Milan in 4 Days: everything you need to know

Despite not being the capital of Italy, Milan is full of things to see and do at every turn. Considered by many to be the city of fashion, this iconic city boasts not only the best galleries, but a multitude of museums and buildings that showcase the country's history.

If you're thinking of coming to Milan for four days and don't quite know where to start to get to see it all, don't worry, I've prepared a detailed plan for you so you can make the most of your days. Visit the Duomo, see the Last Supper, have an evening on the canals and take a trip to one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, let's get started!

You've just arrived in Milan and, for this first day, I suggest you get a feel for the place by going straight to the city's must-see sights. You are in one of the most historic cities in the whole country and you will soon realise that, simply by walking around the centre, you will find a monument, square or museum of great importance.

I hope you come with your batteries charged because you will start the day touring the Royal Palace and going up to the great Duomo, you will eat one of the most typical dishes of Milan and you will end the day in the famous Vittorio Emmanuele Gallery and discovering the interior of the Scala Theatre.

See inside the Royal Palace

Hopefully you woke up early to make the most of the day. Chances are you've opted to stay in accommodation close to the centre, but just in case, your first stop will be the Duomo metro station, one of the busiest spots in the city.

The first thing you'll see is the imposing Duomo, which gives the station its name, but before entering this marvelous building, I invite you to start your day by entering the Royal Palace, the building that is just to the right of the Duomo from the metro.

It is one of the most important buildings in Milan, as for centuries it was the residence of the great powers that ruled and governed the city. Today it is a splendid cultural centre that you can visit for about 10€ from 9.30am, Tuesday to Sunday. You can tour some of the rooms, stroll through the courtyards and see the temporary exhibitions.

Marvel at the Milan Duomo

As you leave the Royal Palace, you've probably already guessed what your next stop will be, haven't you? You have before you the imposing Duomo of Milan, one of its great landmarks. Lined with pink marble on the outside and with a clear 14th century Gothic style, this imposing Cathedral is the most visited place in the whole city and you can't miss it.

As you might suspect by now, this place is usually quite crowded and that's why I recommend you to book your tickets for the Duomo in advance to avoid unnecessary queues. Also, while the Duomo 's exterior alone is incredible to see and photograph, the interior of the Duomo will leave you open-mouthed with its soaring peaks and Gothic decoration.

Admission to the Duomo and museum pass costs just €2 but I highly recommend you buy a ticket to go up to the Cathedral's terrace, which has one of the most spectacular views in Milan, as well as being able to see the entire structure of the building from the top. You can opt to pay around €15 for the lift or around €5 if you prefer the stairs.

Try the famous Panzerottis

Milan is a city to see at your leisure. That's why you're bound to be a little peckish after a morning spent amidst royal galleries and Gothic architecture.

You'll have time later on to sit down to a succulent plate of pasta with knife and fork, but to make the most of this first day, I suggest you go to one of the most popular places in Milan: the Luini.

Here they sell a variety of pizza that is famous throughout the city; Panzerotti. It is a fried pizza dough stuffed with the most typical ingredients such as tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives or basil. This place sells them in all shapes and sizes, and for less than €5 you can eat like a real Italian.

Tour the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery

After lunch and a stroll around the Duomo, I suggest a perfect mid-afternoon stop just a 5 minute walk from where you are.

This is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a place famous throughout the city not only for having some of the most exclusive shops, but also for its infrastructure.

This cross-shaped gallery has huge stained glass windows that give it light, suspended on tall columns that make the space an open area that is very pleasant to walk around. There are also large mosaics on the floor, such as the one of the Bull, which they say that if you step on its testicles and walk around it three times without looking, it means you will return to the city.

You will surely return one day to recognise this fantastic place but, in the meantime, you can take the opportunity to see some of the most exclusive shop windows in Italy and, if your pocket allows it, take home some souvenirs.

Visit the Scala Theatre

This first day is coming to an end and to put the finishing touch to it I suggest you continue walking a few steps north and come across one of its great cultural buildings; the Scala Theatre. Don't be fooled by its sober façade on the outside, this place has been one of the cradles of opera in the whole country. Works such as Madamme Butterfly and Nabucco have been premiered here.

I highly recommend you go there because, even if you can't attend one of its concerts, you always have the option of taking a guided tour of the inside for around 20€.

This way, you can get to know everything behind the scenes, see the red seats from the stage and get to know the museum with the props and sets.

The last show of the day is at 17:30, which is the perfect time for you to stay for dinner in the Piazza Mercanti area.

Yesterday was pretty intense, wasn't it? But I'm sure you got a bit of a feel for the city you're in. Milan has an extensive architectural and cultural heritage that you can easily explore on foot as most of the attractions are within walking distance.

For this second day, you will visit one of its great buildings, the Sforzesco Castle, which will take you most of the morning. You will be able to see Da Vinci's Last Supper live and, as if that wasn't enough, I have prepared an authentic Italian aperitif in the romantic canals of Naviglio Pavese for you when night falls.

Spend the morning at the Sforzesco Castle

After resting and having a good breakfast, you will head to start your second day at the Cairoli metro station, from where you will be able to reach the main attraction of the day: the Sforzesco Castle.

This place is steeped in history as it was for a long time the Ducal Palace until after the Ambrosian Revolution it passed from one hand to another. Today, and despite all the modifications it has undergone, it has an enormous patrimonial weight and just walking through its courtyard and gardens is worthwhile, as well as being free of charge.

However, the real attraction is inside the castle, as the whole of its enormous extension has been used to house some of the city's best museums.

For a single ticket costing around €10 you will have access to the inside of Sforzesco Castle and all its museums, such as the Ancient Art Museum, the Egyptian Museum, the Musical Instruments Museum and the Prehistory Museum. A great morning's history and heritage tour.

Contemplate Da Vinci's Last Supper

The visit to the Castle, between its museums and the walk around the exterior, is sure to have taken you most of the morning. However, before lunch, I have reserved for you one of the great landmarks of your visit to Milan.

Just a 10-minute walk down Corso Magenta, you will find the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, an apparently simple place on the outside but which hides a treasure that you cannot miss: visiting Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper".

To see this mythical painting painted directly on plaster, you need to book tickets in advance for approximately €10. Italy takes great care of its cultural heritage and to preserve this marvel, visits cannot last more than 15 minutes, but I assure you that it will be well spent. Besides, if you go right at noon, there will be much less people than in other sections and you will be able to enjoy the work almost exclusively.

Visit the Basilica of St. Ambrose

On leaving the convent you can stop for a bite to eat at one of the nearby pizzerias such as Assaje, just a 3-minute walk away and, after filling your stomach and recharging your batteries, you will take a short walk of less than 10 minutes to another of Milan's great architectural landmarks, the Basilica of San Ambrogio.

This place is one of the best preserved in the whole city and its architecture has a great relevance in the aesthetics of Milan. The Basilica was built in Romanesque style in 387 and later rebuilt in the 11th century.

It has two towers of different heights and a large atrium that would serve as inspiration for all later Gothic constructions. Admission is free and inside you can also visit the Sarcophagus of Stilicho and the crypt.

Discover the ruins of the Column of San Lorenzo

Continuing with historical remains and while you get hungry for dinner, I suggest you continue your walk down the Avenue of Edmundo d'Amici until you reach the columns of San Lorenzo.

This place is one of the sites that you can find just walking around Milan and consists of a total of 16 columns located in what were once the Roman baths and amphitheatre.

In the background, you can enter the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, the oldest church in Milan. It is free to enter if you have time, but just strolling through the city at dusk is worth it.

Dinner at Naviglio Pavese

To end this intense day, I have prepared a perfect plan for you to do at night in Milan and just a few steps away from where you are. One of the most popular areas at night and with the best atmosphere to have a drink or dinner is the Naviglio Pavese neighbourhood, where the canals of Milan are located.

I can't think of a better plan than going to one of the most popular places like the Manhattan and sitting by the canal to have a typical Italian aperitif, which consists of a free buffet where you can dine and try the best Italian dishes in a charming area ideal for a date or an evening out.

In these two days in Milan, you will have already been able to enjoy all the city's great landmarks and monuments.

That's why, since you still have time left to continue discovering the city's nooks and crannies, I suggest you spend this third day getting to know in depth all the museums and galleries that the city of art has to offer.

You'll start by going to a real open-air museum, the Monumental Cemetery, and from there you can walk to all the other places such as the Gallery of Modern Art or the Pinacoteca de Brera. To end the third day, there's nothing better than a five-star dinner in this beautiful and central neighbourhood.

Visit the Monumental Cemetery

I don't know about you, but when I go sightseeing in a big city I love to see its cemeteries and, in the case of Milan, I can assure you that it will leave you speechless. Far from being a gloomy and desolate place, the Monumental Cemetery of Milan is a real open-air museum.

To get there you must go to the Monumentale metro stop. By the way, I recommend that you buy the Milan public transport card, which will allow you to travel by metro, tram and bus. From here, free of charge, you can enter and walk around the entire cemetery.

Inside you can see authentic works of art such as obelisks, Greek pantheons, engravings and all kinds of historical mausoleums, such as the ones on the "walk of fame" as soon as you enter.

Experience the contrast of Piazza Gae Aulenti and lunch at Porta Nova

Touring the cemetery will have taken you most of the morning. That's why, as lunchtime approaches, I want to offer you a contrast and take you to one of the newest areas of Milan: Piazza Gae Aulenti, built in 2012.

Around this square a whole new and modern urban complex has been built, with buildings such as the Vertical Forest, with up to 2,000 species of plants on its façade. Walking around this area is interesting to discover the contrasts between the more historic Milan and its more modern and trendy heritage.

Through this neighbourhood you can reach the Porta Nova area, where you will find several nice restaurants to stop for a bite to eat and recharge your batteries, such as the Pizzeria Carlsbergol.

Visit the Modern Art Gallery and the Indro Montanelli Gardens

After lunch, while the food is coming down, you can take a stroll of just over 5 minutes to your next stop, the GAM, which specialises in modern art. But first, you can take a stroll through the Indro Montanelli Gardens, adjacent to the GAM and ideal if you come to Milan with children to give them a place to play.

Entrance to the Gam costs around €10 and is an ideal way to continue with the contrasts of Milan. After two days of seeing the city's historic past, you'll be able to see the most exclusive examples of modern art, not only Italian but also international, with paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso and Cezanne.

Enjoy the exhibitions at the Pinacoteca di Brera

At the end of the Gam and to finish this tour of Milan's museums, I recommend you to close the day with the Pinacoteca, one of the jewels of the city that has some of the best pictorial exhibitions in Italy. Visiting the Pinacoteca di Brera is one of the essential stops in Milan.

If you like classical art, this place will surely fascinate you as it is considered the first museum in Milan and inside there are works of the likes of Bellini, Tintoretto and Caravaggio.

Tickets can be booked in advance if you want to avoid the queues and cost around €15, with the option of adding an audio guide to guide you through the most important paintings for a few euros more.

Treat yourself to dinner in the centre

It's been a busy day, hasn't it? Don't worry, it's time to rest. When you leave the Pinacoteca you'll be in the centre of Milan and you'll be able to see by night those areas that you visited during the first day, with all the extra charm that this entails.

It's an ideal place to enjoy a meal and end the day in a good Italian trattoria with a delicious meal. Some of the most reputable restaurants in this area are, for example, Rosso Brera, with a delicious traditional menu.

These three days of sightseeing are sure to have been intense and rewarding. That's why, since you have one more day of holidays, I can't think of a more entertaining plan than taking some of the best excursions available from Milan.

Of all of them, one of the most recommendable is undoubtedly the one that takes you to Lake Como, an area near Milan with some of the most beautiful villages in the whole country.

Whether you decide to hire an organised excursion or you want to do it on your own, I recommend you start the excursion in the city of Como and, after walking through its narrow streets, take a cruise on the lake. After lunch, don't miss a visit to two of its most emblematic villages: Bellagio and Varena.

Arrival in the medieval town of Como

The ancient town of Como is only an hour and a half from Milan and can be reached by bus on your own for around 5€ or directly with one of the many excursions from Milan to Lake Como. This medieval town was formed around the lake of the same name, which is of glacial origin.

The surroundings are full of greenery and the buildings have had to adapt to the terrain. Ideally, take some time to wander around, buy some souvenirs and enjoy a more rural atmosphere after all the chaos of Milan.

One-hour lake cruise

Once you've toured the town of Como, you can't leave without taking one of the best boat trips on Lake Como.

If you book an organised excursion, most of them include a one-hour cruise around the lake from where you can see some of the surrounding villages. Otherwise, you can always book a boat trip directly from the town's pier.

Lunch in the village

Before heading off to the other villages in the lake area, it's best to take advantage of the opportunity to have a bite to eat in one of the local restaurants in Como. If you come with a guided tour, some of them include lunch.

But if in doubt, you can always take an hour or two for a bite to eat at places like Hosterietta, which has a delicious menu and a terrace from which to enjoy the picturesque town.

Visit Bellagio

From Como, the next stop I suggest is Bellagio, another of the most beautiful villages that borders the lake. If you are wondering how to get to Bellagio, let me tell you that, if you go on your own, you have two ways; one inland and another one a little bit longer that goes all along the shore of the river. However, what most excursions tend to do is to take you directly by boat.

This second option is one of the most attractive to enjoy the whole experience and will take you to Bellagio in less than an hour. Here you can walk around the small village, enjoy the green atmosphere and have an incredible panoramic view of the entire lake area.

End the day in Varenna

Another of the most beautiful villages around Lake Como is Varenna, a village just in front of Bellagio that can be easily reached by boat in a few minutes.

It is a fishing village with a very picturesque atmosphere and from where you can take some of the best pictures of the whole lake.

I can't think of a better way to end this wonderful trip around Milan than with a sunset in this charming village.

Afterwards, on your return from this full day tour, you can say goodbye to the city by taking a last walk and planning when you will return to this historic and cosmopolitan city.

Milan is a city that can be visited at any time of the year, but it's clear that there are better times when you won't find so many tourists and the temperatures will be more pleasant. Generally, in summer it's too hot to spend all day walking around the city. That's why it's best to go in June or September.

Even so, if you want to go at a special time and you don't mind being a bit cold, I can't think of a better plan than going to Milan at Christmas, when the whole city is illuminated and dressed up.

Your trip to Milan is full of panoramas and entertaining plans but, so that you have a summary of everything you are going to do, I leave you a table with the main things to do so that you can orientate yourself better.