How to Spend 24-Hours in Milan during Winter

Are you visiting Northern Italy soon and are looking for tips on how to spend 24-hours in Milan specifically during the winter months? Then look no further as we’ve put together this simple guide on things you can to and where to eat when visiting one of Italy’s coolest cities. Milan is a city known worldwide as the fashion and design capital of Italy and on top of that, it is a financial hub and home to high-end stores and restaurants.

During our recent visit to Turin, we thought we take a day trip to Milan as its located only 1.5 hours on a fast train. Whilst this wasn’t my first time in the city, I was curious as to how to spend 24-hours in Milan during winter. One place I knew I definitely wanted to explore was the Duomo as I didn’t manage to visit it the last time I was in the city. Another place I was curious to check out Leonard da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ mural.

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How to Spend 24-Hours in Milan during Winter

Milan is not only a fashion and economical capital of Europe but also a beautiful city encompassed by art and culture. The last time I visited this city, I fell in love with the ‘latte macchiato’ and I am not a coffee drinker in the slightest. Even though the last visit was more fly-by type of visit, I was still taken back by the Duomo and the Santa Maria Delle Grazie convent. If you’re looking for high-level tips on how to spend 24-hours in Milan especially what to see and where to eat then look no further thank this guide.

The Gothic Duomo di Milano Cathedral 

Milan Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Italy, the third in Europe and the fifth-largest in the world. Though most people think its the Vatican’s Basilica but in fact, the Vatican city is a country on its own therefore the Duomo is the largest in Europe. The Duomo di Milano cathedral took over 6 centuries to build and is dedicated to the nativity of St. Mary. When visiting the cathedral make sure to dress for the occasion, nothing too revealing is allowed and people do get turned away. Tickets can be purchased online or onsight, we bought on-site and ours include a list to the roof for incredible views of the city. The cathedral is absolutely massive, we recommend spending at least 2 hours to check out everything including the crypt and the roof.

Santa Maria Della Grazie

Outside of the Duomo, the Santa Maria Della Grazie is a must-visit because it is where the Leonardo da Vinci’s Last supper mural is hanging in its rectory. The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it took decades to build as opposed to the convent which was built in 1469. Visiting this Dominican convent is a highlight of every visit to Milan, you can relax in the vineyard nearby where Leondardo da Vinci used to relax.

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The Galleria

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele also is known as the lounge of Milan is an iconic and oldest open shopping and home to some of the most expensive shops in the world. It is not exactly a place to shop for us mere mortals but its the perfect place for some retail therapy albeit it window shopping. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is named after the first King in Italy and during the evening it is the most magical place ever.

Piazza Della Scala

The Piazza Della Scala is a more recent addition and the most popular square in Milan and can easily be accessed via the Galleria. In the piazza, you will find the statue of Leonardo da Vinci together with the squares architect make it one of the most beautiful places in Milan. If you have the most time to spend in the city I would recommend checking out the world-famous Teatro Alla Scala opera house.

Milan is a gorgeous city and most tourist attractions even though are in walking distance of each other, the metro is the very affordable and fastest way to explore the city. If you have more than 24-hours to spend in the city then I would recommend a day trip to Venice. During our last visit to Milan, we decided to stay at the Best Western, a nice hotel and a short walk from the main train station.