Luxury hotels in Milan

Milan guide

Milan: The Last Supper and the Duomo's rooftops

Leonardo's fresco by reservation, a walk among the spires and an evening at La Scala.

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie and a UNESCO site, is Milan's most cited sight; visits are limited to small groups for a few minutes, and tickets are released in batches and sell out quickly, so we book them as soon as they open. The Duomo, whose rooftop terraces walk among the spires, is the other icon.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an evening at La Scala and the fashion streets of the Quadrilatero complete the city, and the Brera district has the Pinacoteca. Lake Como is an hour away.

La Scala and the Brera district

Teatro alla Scala, opened in 1778, is perhaps the most famous opera house in the world, and an evening there is one of Milan's most cited experiences; the season opens on 7 December, and tickets for the best performances go quickly. Its museum allows a view into the auditorium by day.

A short walk away, the Brera district has the Pinacoteca di Brera, with Mantegna and Raphael, and lanes of galleries, cafés and design shops. In April, the Salone del Mobile fills the city with design.

The Quadrilatero della Moda

The Quadrilatero della Moda, the area around Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Sant'Andrea, is one of the most cited shopping districts in the world and the heart of Milan as fashion capital. Many maisons have their flagship stores and showrooms here.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a glass-roofed arcade of 1877, links the Duomo to La Scala, and the Fondazione Prada and Armani/Silos show fashion and art. Fashion weeks in February and September bring the industry to the city.