Monuments and atractions

Duomo di Milano (Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary) - The fifth largest Gothic cathedral in the world. This impressive building and symbol of the city can be found right in the middle of the city. This unique architectural monument is decorated with 3,400 statues and 135 towers. The cathedral was built on the site of an ancient Roman basilica and its construction lasted almost six centuries, from 1386 to 1965. On the highest tower of the cathedral there is a gilded statue of the Madonna (Madonnina).
Address: Piazza del Duomo, Milan.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - The luxury shopping arcade connects the Duomo and La Scala theatre. It offers exclusive shops, cafés and restaurants in an elegant setting. The building was completed in 1877 – it became a model for many European arcades. Among the brands represented we can mention Prada, Armani, Versace and others. Its floor mosaics depict symbols of various Italian cities, such as a wolf for Rome, a lily for Florence and a bull for Turin.
Address: Piazza del Duomo, Milan.

Milano Centrale Station - One of the largest and most famous railway stations in Europe, it has been operating since 1931. Its architecture mixes different styles, including neoclassicism, art nouveau and art deco. This impressive station handles around 300,000 passengers every day! During World War II, the Nazis deported many Jews and political prisoners to concentration camps from the secret platform 21, located under the main hall of the station. Today, this site is home to the Memoriale della Shoah, a monument commemorating these tragic events.
Address: Piazza Duca d'Aosta 1, Milan.

Castello Sforzesco - Built in the 15th century, the castle served as the seat of the powerful Sforza family. Today, you can see art collections here, including the unfinished Pieta by Michelangelo. Leonardo da Vinci also worked on the interior decoration. He decorated a room on the ground floor of the castle's northeastern tower, the Sala delle Asse. Leonardo designed the decoration in the form of an illusory gazebo roof, wrapped in intertwined mulberry branches, due to the nickname of the client, Duke Lodovico Sforza, known as "il Moro". After the conquest of Milan, the room was used for various purposes, including a stable, and the paintings were covered with whitewash. They were rediscovered only at the end of the 19th century and have been restored several times since then.
Address: Piazza Castello, Milan.

Leonardo da Vinci's Naviglio - The first canal connecting Milan to the sea across the Ticino river was dug already in the 12th century. Leonardo da Vinci then designed a system of locks in the 15th century that improved the functionality of the entire system. Today, the canal system is unfortunately in disrepair, but walking along the banks is still a popular attraction.

La Scala - One of the most prestigious theatres in the world, it was inaugurated in 1778 with Salieri's opera L'Europa riconosciuta. Since then, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many famous operas, including those by Giuseppe Verdi, Gioachino Rossini and Giacomo Puccini. The auditorium can accommodate 2,800 spectators. La Scala is also home to the famous Accademia Teatro alla Scala school, which offers professional training in music, dance and theatre arts.
Address: Via Filodrammatici 2, Milan.

Brera Art Gallery (Pinacoteca di Brera) - Milan's main art gallery, with an extensive collection of Italian paintings from the 13th to the 20th centuries. The gallery was founded in 1809, although the first collection existed as early as 1776 as part of the Accademia di Belle Arti, founded by Empress Maria Theresa. The collection includes works by famous artists such as Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Tintoretto and Caravaggio.
Address: Via Brera 28, Milan.

Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie - One of the most famous churches in Milan. The refectory of the attached monastery houses the famous fresco "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci. This fresco, created between 1495 and 1498, is considered one of the most influential works of Western art and is listed by UNESCO as part of the cultural heritage of humanity. The church, with its magnificent dome designed by Donato Bramante, is an interesting combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles.
Address: Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan.

Biblioteca Ambrosiana - One of the oldest public libraries in Europe. Founded by Cardinal Federico Borromeo in 1607 and opened to the public in 1609, it houses an extensive collection of over 36,000 manuscripts and over one million prints, including the famous Codex Atlanticus (the largest collection of drawings and manuscripts by Leonardo da Vinci). The library also houses the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, which exhibits works such as Leonardo da Vinci's "Portrait of a Musician" and Caravaggio's "Basket of Fruit".
Address: Piazza Pio XI, 2, Milan.

Bosco Verticale (Vertical Woods) – Lovers of modern art and nature should not miss this skyscraper covered in trees and plants. It is a half-hour walk from the city center and you can relax or have a snack in the adjacent park. A unique architectural project in Milan, it consists of two residential towers, completed in 2014. The buildings are covered with more than 900 trees, 2,000 shrubs and thousands of other plants distributed on the facades. The project was designed by architect Stefano Boeri as part of a wider urban reforestation initiative that aims to improve biodiversity, air quality and mitigate microclimatic effects in the city. The vegetation on the buildings helps to reduce indoor temperatures during the summer, protects against street noise and absorbs CO2, making it a model of sustainable urban development.
Address: Via Federico Confalonieri 15, Milan.