Milan
Italy · Country profile
Milan is Italy’s fashion and design capital, a working city where the Gothic Duomo rises from a vast piazza and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II glitters under its glass dome beside it. The Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie, the renaissance frescoes and the art collections of the Brera and Pinacoteca draw art lovers, while the nearby canals, the "Navigli" district and the fashion lanes of Quadrilatero d’Oro keep design, aperitivo and nightlife alive. Milan is less a museum city than a lived-in modern metropolis — its trams, coffee bars, design districts and rooftop bars hold the true character. Add the Alps and the lakes an hour away, and Milan becomes the stylish base for northern Italy.
About Milan
Milan is a city in Italy. The city's documented population is around 1,398,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and Italian is spoken; the dialling code is +39. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Milan Malpensa Airport.
Fashion, Duomo and the Last Supper in One Working City
Milan is Italy’s business and design engine, a sleek, fast, fashion-led city with a famous cathedral and a superb food scene, but its character is work-hard, live-well rather than old-town charm. It rewards those who come for the fashion weeks, the aperitivo culture, the art and the design, not for crumbling alleys. The tram network, the cathedral and the glass-domed gallery sit at the core, and the canals and the fashionable Brera quarter carry the evening energy. It is a city of short stays and long meals, of espresso at the counter and spritz at sunset, and a brilliant base for day trips to the lakes and the Alps.
Aperitivo Hours, Hard Tickets and Timing the Heat
The Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the hardest tickets in Italy — book online the moment the window opens, weeks ahead. The cathedral skip-the-line ticket is worth it in summer, and the rooftop walk over the spires is a highlight. Aperitivo, the early-evening drink-and-snacks ritual, kicks off around six and shapes dinner late by northern standards. The metro is fast and covers the city, while the trams are the scenic option. Milan’s long hot summer is best met with a big hat and an early start; spring and autumn are the sweet spots. Cards work nearly everywhere, though small cash helps at markets.
Trams, Rooftops and Coffee Drunk at the Counter
The metro is the quickest way across Milan, and a single pass covers buses and trams; the historic trams are a delight and worth riding for pleasure. The Duomo’s terrace is the classic view over the roof of the city and the Alps on clear days. The fashion districts and the design fairs define the city’s tempo — visit during the winter or summer sales or the design week if you want to see its busy side. The Navigli canals are best at night by the bars, and the eastern district of Porta Nuova holds the skyline. The coffee is drunk at the counter, and the goodbye "Ciao" is quick and warm.
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- Country
- Italy
- Population
- 1,398,000
- Coordinates
- 45.6306, 8.7281
- Capital
- Rome
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Italian
- Calling code
- +39
- Country code
- IT
Entry requirements for Italy
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Italy for tourism.
Getting to Milan
Airports we list for Milan:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Italy
Other cities we cover in Italy:
Frequently asked questions
Is Milan the capital of Italy?
No — the capital of Italy is Rome.
What currency do I need in Milan?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Italy include Italian.
What is the dialling code for Italy?
The international dialling code for Italy is +39.
Which airport should I fly into for Milan?
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) is the airport we list for Milan.
How far is Milan from the nearest airport?
Milan is about 282 km from Venice Marco Polo Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Italy?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Italy visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Milan? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.