano

Milano is a green city. Parks, secret gardens, botanical gardens offer an opportunity for a relaxing break or practicing sports. In the CityLife park there is an open-air gym (#27), but you can also take your bike and cycle up to the small hill of Monte Stella (#28), the park near the San Siro Stadium: join the professional athletes who train here on weekends, for short-track and athletics and triathlon!

 

If you prefer a more relaxed pace, go to Parco Sempione, the great green lung between Castello Sforzesco and Arco della Pace, where you can also stop for a picnic (#29). Treasure hunt: find the little mermaid bridge and find out why lovers love it so much. Done with #30, do #31 and start the next day with a sun salutation and a yoga session at BAM - the Library of the Trees, a brand new botanical garden among the Porta Nuova skyscrapers (M2/M5 Garibaldi FS).

 

You definitely deserve to take a pause to breath. With #32 we make you sit on the longest bench in the world. It is located near the pond of Parco del Portello, in not far from CityLife.

From surf to paddling: experience Milano in the open air

Milano is a beautiful city to live in the open air. What if temperatures rise? Go to the beach and do some surf and wakeboard (#33): in Milano there is no sea, but you can always go to the Idroscalo, an artificial lake not far from Linate Airport. This is truly the beach of Milano: you can rent pedal boats, lie in the sun, swim and paddling (#34).

 

For a dip, there are also the beautiful art deco public swimming pools (#35), such as the Mysterious Baths of the Franco Parenti Theater, built in the 1930s, where you can stop in the evening for an atmospheric aperitif (#36).

 

#37 and #38: Explore the Navigli by boat and by bicycle: you will see another Milano. #39: alternatively, move to the Martesana and experience the thrill of paddling in a canoe along the canals of Milano: the rental is located on a cycle path, near the M1 Turro metro stop.

Unusual, secret and curious places in Milano

There is a secret Milano. It is located behind the gates of noble palaces and in the most secluded streets downtown. Like the #40 Brera Botanical Garden, an evocative secret garden behind the Pinacoteca.

 

#41. Are you a street art lover? Take a tour of Ortica to see OR.ME Project: 20 mural works mixing social history and urban art by the Orticanoodles collective.

#42. Speaking of colors, have you ever been to Via Lincoln? Some have nicknamed it "the Milanese Burano".

If the answer is yes, then go to #43 and get lost in the streets of the Quadrilatero del Silenzio, near M1 - Palestro: you have noticed that behind the hedges that hide the facade of Villa Invernizzi, in Via Cappuccini 7, lives a small colony of pink flamingos?

Continue straight towards Via Serbelloni. At number 10, there is huge ear sticking out of the wall (#44), then the art deco swimming pool of Villa Necchi, one of the most beautiful museum houses in the city (#45). Photograph everything and post in on social media (with the #yesmilano hashtag, obviously) and look for #46: you have surely heard of Bosco Verticale, the famous green skyscraper, but perhaps you have not yet seen the vertical garden in Via Mozart. It is Villa Zanoletti, entirely covered with ivy and other climbing plants.

 

Speaking of surprises, #48: in Via Malpighi 3, look up and admire the beautiful women painted on the facade of Casa Galimberti, the most beautiful example of Art Nouveau architecture in Milano.

#49: Did you know that the barbarians lived 500 meters from the Duomo? To be precise, there are eight giant brutes standing out on the facade of Palazzo Leoni-Calchi, Via Omenoni 3.

#50: Walk towards Via Larga, and armed with courage, enter the church of San Bernardino alle Ossa, whose crypt is one of the most macabre things you’ll ever see.

 

#51: If the devil wears Prada, he also has a residence in Milano. In fact, wait at the door of Palazzo Acerbi, in Corso Porta Romana 3 (M3 Missori), and see if he comes out. While you wait, have fun looking at the cannonball embedded in the facade.

Other demonic presences are at #52: outside the Basilica of St. Ambrose (M2 Sant’Ambrogio), a severed stone column has two clearly visible holes. It's Lucifer's horns that got stuck there when the Saint spurned him.

Live Milano like a local

By now you begin to know Milano like a local. Now it's time to feel like a real Milanese. With a brunch in one of the Brera cafés and an aperitivo on the Navigli canals, #53 and #54, let's lay the foundations.

Then, let's raise the level. #55: the Milanese like to go downtown to buy a book, to read perhaps on a tram or on a bench in the greenery of one of the many parks and gardens of the city. Discover a bounty of bookstores and libraries: Milano is also the capital of Italian publishing.

 

#56: In Milano people are always running. And not just to go to work. Wake up and start the day with some jogging in Parco Sempione.

 

#57: Milano is inclusive and welcoming, tolerant and cosmopolitan. Embrace the spirit of the LGBTQIA+ city by touring Porta Venezia, the neighborhood where diversity and inclusion are celebrated in bars and clubs during the month ending with Italy's biggest Pride Parade (Milano Pride, July 2).

 

#58: Milano is becoming increasingly green and attentive to environmental sustainability. The born-and-bred Milanese like to cycle around: take advantage of the many bike sharing services.

Pedal to #59, you are halfway there. The Milanese are proud of the new architecture that adds to the city’s skyline: take a tour of CityLife and Porta Nuova to see Milano’s new skyscrapers.

 

Once you have arrived in Porta Nuova, stop in piazza Gae Aulenti (#60): this is where the young dancers meet, rehearsing their choreographies and their different styles: breakdance, house, k-pop, krump, mixed style freestyle hip-hop.

But in Milano each square has its own identity, just like the neighborhood that hosts it. To have fun and play ping pong, go to Piazza Arcobalena in NoLo (#61), the area between Piazzale Loreto, Stazione Centrale and Via Padova. If, on the other hand, you know what an Ollie or a kickflip is, grab your board and try your tricks together with the guys who skateboard in Piazza Duca d’Aosta, in front of Milano's Central Station (#62).

Discover Milano, city of design

You will surely have heard of Milano Design Week, one of the largest events in the world dedicated to design and furniture, which just ended in June. But maybe you don't know that every day of the year Milano is the capital of design: discover with us why.

#63: Start by visiting the ADI Museum, with the exhibits "Podium 16", "Olivetti’s Compasso d'Oro", and "Marco Zanuso and Alessandro Mendini: Design and Architecture". Then it is the turn of the Milano Triennale Museum, #64, a temple for art, design and architecture in Parco Sempione. Also check out the Franco Albini Foundation (#65) and the Achille Castiglioni Studio Museum (#66).

Things to do in Milano at sunset

When the monuments light up and the sun goes down, the skyscrapers sparkle in the dark and the lights of the clubs and buildings are reflected on the waters of the Navigli canals, Milano takes a whole new charm.

 

#67: Dress elegantly and book a ticket for a concert at La Scala, the most famous opera theater of the world.

 

#68: Get off at the M1 Cairoli metro stop and take a photo of the Castello Sforzesco: in the evening it has a whole different charm.

 

#69: Have you ever seen Milano shine from above? When evening falls, climb to the top of the Branca Tower, in Parco Sempione, and enjoy the show.

 

#70: Admire the changing looks of the new Milano at night in Piazza Gae Aulenti, facing Garibaldi train station: the Unicredit Tower, Italy's tallest skyscraper, and Bosco Verticale are at the heart of the newand glittering Porta Nuova and Isola Districts.

 

#71: Visit a museum. There are several open until late once a week in Milano, especially during the summer. Like the MUDEC, the Museum of the world’s cultures, in the Tortona Design District, designed by British architect David Chipperfield.

 

#72: Go dancing at Balera dell’Ortica, Via Giovanni Antonio Amadeo 78, a ballroom that is a throwback to the last century and the Milanese economic miracle.

Experience Milano's nightlife

Work hard, party hard: this is Milano's philosophy. So immerse yourself in Milano's nightlife, choosing what's right for you. Go to Brera for an international atmosphere (#73).

 

If you are a young fashionista, then choose the venues along Corso Sempione (#74) or the discos of Corso Como (#75). To listen to excellent jazz, move to the Isola district, after Bosco Verticale (#76), while heading south you reach Porta Romana to spend the evening in the company of other musical genres: rock, ambient, 80's style. And we are at #77.

 

For #78, just a tip: it's late, see you tomorrow morning for the right awakening in the park.

Eat and drink in Milano

One thing is sure: those who love food and cuisine cannot but love Milano. Taste the city with us!

Who said panettone can only be eaten at Christmas? #79, go to the pastry shops in Milano and try a slice of the typical dessert cake of the city.

 

Do not deprive yourself of the delectable pleasure of tasting the city dish, Risotto alla Milanese, made yellow by saffron (#80).

Aperitif after 6pm is something of a civic duty (#81 on your list). Impossible not to give in to one the most pleasant of city rituals. Where to go? The city center has great cocktail bars, and so do Isola and Corso Garibaldi, but if you want to do things right, order a Negroni Sbagliato at Bar Basso, where the cocktail was invented (and we are at #82).

 

For dinner, indulge and splurge: book a table in a ritzy starred restaurant (#83). Or eat ethnic food in the streets where restaurants and take-aways concentrate in the city (#84, #85, #86 on the list): Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine in Via Paolo Sarpi, Milano's Chinatown, Eritrean restaurants in Porta Venezia and Peruvian eateries in NoLo, Arab and Turkish cuisine in Via Imbonati, and more!

 

#87: Like the Boqueria in Barcelona or the Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon, Milano has a number of covered public market, where you can shop for food and eat a good meal on the premises.

 

#88: Perhaps you will be surprised to know that in Milano you can also dine at a farmhouse.

 

It's #89, and maybe you're a little disoriented: search for your favorite area / cuisine and book a restaurant on the portal.

Shopping in Milano

Milano is a city with style. Find the one that suits you best by walking around the shops in the one of the world's fashion capitals: to find out what's trending now on the catwalks, explore the Fashion Quadrangle in Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via del Gesù, for classic as well as eccentric fashion creations, #90. Notes: in the side streets of the Quadrilatero, there are fashion outlets and emerging stylists ’stores that offer affordable prices. And while you're there, visit some of the most beautiful courtyards and house museums of Milano (#91).

 

With point #92 we take you to Tortona District (M2 Porta Genova), with many shops with a vintage allure, where you can find unique 100% Made in Italy fashion & design creations.

 

#93: if you go for the alternative urban style and the 90s look, there is casual fashion shopping in Via Torino and the second-hand garments sold in Corso Porta Ticinese and Viale Papiniano (M2 Sant’Agostino).

 

A little secret, #94: the Milanese like to find unique fashion items in vintage shops and street markets (second hand is fashionable and also sustainable). In Milano you will find several ones: from the flea markets in Porta Genova and Bovisa stations at the two opposite ends of the city, to the Sunday antiques market along the Naviglio Grande and the hipsters' East Market in Via Mecenate, go hunting for rarities and curiosities.

Day Trip from Milano

You can also leave Milano for a day trip to the lakes or to continue your Grand Tour of Italy. Thanks to its location and excellent transport connections (Milano is served by three airports and a dense railway network), you can easily reach your destination in a short time.

 

In one hour are on Lake Como (#95), among gardens and villas also frequented by Hollywood stars, and in two hours you’re on Lake Garda (#96). With a high-speed train, it takes two hours to go to Florence (#97), two and a half hours to reach Venice (#98) and a little more than three hours to go to Rome (#99).

 

#100, it’s a bonus: Just rest; you've earned it.