Milan is known for its fashion and style, but there’s so much more to it than that. See more of what makes this dynamic city unique with Culture Trip’s collection of the best tours to help you uncover its beauty.
If you’re looking to explore Milan at your own pace, then the open-top hop-on, hop-off bus is your best shot to see the sights of the city in comfort. Travelling along four different routes, the bus visits the city’s top attractions, including the Teatro alla Scala and Castello Sforzesco, while providing audio commentary with fascinating facts about each landmark.
When you’re ready to get better acquainted with Milan, take part in a walking tour that takes you to the city’s most historically important landmarks. Alongside your licensed guide, you’ll visit attractions such as Castello Sforzesco, Teatro alla Scala, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the beautiful gothic Duomo di Milano, all while learning about the city’s history, culture and traditions. In addition to strolling through parks and exploring Medieval castles, you will also get access to one of the most famous masterpieces of all time, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. After the three- to four-hour tour, you’ll finish off your day of exploration with a traditional Italian meal at a nearby restaurant.
Focussing on the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, this guided art tour gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the best of Italian art. You’ll visit key art locations around Milan, including Santa Maria delle Grazie, which you visit by walking under the portico of the Cloister of Frogs. The experience includes fast-track access to Milan’s Cenacolo Vinciano, where you can get up close with The Last Supper, with the option to upgrade your tour for access to Da Vinci’s celebrated Sala delle Asse.
Milan is brimming with impressive sights, but if you’re looking to step outside the usual tourist circles, you’ll want to take this three-hour off-the-beaten-path walking tour. Alongside a local guide, you’ll discover a different side of Milan as you go through the Medieval commercial district around Via Torino, where the street names pay homage to ancient artisan trades, such as Via Spadari (sword makers), Via Cappellari (milliners) and Via Armorari (armourers). While here, have a taste of the fresh cannolis or traditional focaccia from local bakeries before visiting some of the oldest buildings in Milan at Piazza Mercanti, as well as Milan’s first university, the Palace of the Palatine School. This tour is ideal for history buffs, culture vultures and architecture lovers.
If you’re not keen on bus tours but feel like walking the city is too much effort, why not glide through the streets of Milan on a Segway tour? After the quick safety instruction session, you’ll cruise around the city, passing by famous landmarks such as the Duomo, Castello Sforzesco and the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Groups are kept to no more than eight people, allowing for an intimate and fun tour exploring this incredible city.
If you love Italian food, then set aside some time for a half-day food tour, where you’ll visit local stores and indulge in traditional Italian delicacies. This three-hour walking tour focusses on the historic district of Brera, where your guide will share insights about the origins of all the food you taste during the session. Learn how to identify traditional melanzane alla parmigiana (eggplant parmigiana) and cannoli, and try Italy’s famous culatello (dry-cured ham), Parma ham and Milanese-style meatballs. Finish with authentic Italian gelato and some Milanese aperitifs at a trendy local art bar.
After a day of exploring the many sights of Milan, enjoy a wine-tasting experience hosted by a local sommelier in a traditional wine bar in the heart of the city. The one-hour-long wine tasting is the perfect way to end your day or start your evening out in Milan. Here, you’ll get to taste three glasses of fine local wine, specially selected by your host and paired with foods from the Lombardy region that will bring out the full range of flavours in the varietals.
Milan is famous for its fashion status, which is why you can’t come to one of the world’s fashion capitals without actually shopping. Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect outfit or authentic souvenirs, this two-hour personal shopper experience will take you to the most authentic shops and boutiques in Milan, giving great advice on what to buy. You’ll learn to shop for your body and face types as well as colours that suit your personality.
Milan isn’t all glitz and glamour; it also has a dark side with more than a few ghost stories. Explore parts of the city rarely included on tourist itineraries with this two-hour night-time ghost walking tour that takes you to a world of winding lanes and cobbled streets where murderers, witches, ghosts and the devil supposedly roamed. Stroll through the quiet neighbourhood of Porta Venezia and the area of Colonne di San Lorenzo as you listen to the secrets of the city that have remained buried for centuries, all told by your knowledgeable guide.
Among Milan’s most unexpected attractions is the Monumental Cemetery of Milan. While a trip to the cemetery isn’t typically at the top of the list of things to do for many visitors, it’s a unique and tranquil spot that shouldn’t be skipped. This one-hour cemetery tour takes you through the colossal landmark and shares the tales of various monuments conserved within the area, including the Temple of Fame and the tomb of the Campari family, which is similar to Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.