WHAT TO VISIT
10 FREE PLACES TO VISIT IN MILAN
10 FREE PLACES TO VISIT IN MILAN
Sparkling and chaotic, the "the Fashion Capital of Italy" can appear to many as a dear city and not suitable for low cost travelers.
Actually Milan offers many fabulous experiences and attractions that can be experienced by anyone for free.
01.
Milan Cathedral
A visit to Milan, in our opinion, must start from Piazza Duomo, the center and the heart of the city.
The square is one of the largest in Italy and the church is the largest in the country.
The construction of the Duomo di Milano began in 1386 and lasted until 1813: a very long time!
In 1805 Napoleon was crowned King of Italy.
The visit is free and you only have to pay a ticket if you want to go up to the terrace to admire the view.
If you want to know more, visit the official website.
02.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Visiting Milan it is impossible to miss the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, so beautiful and rich in shops and historic cafes to be known as the "living room" of the Milanese bourgeoisie.
The locals in the area are all very expensive, but you can walk freely letting yourself be catched by the rich beauty of this place!
Inaugurated in 1867, the Gallery is a passage that connects Piazza Duomo and Piazza della Scala and is still one of the most evocative free places in Milan.
Also worth the Terrace de La Rinascente: located on the seventh floor of the most famous department store in Milan you can enjoy one of the most spectacular views of Milan.
If you want to know more, visit the click here.
03.
The shop windows of the center and Costume Moda Immagine
Once you leave the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, you may want to take a stroll through the Quadrilatero della Moda district..
Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga, Corso Venezia and Via Montenapoleone are four streets famous all over the world: this is where some of Milan’s most famous boutiques are located.
The prices are very high, because we are in the area of luxury but you can walk and stop to admire the windows.
In Via Sant'Andrea, inside Palazzo Morando, you can visit for free Costume Moda Immagine, an interesting exhibition dedicated to vintage clothes.
If you want to know more, visit the click here.
04.
Castello Sforzesco
There is no visit to Milan that does not pass through the Castello Sforzesco.
The imposing castle built in the fifteenth century at the behest of Francesco Sforza now houses several museums for a fee.
Being amazed by the fortress with its Renaissance courtyards, towers and defensive moat is an experience that takes you back in time.
You can enter for free in the vast Courtyard of Arms and admire the ducal court and the court of the Rocchetta, while the visit to the museums of the Castle is free only every first and third Tuesday of the month from 2 pm.
If you want to know more, visit the official website.
05.
Parco Sempione
Behind the fortress lies Parco Sempione, a huge green area that rises on the ancient parade ground of the Castello Sforzesco.
Meadows, paths and a large artificial lake where many ducks live: the park is the right place to relax and eat a sandwich.
It is said that inside Parco Sempione there is the ghost of the Black Lady, a woman with a veiled face capable of driving men crazy who want to see her face... So be careful!
If you want to know more, visit the click here.
06.
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio was built between 379 and 386 at the behest of the patron saint of Milan, who dedicated it to the holy martyrs buried in it.
It is one of the oldest basilicas in the city and the second in importance (first there is the Milan Cathedral).
Sant'Ambrogio is a symbol of early Christian and medieval Milan, but also of Milan in general.
Access to the basilica and the crypt where the saint’s remains lie is free.
If you want to know more, visit the click here.
07.
Take a free walking tour with Milan Greeters
Discovering a city with a local guide is an unforgettable experience.
The Milan Greeters will welcome you to the places preferred by the Milanese to understand the culture, history and lifestyle of Milan.
The Greeters are a group of volunteers who organize custom walking tours for groups of up to six people.
All completely free, as provided by the Global Greeter Network International!
If you want to know more, visit the official website .
08.
Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro
It’s amazing that so many wonders are free attractions in Milan!
Another hidden gem of Milan is the Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro, which appears in every art history guide for the masterpiece of the master Donato Bramante.
Without enough space for the Church to have a real apse, the famous architect was able to create the illusion of depth through a wise game of perspective.
A magnificent work all Milanese that even today we can visit totally free.
If you want to know more, visit the click here.
09.
Company Town of Via Lincoln
Who said Milan is all gray?
The small working-class company town of Via Lincoln is a stone’s throw from Piazza Cinque Giornate and is a completely free open-air attraction.
It is a handful of colorful houses originally intended for workers who worked in the Porta Vittoria area, which over time have enriched the houses with gardens and trees: A walk in this rainbow neighborhood is enough to not even remember being in a metropolis.
10.
The old Milan of the Navigli area
We said, it is always worth peeking behind the open doors to see what lies behind: at number 4 of Alzaia naviglio Grande you can enter freely (respecting the quiet of residents and artists who work there) in one of the most evocative courtyards of Milan to get to know the old popular Milan and understand the charm of the typical Milanese railing houses.
The beautiful hidden courtyards of the old Milan, the Vicolo dei Lavandai and the colorful antique markets make the Navigli area one of the wonders that you can visit for free in Milan.
If you want to know more, visit the click here.