Brera District
Brera is Milan's most charming neighborhood, a compact area of cobblestone streets, art galleries, independent boutiques, and the Pinacoteca di Brera (one of Italy's finest art galleries, paid). Free to walk.
Square in Milan
Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del Duomo is Milan’s central square, dominated by the Cathedral on one side and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II entrance on the other. Free. The Palazzo Reale (rotating paid exhibitions) and the Museo del Novecento (20th-century Italian art, paid, views of the Duomo from inside) face the square. Budget travelers stand in the piazza, photograph the cathedral facade, and see Milan’s entire architectural ambition concentrated in one space.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milan
- Good to know
Nearby
More in Milan
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco is a 15th-century fortress in the center of Milan, built by the Sforza dynasty and housing several museums including Michelangelo's last unfinished sculpture (Rondanini Pieta). The castle courtyard and grounds are free.
Cimitero Monumentale
The Cimitero Monumentale is Milan's monumental cemetery, an open-air museum of sculpture, architecture, and design. Free.
Cimitero Monumentale Entrance Hall
The Famedio (Hall of Fame) is the entrance building of the Cimitero Monumentale, a marble and mosaic memorial hall containing the tombs of Milan's most illustrious citizens including Alessandro Manzoni (author of The Betrothed, the most important novel in Italian literature). Free.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a 19th-century glass-roofed shopping arcade connecting the Duomo to La Scala, the most elegant covered passage in Italy. Free to walk through.
La Scala Opera House
La Scala (Teatro alla Scala) is the most famous opera house in the world. The exterior on Piazza della Scala is free to see.
Working out what Milan costs?
The whole of Milan