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Milan is one of Europe’s most culturally rich cities, with a huge variety of landmarks and tourist attractions to explore.
The likes of Il Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and Castello Sforzesco attract large crowds, but for travelers who prefer to venture off the beaten path, there are many lesser-known sights to discover. Here are 17 of Milan’s hidden gems that will help you get to know this chic, creative city on a deeper level.
1. San Bernardino alle Ossa
Photo Credit: posztos
- Website: sanbernardinoalleossa.it
- Address: Piazza Santo Stefano, 20122 Milano
- Opening Hours: 8 am – 6 pm Monday to Friday / 9.30 am – 6 pm Saturday / 9.30 am – 12 pm Sunday
San Bernardino alle Ossa is a church that dates back to the 13th century, but it’s far creepier than your typical historic Milanese church. Attached to its side is an ossuary, a small chapel decorated with human bones and skulls. The ossuary was originally constructed to hold bones when a neighboring cemetery ran out of space, and the church was attached to it over 60 years later.
If you’re a fan of the macabre and planning to visit the famed Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery), you’re sure to be fascinated by San Bernardino alle Ossa.
2. Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore
- Website: migrantimilano.it
- Address: Piazza Santo Stefano, 20122 Milano
- Opening Hours: 8 am – 7 pm daily
This church was first established in the 5th century and is one of the oldest in Milan. A fire destroyed much of the original building in the 11th century, but the rebuilt church still stands today, and it’s now in the region of 1,000 years old.
Many religious buildings of a similar age have since been repurposed into museums and concert halls, but Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore remains a place of worship and gives a valuable glimpse into Milan’s past.
3. Duomo di Milano Rooftop Terrace
- Website: duomomilano.it/en
- Address: P.zadel Duomo, 20122 Milano
- Opening hours: 9 am – 7 pm daily
Milan Cathedral is, without a doubt, a must-see attraction. It’s the fourth-largest church in Europe and the second-largest in Italy, beaten only by Rome’s enormous St. Peter’s Basilica.
Il Duomo is a beautiful building and boasts extraordinary craftsmanship, but don’t miss out on visiting its rooftop terrace. It’s one of the best places in Milan to enjoy panoramic views, which are particularly impressive at sunset when the city is bathed in gold.
4. San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore
Photo Credit: gary yim
- Address: Corso Magenta, 15, 20123 Milano
- Opening Hours: 10 am – 5.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday
San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore is often said to be Milan’s version of the Sistine Chapel. Every surface of the 16th-century church’s interior is beautifully decorated with incredible paintings and mosaics. The frescos, which depict biblical scenes, were painted by some of the greatest 16th-century Lombardy artists, such as Bernadino Luini and his sons.
If you’re excited to see the Last Supper fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci at the famed Santa Maria delle Grazie, you’re bound to love San Maurizio’s frescos, too.
5. San Maurizio’s Archaeology Museum
- Website: museoarcheologicomilano.it
- Address: Corso Magenta, 15, 20123 Milano
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday
Right beside the beautiful church of San Maurizio is the Civico Museo Archeologico, which showcases excavated Roman ruins beneath the monastery. You can expect to see portions of Roman walls and the ruins of a Roman circus, as well as Greek and Etruscan artifacts sourced from all over Italy.
6. Bull of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is an elegant 19th-century shopping arcade packed with chic boutique stores and sophisticated cafes. It attracts large crowds of tourists and locals alike to shop and dine. While you’re there, look out for the Turin Bull floor mosaic that lies at the very center of the mall.
Legend has it that if you place your right heel on the bull’s testicles and turn clockwise three times, you’ll be rewarded with good fortune. Be careful not to turn anticlockwise as this is said to cause bad luck.
7. Porta Venezia
Photo Credit: Alexandre Rotenberg
Porta Venezia is considered one of the coolest neighborhoods in Milan, known for its chic liberty-style buildings that were constructed in the early 1900s. Once considered the home of the city’s upper-middle class, it is now known as Milan’s lively, inclusive LGBTQ+ district. Head here to shop, browse art galleries, dine, and enjoy a few drinks.
8. Bar Luce
- Website: fondazioneprada.org/barluce-en
- Address: L.go Isarco, 2, 20139 Milano
- Opening Hours: 8.30 am – 8 pm Monday, Wednesday & Thursday / 8.30 am – 8.30 pm Friday / 9 am – 8.30 pm Saturday & Sunday
Bar Luce is a highly Instagrammable 1950s-style cafe designed by movie director Wes Anderson, who is known for his off-beat cult films. Enjoy a delicious cup of Italian coffee along with a fresh sandwich or sweet treat.
9. Bergamo
Milan is well connected by rail and road to many of Lombardy’s popular cities and towns, such as vibrant Florence and beautiful Lake Como. Bergamo is a great alternative destination for a day trip.
It lies some 30 miles northeast of Milan and can be reached in around an hour by train or car. The town’s historic district is surrounded by Venetian walls, crisscrossed with medieval cobblestone streets, and dotted with grand churches, chapels, and art museums.
10. Guastalla Gardens
Photo Credit: DbDo
- Address: Pescheria barocca, Via Francesco Sforza, 20122 Milano
- Opening Hours: Vary Seasonally
If you want some time outdoors away from the crowds, head to Giardini della Guastalla to admire its pretty planted borders and baroque fish pool. It’s a lesser-known alternative to the famed Parco Sempione and Brera Botanical Garden.
These beautiful Italianate gardens date back to 1555, and some of the huge beech, magnolia, maple, and black walnut trees here are centuries old. Look out for a striking giant catalpa with a twisted trunk and asymmetrical foliage.
11. Palazzo Invernizzi
- Address: Via Cappuccini, 7, 20122 Milano
- Opening Hours: 8 am – 7 pm daily
Palazzo Invernizzi is a private residence from which the general public is barred, but that hasn’t stopped its gardens from becoming an unusual Milanese landmark. Set in the peaceful and exclusive Quadrilatero del Silenzio, the Silent District, the property is a prime example of Milan’s early 20th-century palaces and estates.
A large park lies at the back of the palace, and although you can’t enter it, you can admire it from an iron fence. A group of pink flamingos call the park home, and they’re an eye-catching, colorful sight in the bustling heart of the city.
12. Sforza Castle Battlements
- Website: milanocastello.it/en/content/battlements
- Address: Piazza Castello, 20121 Milano
- Opening hours: 7 am – 7.30 pm daily
A trip to Milan wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Castello Sforzesco, but many people miss out on this landmark’s most unique feature. The castle battlements offer fabulous views over the city, but they’re only accessible by guided tour.
Originally, the battlements fully encompassed the castle’s perimeter, but much of them were damaged in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Those remaining today were restored in the late 19th century to match the originals as closely as possible.
13. Bosco Verticale
Photo Credit: VILTVART
- Address: Via Gaetano de Castillia, 11, 20124 Milano
- Opening hours: 24/7
The Vertical Forest is a pair of skyscrapers enveloped by hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and plants. This striking landmark has paved the way as a model of urban regeneration and environmental preservation. The total greenery thriving on the buildings provides the equivalent of 75,000 square feet of horizontal forest.
You can find the impressive structure in Porta Nuova tucked between the old Isola district and the futuristic Garibaldi district. Wandering through these neighborhoods on foot is a fantastic way to appreciate the sheer variety of Milan’s traditional and contemporary architecture.
14. Poldi-Pezzoli Museum
- Website: museopoldipezzoli.it/en
- Address: Via Alessandro Manzoni, 12, 20121 Milano
- Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm Monday & Wednesday to Sunday
The Poldi-Pezzoli Museum, which is set within an old patrician house, is a great alternative to the famed Pinacoteca di Brera. It houses a huge range of antiquities, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, pottery, armor, and weapons from throughout history. There is some wonderful Renaissance art on display here, including works by Mantegna and Botticelli.
15. Mercatore Antiquario di Navigli
- Website: navigliogrande.mi.it/mercatone-dellantiquariato
- Address: Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 4, 20144 Milano MI
- Opening hours: 8 am – 6 pm last Sunday of the month
This antique flea market takes place on the banks of the Navigli Grande every last Sunday of the month. You’ll find a wide array of knick-knacks, artworks, and vintage furniture on offer, so it’s a great place to find some truly unique souvenirs. The Navigli area is renowned for its lively nightlife, so finish your shopping trip by dropping into a nearby bar for an aperitivo.
16. Villa Necchi Campiglio
Photo Credit: Stefanos Kyriazis
- Website: fondoambiente.it/luoghi/villa-necchi-campiglio
- Address: Via Mozart, 14, 20122 Milano
- Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday / 10 am – 7 pm Friday & Saturday
Villa Necchi Campiglio is a must-visit for architecture enthusiasts. It’s a refined 20th-century property designed by Piero Portaluppi and renovated by Tomasso Buzzi. It represents a shift towards Rationalism in modern architecture and offers a glimpse of the elegant lives lived by the industrial bourgeoisie of the Lombardy region.
17. Cantina Urbana Winery
- Website: www.cantinaurbana.it/winery
- Address: Via Ascanio Sforza, 87, 20141 Milano
- Opening hours: 4 pm – 12 pm Monday to Thursday / 12.30 pm – 12 pm Friday & Saturday / 12.30 pm – 10 pm Sunday
Leonardo’s Vineyard, which lies in the back garden of the Casa degli Atellani and once belonged to Leonardo da Vinci, was a popular tourist attraction until recent years. Unfortunately, the property has been closed to the public since 2022, when it was purchased by a French billionaire.
A great alternative is the Catina Urbana Winery, which is working hard to keep the tradition of urban winemaking alive. Take a tour of the winery to learn about the entire winemaking process and sample some of the delicious wines produced here in the heart of Milan.
Find More Milanese Hidden Gems
The city of Milan has no shortage of other hidden gems to discover beyond this list. Be sure to spend plenty of time exploring on foot to discover more secret spots.
