Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Milan?

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Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Milan?

Many travelers spend one to five days in Milan during their visit. After all, the cultural city has plenty to explore such as the historic old town, the big city activities, and the restaurant scene.

Milan is the fashion and design capital of Italy. It has many glamourous shops as well as beautiful art and architecture. The city is also a financial hub for the country. While its often skipped over by tourists for other more popular Italian cities, those who visit will be rewarded with many great experiences.

Do you have one or two days to visit Milan? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


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Is one day enough time in Milan?

Milan is popular with tourists and offers some fun sights and attractions. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the cultural city has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have one to five days to fully enjoy the city. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.

How to spend a day in Milan

The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. Known as the Centro Storic, this area is the most popular with tourists. It's where you'll find the most historic buildings and beautiful sights in the city.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • The City Storytelling Experience: Art, History and Myths Come Together ($3)
  • Milan: Highlights Walking Tour with Cathedral and Rooftops ($64)
  • Milan: Small Group Guided Walking Tour ($44)

The delicious food of Milan is one of the main highlights of a trip to the region. Dining out is one of the highlights of a trip. Make sure you take the time to taste as much of it as possible during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour or cooking class. You can easily fit one into your schedule since many are just a few hours or half a day. The city has a mix of traditional dishes combined with modernized, trendy restaurants. You can try a new dish by a groundbreaking chef, or sample a long running favorite like risotto alla Milanese.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Delicious! Milan's Favorite Food tour ($86)
  • Authentic Italian Cooking Class in a Milanese Loft ($93)
  • Milan Wine Tasting with Italian Sommelier ($86)

Milan is a very walkable city. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. In particular, the city center is walkable.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Milan?

Since it's a large city, you'll probably need more than a weekend to take advantage of everything to do in Milan. Two or three days still gives you a good amount of time to explore, though, as you'll have a chance to experience at least some of the major attractions. In addition to the great charming old town and fun big city activities, visitors can enjoy the nightlife, beautiful scenery, and live music by staying for a weekend.

Piazza del Duomo, Milan Piazza del Duomo, Milan

How to spend 2 days in Milan

With a weekend (two to three days) in Milan, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.

Given that Milan is a large and popular city, give yourself a full day to uncover the diverse neighborhoods, captivating attractions, and engaging activities scattered throughout the area. Be sure to include visits to some of the city's premier landmarks and quintessential neighborhoods, too. The city is known as the financial, fashion, and (arguably) cultural capital of Italy.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Lake Como - Small Group Day Tour from Milan with Boat Cruise ($163)
  • Off the Beaten Track in Milan: Private City Tour ($80)
  • Lake Como, Bellagio with Private Boat Cruise Included ($108)

This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. The city has a huge number of students and young professionals, which make it a fun place with an active nightlife. There are cocktail bars, trendy clubs, and relaxed pubs that you can chose from.

Public transit in Milan is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the city quite easily. Options include metro, bus, tram, and train lines.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Milan, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

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