Studying abroad in Italy and want to know how to get the best of Milan in one day?? Read on to find out how to make the best of Milan in one day as a study abroad student. This post is all about what do to in Milan in one day, Milan places to eat, and shopping in Milan!
Milan in One Day
See and Climb the Milan Duomo
Wondering what there is to do in Milan for one day that you can squeeze into your itinerary? Firstly of course go to see the Milan Duomo and climb up to the Terrace! The Milan duomo rooftop provides some of the best views of the city. The Milan Duomo hours are from 10am – 6pm. The last ticket entry is at 5pm. To find tickets to go inside and to see the rooftop, click here! There are a few options on the site, I recommend getting the “Duomo Pass Stairs” as it lets you into the cathedral, to the rooftops by stairs, and the museum if you are interested! It is only 5 € more than just the rooftop itself. If you’re only interested in the rooftop visit, there are options for that as well. All are under 20 €!
PRO TIP: Don’t buy or bring any glass or ceramic souvenirs before entering the duomo, as they will not let you in with any ceramic objects! One way to get around this if you end up forgetting is to use a storage service and place your bags at a nearby restaurant for a small fee. I was able to store mine at a nearby Italian restaurant through STASHER!
See the Last Supper
One of the most iconic pieces you have to see in Milan if you only have a day is Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It is highly recommended that you buy tickets ahead of time for this, otherwise you’ll be waiting in line for way too long, making it impossible to make the best of Milan in one day. Be sure to book at least a week or two in advance to be sure you’ll get to see it!
Last Supper Milan Tickets:
Official Website (Tickets) 15 €
Last Supper Milan Tour tickets:
SKIP THE LINE GUIDED TOUR 44 €
Milan: The Last Supper and Santa Maria delle Grazie Tour 43.50 €
Starbucks Reserve Milan
If you are a fellow coffee addict and avid Starbucks drinker, you HAVE to go to the Starbucks reserve in Milan! There are currently only 3 reserves in the world, and they are so worth the experience! This isn’t your ordinary Starbucks, it is made for an experience. First, I recommend downloading the app to gain more of an experience throughout your visit. The app makes it possible to know more about what you’re seeing, find the menu, etc.
Wondering what there is on the menu before visiting and what is best to try? Look no further, below is the menu at the Starbucks reserve. This place makes it possible to have a great breakfast or lunch there. They provide so many options of delicious pastries, pizzas, breads, desserts, sandwiches, and so much more, complete with a traditional Italian mealtime – the “aperitivo”! Honestly you can enjoy this experience any time of day. Of course, the coffee is amazing! You will no doubt be overwhelmed by the available coffee choices at the reserve. Below is what I decided to try: a dark chocolate mocha. I absolutely regret not trying a cold brew here! So I of course recommend trying it. Worth spending an hour or two in here!
Places to Eat in Milan
In Milan there are quite a few really good Italian restaurants, and cafes around to visit. Below are the recommendations I have for the best cafes and Italian restaurants in Milan, with a link to a menu or website and more details!
BAR LUCE – One of the trendy restaurants in Milan to visit is the Prada cafe, Bar Luce. This was designed by an American film director, Wes Anderson in 2015. It was designed to spend afternoons in, and to enjoy eating, reading, talking, and so much more. The aesthetic resembles that of 1950s or 1960s Italian culture! They are open from Thursday – Sunday; 9am – 8pm.
Rossini Restaurant Pizzeria – This restaurant is listed as the best Italian restaurant in Milan! Their opening hours are from 12pm – 3pm and 7pm – 11pm everyday, with two exceptions. They are closed Sunday, and only open from 12-3pm on Tuesdays. If they are open while you are looking to go be sure to give them a try! They do take reservations if you want to be extra sure you can get in!
Starbucks Reserve Milan – The Starbucks Reserve in Milan actually has some really great foods to offer! This is a great place if you are a big fan of Starbucks and coffee. This isn’t your normal Starbucks, and they offer so many unique desserts, lunch foods, and drinks with a complete coffee selection and full bar on the second floor. Being only a 10 minute walk from the Duomo, this makes for a really convenient food spot! The hours for the reserve are everyday from 7am – 10pm.
Terra Gelato – Looking to try gelato while in Milan? Go to Terra Gelato for some of the best gelato Milan has to offer.They are also one of the trendiest restaurants in Milan, being very artsy and taking note of details down to the names of each of their flavors! It is absolutely worth visiting, despite being an 11 minute metro ride from the Duomo. They are open from 12pm – 11:30pm Monday – Thursday; 12pm – 12am Friday – Sunday.
Shopping in Milan
Another great way to get the best of Milan on your day trip is through spending time exploring the shopping centers around the city. Luxury shopping in Milan is located right by the Duomo at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the most famous shopping centers in Milan. Here you find places such as Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc. This is still a fun experience and a unique place to visit even if you are just looking to window shop! This is almost what you would find to be a shopping mall in Milan.
Looking to shop but want to find non designer shopping in Milan? Below are a list of shopping places with a link to Google maps to find them that are great for shopping non designer brands.
The Highline Outlet – This outlet mall features incredible deals on designer names at an affordable price. If you look at just the right time you might find yourself a really nice piece to take back with you! This location is about a 7-10 minute walk from the Duomo, so it is easy to get to! This has some great reviews on Google, and seems to be a great place to find affordable discounted designer name clothing!
DMAG Outlet – This is another outlet mall type location that offers similar deals as The Highline Outlet. It is a 5 minute metro ride from the Duomo, taking metro line 3 (yellow) to the Montenapoleone stop and then walk about 3-4 minutes to find the outlet. Click the link to see detailed directions from Google Maps! They are the BEST for using metro systems in big cities like Milan!
H&M – Looking for some familiarity in Milan? There is an H&M just 2 mins from the Duomo. This is convenient and you might find that they have different products here than you would find in the US! Be sure to check it out if you’re looking to shop on a budget!
Zara – If you want to shop something similar but less youthful than H&M, check out Zara located just 6 mins. walking distance away from the Duomo, inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
If you plan your day out a little bit ahead of time and make time to see what you want to see, you should be able to make the best of Milan in one day. Of course, if you’re looking to stay overnight, there are other day trips that are great to go to from Milan, such as Lake Como! Click HERE for a guide on how to spend a day at Lake Como. This post was all about how to get the best of Milan in one day as a study abroad student.
