#1 Duomo di Milano rooftop terrace
Though everyone, of course, has heard of the Duomo di Milano (Milan’s Cathedral). One of the largest cathedrals in the world, second only to St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Duomo is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture to be found anywhere in Europe.
#2 San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore
Often referred to as Milan’s answer to the Sistine Chapel, one wander into the stunning 16th-century frescoed interior of the San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore and it will quickly become clear how the church gained its nickname.
#3 San Bernadino alle Ossa
Nestled in the shadows of the Duomo di Milano, the San Bernadino alle Ossa is the kind of chapel you definitely wouldn’t expect to find in a busy modern city. For, the interior walls are decorated with countless human skulls and bones, reportedly the victims of the plague. The story goes that in the 13th-century, an adjacent cemetery ran out of space and so a chapel was constructed to hold bones. The church has morbidly stood in the centre of the city ever since.
#4 Leonardo’s Vineyard
First gifted to the grand master himself almost five hundred years ago, a trip to sip on an aperitivo in the grounds of Leonardo’s Vineyard is one of the quirkiest and most unusual things to do in Milan. Records suggest that when Leonardo da Vinci was painting the Last Supper, just across the road from the vineyard, he would spend his breaks among the grapes, soaking up the calm atmosphere. Although the vineyard was badly damaged during WWII, it has since been restored to its former glory and is open to visitors once more.
#5 Cloisters & Palazzos of Università degli Studi di Milano
Italy is home to some of the oldest universities in the world and Milan is no exception. Although Università degli Studi di Milano was only established in the 1920s, the buildings in which it was opened date back much earlier. Head just a ten minute walk away from the Duomo di Milano and you’ll be able to explore the countless cloisters and numerous palazzos that make up Milan’s University.
#6 Brera Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico di Brera)
Located in the hip, trendy, and cool district of Brera (i.e. where all the locals hang out!), the Botanical Gardens are open from Monday through to Saturday and are just one part of a larger complex located around the Brera Palace. Although the Gardens are just 5000 square metres in size, they’re a perfectly secluded oasis of green, perfect for hanging out with friends and escaping the crowds of Milan.
#7 Bull of Vittorio Emanuele II
Of course, you’re probably thinking that the oldest shopping mall in Italy, and one of Milano’s must-see attractions, has no place in being on a list of hidden Milan attractions! So ornate and sumptuous is this walkway, that it’s often referred to as the “il salotto di Milano”(Milan’s Drawing Room).
Head into the covered passage and look down at the mosaics beneath your feet (hard, I know, when the shop façades and overhead glass panelling is so stunning!). In the very heart of the mall, you’ll spot the Turin Bull of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Legend has it that if one spins around on the bull’s private parts, then they’ll be granted good luck!
#8 Bar Luce
Okay, so perhaps you’ve heard of this secret spot in Milan… But on the off chance that you haven’t, I’ve decided to add it to this list of secret spots in Milan! Designed by cult film director Wes Anderson, Bar Luce is inspired by the Milanese coffee shops of the 1950s and ’60s. All pastel shades and with a vintage ambience, it’s well worth stopping by, if only to enjoy an Italian coffee!
#9 Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore
Many of the oldest buildings to be found in Milan are those of churches, chapels, and former monasteries. While many of these ecclesiastical spaces have since been transformed into concert halls and quirky museums, the Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore remains a church to this day.
#10 Bike around the Navigli
One of the best ways to explore Milan (especially if you’re a little short on time and want to see as much as possible), it to cycle around the many Navigli (canals) which criss-cross the city. And no, you’ve not stumbled into Venice, although it definitely feels like it at times!
Instead, the Navigli were once navigable canals which were constructed to transport the Milanese around the city. Today, the waterways are no longer passable by boat but are a picturesque reminder of the city’s rich past. If you have a little more time in the city, then you may also want to embark on a Milan walking tour of the Navigli district.
