Itinerary · Italy
How Many Days in Milan? A 2-Night, 3-Day Route
Milan in 2 nights, day by day: the Duomo and Brera, the Last Supper, Castello Sforzesco and the Navigli, a train day to Lake Como, and a fourth-day add-on.
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The big picture: two days in the city, then Lake Como
Two to three nights is the right length for Milan. This route packs 2 nights and 3 days: Piazza del Duomo and Brera on day 1, the Last Supper, Castello Sforzesco and the Navigli canals on day 2, and a train day to Lake Como on day 3. If you can stay one more day, a 3-night, 4-day version adds Porta Venezia and Isola.
Walking is the backbone of the city route. Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria, Brera and the Castello Sforzesco are close to one another and easy to see on foot. The Last Supper is near M1/M2 Cadorna, so the metro helps there.
Check the days of the week first. The Pinacoteca di Brera and the Last Supper close on Mondays, and the Tempio Voltiano in Como opens Tuesday to Sunday only. If a Monday falls in your trip, use it for a neighbourhood walk like the 4-day option below. Every Last Supper ticket must be booked, so check tickets as soon as your dates are set.
Day 1: Malpensa → Duomo → Galleria → Brera → Navigli
At Malpensa (MXP), the Malpensa Express train links T1-T2 with Milano Centrale, stopping at Porta Garibaldi, Bovisa Politecnico, Saronno and others. Trains leave the airport from 5:09 to 22:09, every 30 minutes, and you can tap a credit or debit card at the gate instead of buying a ticket. Check the official information for the fare before you go. You can also ride the Malpensa Express to Cadorna station and change to M2.
Piazza del Duomo is one of the largest squares in Italy and the natural place to start. The Duomo, begun in 1386 and finished over six centuries, has a lift up to the terraces among the spires. A guided tour of the Cathedral, Archaeological Area and Rooftops costs EUR 35 (reduced EUR 23); check standard tickets on the official site. Right beside it, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a cross-shaped arcade 250 m long, and tradition says to spin three times on the bull mosaic in the centre of the floor.
In the afternoon, walk to Brera, known as the artists' district, for its lanes and the Pinacoteca di Brera. It opens Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-19:15 (last entry 18:00), and the Grande Brera ticket costs EUR 20 (EUR 4 for ages 18-25) with a booked date and time. In the evening, head to the Navigli for an aperitivo, Milan's pre-dinner drink, when the bars and restaurants along the canals fill with people out for aperitifs and music.
Day 2: Last Supper → Castello Sforzesco and Parco Sempione → Darsena
Start the morning with Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. It opens Tuesday to Sunday 8:15-19:00 (last entry 18:45), and up to 40 people visit at a time for 15 minutes. Admission is EUR 15 for ages 25 and over, EUR 2 for ages 18-25 and free under 18, and you must be at the ticket office 30 minutes before your slot. Bulky luggage, food and drinks are not allowed and the free lockers are few, so leave bags at your hotel. It is near M1/M2 Cadorna and the tram 16 stop S. Maria delle Grazie.
Next comes the Castello Sforzesco, built between the 1300s and 1400s for defence and one of the largest castles in Europe. Its Civic Museums hold Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà and Leonardo's Sala delle Asse; check hours and prices on the official site. Behind it, Parco Sempione, laid out in 1890 as a 47-hectare English-style park, has the Triennale, the Civic Aquarium and the Arco della Pace.
In the afternoon, go to the Darsena, the old dock, and walk along the Naviglio Grande. The Naviglio Grande and the Naviglio Pavese branch off from the Darsena, with small bridges, narrow lanes and Milan's typical 'railing houses' along the water. The Italian tourism board suggests exploring the canals on foot or by bike.
Day 3: A train day to Lake Como
According to the Italian tourism board, Como is about an hour from Milan by train. From Como San Giovanni station it is a 10-minute walk to Piazza Cavour on the lakefront, and you can stroll along the lake past the Tempio Voltiano (Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00).
The Como-Brunate funicular climbs 1 km in 7 minutes to views over the lake and town. It runs daily 6:00-22:30 (until midnight on Saturdays and in summer), so take in the view, come back down and return to Milan in the evening.
Contactless fares work only on ATM services, not on rail. Check train tickets and times to Como in the railway's official information before you go. The Italian tourism board names April to the end of September as the best time for a day in Como.
One more day (3 nights, 4 days): Porta Venezia and Isola
Porta Venezia is a district with Liberty-style buildings from the 1900s. Corso Venezia leads to the historic centre and Corso Buenos Aires is a well-known shopping street, while the Indro Montanelli Gardens offer a quiet break.
In the evening, try Isola in the north of the city, a redeveloped district where Art Nouveau and rationalist buildings mix with street art. It has the 16th-century Sanctuary of Santa Maria alla Fontana, craft and vintage shops and clubs with jazz concerts.
You could also add the Duomo Museum in the Royal Palace and the Museo del Novecento (20th-century art) in Palazzo dell'Arengario, right beside Piazza del Duomo. If you cycle, a path follows the Naviglio Pavese past locks linked to Leonardo da Vinci all the way to Pavia. If a Monday falls in your trip, make this the Monday.
Where to stay and getting around
For a first visit, the Duomo area (centre) puts the main sights close by. Pick Brera for art and strolling the lanes, the Navigli (Porta Ticinese) for canal walks and evening aperitifs, Porta Venezia for parks and shopping, and Isola for a local feel and nightlife.
ATM lists a 90-minute ticket at EUR 2.20, a 24-hour ticket at EUR 7.60, a 3-day ticket at EUR 15.50 (from first validation to the end of service on the third day) and a 10-trip carnet at EUR 19.50. In fare zones Mi1-Mi3 they are valid on the metro, buses, trams, trolleybuses and Trenord S lines. Tap a credit or debit card or a phone and the cheapest fare is applied with no extra charge; after four journeys in a day, the daily fare applies. On the metro, tap in and out with the same card.
- Late arrivals: the last Malpensa Express leaves the airport at 22:09. Airport buses from four operators together run about every 20 minutes between the airport and Milano Centrale (Via Sammartini), leaving the airport from 5:00 to 2:40. They stop in the bus area on Level -1 of Terminal 1, near the railway station
- Malpensa taxi fixed fares: Milan city EUR 114, Fiera Milano (Rho) EUR 94, Linate Airport EUR 128. The Milan fare covers any street in the city
- A free shuttle connects T1 and T2. If you arrive at Linate (LIN), metro line M4 connects it with the city centre
- The metro runs on lines M1 (red), M2 (green), M3, M4 and M5 (lilac); from Milano Centrale take M2 or M3 to Brera
- When the metro stops, night buses run within the city, and you need a Mi1-Mi3 ticket
Budget, when to go and final checks
Accommodation is most of the budget, and hotel and food costs vary a lot by date, so compare booking sites. Sample admissions: the Last Supper EUR 15 (ages 18-25 EUR 2), Grande Brera EUR 20 and the Duomo guided tour EUR 35. Check the official information for the Malpensa Express fare before you go.
Normals from the WMO World Weather Information Service — Italian Air Force Department of Meteorology (Milan (WMO city data), 1971–2000) give average daily highs of about 17°C in April, 22°C in May, 24°C in September and 18°C in October. July is the hottest month at about 29°C, and January's average low drops to about -1°C. October has the most rain of the year, about 122 mm.
April-May and September-October are the good walking months. With a Como day in this route, April-May or September fits best, since the Italian tourism board names April to the end of September as the best time for Como.
- Check official information before travel for entry requirements (visas, ETIAS and so on)
- Last Supper tickets are released three months at a time (in June for August-October, in September for November-January, in December for February-April, in March for May-July). Extra tickets for the following week go on sale online every Wednesday at 12:00; tickets are named and cannot be changed or refunded
- Free days: the Pinacoteca di Brera on the first Sunday of every month (booking required); the Duomo Museum on the last Sunday of every month from 27 September 2026, 10:00-19:00 (booking opens the Tuesday before). Brera holds a craft market on the third Sunday of every month
- When paying contactless, use the same card or device for the whole journey, and always tap out on the metro even if the gates are open; otherwise you are charged the maximum fare
- Check your government's current travel advice for Italy before you go
Plan your Milan trip
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FAQ
How many days do I need in Milan?
Two to three nights works well. Two days in the city plus a day at Lake Como fit into 2 nights and 3 days; add a neighbourhood day in Porta Venezia and Isola for 3 nights and 4 days.
How do I get from Malpensa to the city?
The Malpensa Express train runs to Milano Centrale, leaving the airport from 5:09 to 22:09 every 30 minutes. Airport buses run to Centrale about every 20 minutes, leaving the airport from 5:00 to 2:40, and a taxi to anywhere in Milan is a fixed EUR 114.
How do I book the Last Supper?
Every ticket, including free ones and infants, must be booked. Tickets are released three months at a time, with extra tickets for the following week every Wednesday at 12:00. If you are not at the ticket office 30 minutes before your slot, you lose your entry.
Can I visit Lake Como as a day trip?
Yes. Como is about an hour from Milan by train, and Piazza Cavour is a 10-minute walk from Como San Giovanni station. Walk the lakefront, ride the funicular up to Brunate and return to Milan in the evening.
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ⓘ Photo credits
- Airport rail platform (Hong Kong Airport Station) · MNXANL / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Coins and banknotes from many countries · Caleidoscopic / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Houses of Parliament & Big Ben · Colin / CC BY-SA 4.0