Italy
City guide · Italy
Milan
About Milan
Milan, the capital of Lombardy, is Italy's main centre of business, finance, fashion and design. Behind its modern, fast-paced image lies a long history, with a great Gothic cathedral, Renaissance art and one of the world's most famous opera houses.
Highlights include the Duomo, whose roof terraces offer close views of its spires, the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, the Teatro alla Scala, the Sforza Castle and Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie, which needs a timed booking made well in advance. The Brera district and the canal-side Navigli area are pleasant for an evening stroll.
One or two nights is usually enough. Lake Como is about an hour away by train, Bergamo under an hour, and Lugano in Switzerland about an hour and a quarter. Milan is also a major rail hub, with high-speed trains to Venice, Florence and Rome, and it pairs naturally with a Swiss itinerary.
Shoppers will enjoy the fashion district around Via Montenapoleone and the busy high-street shops along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
Practical Information
Useful to know before your group arrives in Milan.
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Milan has a humid climate with hot summers and cold, often foggy winters.
- Spring (March–May): mild, highs from around 14°C to 23°C, with some rain.
- Summer (June–August): hot and humid, highs around 28–30°C.
- Autumn (September–November): cooling from around 25°C to 11°C, wetter in October and November.
- Winter (December–February): cold and grey, highs around 6–9°C, with frequent fog.
April to June and September to October are the most pleasant times. Pack layers and a light rain jacket, a warm coat in winter, and comfortable shoes.
- Arriving: Milan Malpensa Airport is about 50 km from the city; the Malpensa Express train reaches Milano Cadorna or Milano Centrale in about 40–50 minutes. Linate Airport is much closer and is linked to the centre by metro line M4. Bergamo Airport is also used by budget airlines.
- Getting around: five metro lines, trams and buses run by ATM cover the city efficiently. Daily and multi-day passes are useful for visitors.
- Groups: central Milan lies inside the Area C restricted-traffic zone, so coach access, permits and drop-off points should be planned in advance with the DMC.
Mobile data: for Indian travellers, an eSIM or a European data plan bought before departure usually costs much less than Indian international roaming packs. Local prepaid SIM cards are sold at the airport and in phone shops; a passport is needed at purchase. A SIM or eSIM from any EU/EEA country works in Italy under EU roaming rules. For day trips to Lugano, note that Switzerland is not in the EU, so check that the plan covers it.
Wi-Fi: free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and many public places.
Power: 230 V with Type C/F/L sockets. Indian Type D plugs do not fit, so bring a universal adapter.
Milan has a good choice of Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan restaurants and South Asian grocery shops. Halal food is available, especially at Middle Eastern and Turkish eateries, and vegetarian options are easy to find. Jain meals are best requested in advance through the DMC or the restaurant.
Local and Italian dishes that suit vegetarians include pizza margherita, panzerotti (small fried turnovers with tomato and mozzarella) and saffron risotto alla milanese, which is traditionally made with meat stock, so ask for a vegetable stock version. Esselunga, Carrefour, Coop and Conad supermarkets are convenient for snacks, fruit and milk.
