# Four days in Milan > For this trip to Milan planned for the end of January, we had booked our plane tickets in mid-November: we had come across some rather interesting deals and jumped at the chance! Source: https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/blog/four-days-in-milan/ Published on 9 February 2019 ## Getting to Milan from Paris For this trip to Milan planned for the end of January, we had booked our plane tickets in mid-November: we had come across some rather interesting deals and jumped at the chance! So we took the outbound flight with **[Alitalia](https://www.alitalia.com/fr_fr)**, from Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, for **48€** per person, and the return with **[Easyjet](https://www.easyjet.com/fr)** for only **26€** per person, for a total of **74€** per person. We could have paid even less but we wanted to land and leave from **Milan Linate** airport, which is about ten kilometres from the city, unlike the second airport, Malpensa, which is some fifty kilometres from Milan: keep that in mind when you book your tickets! ## Getting around Milan From Linate airport, you can take a **coach** (5€ per person) to reach the city centre or the **73 or X73 city bus**, which will cost you a little less. We preferred to take the coach, which dropped us off directly at the Centrale station where we took a metro to reach our guest room. In general, Milan is a city that can easily be explored **on foot**. There are also many **trams**, which run between the different points of interest in the city, as well as the **metro**, but we did (almost) everything on foot! ### Day 1 We took advantage of staying in this neighbourhood to visit the **Monumental Cemetery of Milan**, which is definitely worth a look! It is a real open-air museum, with magnificent mausoleums built by architects and tombs that rival each other in grandeur. Entry is free, so don’t deprive yourself if you pass through the north of the city. ![Woman alone at the foot of the monumental cemetery steps](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-02-184d6e85.webp) ![Funerary monument in a spiral carved with figures](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-03-6a8530a4.webp) ![Path lined with chapels and pale stone mausoleums](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-04-55cb7a72.webp) ![Carved tombs lined up beneath the cemetery cypresses](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-05-ca287496.webp) ![Two-tone arcaded gallery guarded by bronze lions](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-06-759bc3db.webp) ![Vaulted interior of the Famedio with its blue and gold decoration](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-07-ca4f9325.webp) We then made our way to the **Indro Montanelli gardens**, home in particular to the **Palazzo Dugnani** and the Natural History Museum, and we set off to explore the **Porta Venezia** neighbourhood and its many villas. ![Neoclassical villa behind its pond, woman sitting on the rim](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-08-f8c201de.webp) *Palazzo Dugnani – Milan* ### Day 2 Between the snow in the morning and the rain in the afternoon, the weather did not spoil us that day, but that did not stop us from carrying on visiting Milan. We started the day with **Sempione Park** with the **Arco della Pace** and the **Sforza Castle**. The park must be magnificent in the sunshine: one more reason to come back to Milan when the weather is nice! As for the castle, we did not expect to see such a fortress right in the city centre: there are several courtyards and many museums in the different wings of the castle, so much so that you could spend the whole day there. The gloomy, rainy weather made our visit a bit sinister, even mystical! ![Snow-covered park and frozen pond lost in the mist](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-09-b53ad59b.webp) ![Arch of Peace and woman with arms spread on the wet paving](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-10-4c9cc6fa.webp) ![Brick rampart of the Sforza Castle and its low gate](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-11-6ac7481f.webp) ![Great courtyard of the castle, brick tower at the far end](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-12-741a25fb.webp) ![Round tower of the castle and bare trees on the snow](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-13-a91555cd.webp) We visited the **Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore**: the place is magnificent even if very ornate (_free entry_). ![Church choir entirely covered with painted frescoes](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-14-20f8d2be.webp) ![Gilded ribbed vault against a blue background](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-15-8c973593.webp) We then wandered through the Magenta district and came across the **Tempio della Vittoria**, next to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. ![Narrow street glistening with rain, lined with balconied buildings](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-16-adfd94b2.webp) ![Stone rotunda at the end of a pond in the rain](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-17-edffaf85.webp) From there, to reach the famous Naviglio district in the south of the city, we passed through the Carrobio district and in particular by the **Basilica of San Lorenzo** in Milan. ![Pale basilica fronted by its ancient colonnade](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-18-ef0f03fc.webp) ![Bronze statue in the middle of a rain-soaked cobbled square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-19-937c1377.webp) Unfortunately the weather did not allow us to stroll along the **Naviglio canals**, but the walk must be very pleasant in summer when all the terraces of the bars and restaurants are open! ![Navigli canal lined with terraces and pastel buildings](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-20-4aaa97b6.webp) ![Long view down the canal between the ochre facades](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-21-dedf8d14.webp) ### Day 3 As the weather was kinder on this new day, we decided to devote it to the heart of the city of Milan to discover all its must-sees. So we passed by the **Basilica di San Simpliciano**, the **Piazza San Marco**, the **Piazza Carmine** and the **Palazzo Carmine** to discover the **Pinacoteca di Brera**, the famous Milanese museum (_the long queue put us off, so we did not visit it_). ![Courtyard with two tiers of arcades and a bronze statue at its centre](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-22-3f81fc82.webp) ![Italian flag hanging from the balcony of a pale palace](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-23-cd4c9ef2.webp) ![Red brick Gothic church on a small square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-24-d686a412.webp) ![Ochre buildings with iron balconies seen from below](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-25-a2da7d99.webp) From the Pinacoteca, you are very close to Milan’s best-known district, with the **Teatro alla Scala**, the **Monument to Leonardo da Vinci** and of course the famous **Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II**. The latter is a real architectural gem and it truly dazzled us! There are a lot of people during the day: you will have to get up early if you want to take photos without the crowd. We came for the beauty of the place and not for the string of luxury boutiques sharing the gallery’s four wings. ![Facade of La Scala under a squally sky](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-26-003f3ffd.webp) ![Woman at the centre of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele beneath the glass roof](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-27-b1c0eec1.webp) ![Monumental entrance arch of the galleria seen from below](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-28-2554280e.webp) ![Monument to Leonardo da Vinci and woman posing at the foot of the plinth](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-29-fca4fd4e.webp) ![Glass dome of the galleria above a figure seen from behind](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-30-78667ebd.webp) ![Luxury boutiques and floor mosaics of the galleria](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-31-7699d65b.webp) We devoted the second part of the day to discovering the **Brera** and **Porta Venezia** districts, both very rich in heritage with many palaces and villas such as the **Necchi Campiglio** one, whose gardens you can visit for free, or the **villa Invernizzi** where pink flamingos live. Very close to Porta Venezia, you can also admire the **Berri Meregallis** palace, which stands out for its very Art Deco architecture. We loved wandering through these districts with their opulent, sometimes very colourful façades: Milan is a city where it feels good to stroll! ![European flag hung on a yellow facade](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-32-4dabe132.webp) ![Yellow tram coming down a street lined with old buildings](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-33-fe4c622e.webp) ![Flamingos in the pond of a planted garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-34-87f561a9.webp) ![Art Nouveau facade with floral decoration and ornate balconies](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-35-ee7423a0.webp) ![Empty pavement running along a facade of brick and stone](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-36-925293f6.webp) ### Day 4 We took advantage of this last day in Milan to go back and visit (twice) the **Sforza Castle**, this time without the rain! We had the same impression as on the first day: the castle is rather austere with its almost brown bricks. ![Couple posing against the brick wall of the castle](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-37-21d07e28.webp) ![Cobbled castle courtyard ringed with arcades on two levels](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-38-5b850ac9.webp) ![Man walking towards the entrance tower of the castle](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-39-e78a1966.webp) Of course, we could not leave Milan without having visited its famous cathedral, the **Duomo**. Despite the crowd rushing onto the square, the monument keeps its majesty and we were impressed by its grandeur and all its stone details. We bought two **Duomo Pass Stairs** at the ticket office (**13€** each), which gave us access to the cathedral, the Saint Charles crypt, the archaeological area, the Duomo museum, the church of San Gottardo and finally, the highlight of the show, the terraces and the roofs of the Duomo. The price is not at all excessive given the number of attractions in the Pass and the fame of the monument! So we decided to visit the museum and the church in the morning: there was no queue and very few people inside the museum. ![Piazza del Duomo and the side of the cathedral under a grey sky](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-40-5f150b57.webp) ![Coloured stained glass lit up in a dark exhibition room](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-41-391c5baf.webp) ![Gilded statue of the Virgin in a courtyard, brick bell tower](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-42-093d047b.webp) ![Pale domed choir framed by two blue stained glass windows](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-43-0afa7da0.webp) ![Side of the cathedral bristling with marble pinnacles](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-44-70004a83.webp) We then went up to the terraces of the Duomo, at lunchtime: there was no queue at that hour either and we were able to go straight to the stairs to climb right to the top of the cathedral. It is one of the visits we preferred during our stay in Milan, as the view from the roofs is magnificent: a must-see without any doubt! ![Carved flying buttresses of the Duomo roof seen from below](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-45-7156b2ab.webp) ![Couple posing on the marble terraces of the cathedral](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-46-5c28186d.webp) ![Man leaning on the parapet between the spires of the roof](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-47-34124dc2.webp) ![Woman at the edge of the terraces among the marble arches](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-48-5093c128.webp) ![Roofs of the galleria seen from the terraces of the Duomo](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-49-c02ac988.webp) ![Piazza del Duomo and its passers-by seen from the roof](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-50-c3bae241.webp) We visited the inside of the cathedral at the end of the day, around 4pm, and we only queued for 20 minutes, compared with the two to three hours announced that very morning! So, if you can, visit the Duomo when it opens or when it closes! The cathedral is grandiose with its tall stone columns and its sophisticated marble chequerboard floor: it is a visit not to be missed on a trip to Milan. ## Our accommodation in Milan These three nights in Milan were a Christmas gift from our parents: we had chosen to sleep in a guest house and had set our hearts on **[La Flavia](http://www.lafaviamilano.com/en/gb-home/)** and its _La India_ room, with an organic breakfast (sweet and savoury), in the Garibaldi district, north of the city centre. The room and the bathroom were beautifully decorated by an architect: a real little cocoon for those chilly winter nights. The room for two people with breakfast costs **105€** a night. ## Our favourite places to eat in Milan - **[PIZZIUM](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d12289875-Reviews-PIZZIUM_Via_Procaccini-Milan_Lombardy.html)** (Via Procaccini): a delicious pizzeria near the Cimitero Monumentale with a lunch menu at 10€ (pizza and drink). - **[Da Zero](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d12410956-Reviews-Da_Zero-Milan_Lombardy.html)**: a good pizzeria with modern decor and affordable prices right in the centre of Milan. - **[Organic Pizza and Food](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d13237246-Reviews-Organic_Pizza_and_Food-Milan_Lombardy.html)**: good Italian dishes in a magnificent restaurant with a vaulted room and stone walls. - **[Orianna](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d13994981-Reviews-Orianna-Milan_Lombardy.html)** : a hushed atmosphere in this more upmarket restaurant, near the Porta Garibaldi, which offers a fairly gourmet Italian menu. - **[Platina](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d8071201-Reviews-Platina-Milan_Lombardy.html)** : the restaurant for pasta lovers! - **[Il Prime Milano](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d7350273-Reviews-Il_Prime_Milano_Lunch_time-Milan_Lombardy.html)**: our favourite restaurant, where we went back twice! The atmosphere is warm, the decor elegant and the dishes delicious (_special mention for the burrata and its charcuterie as a starter_). - **[Out of the Box](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d10041200-Reviews-Out_Of_The_Box-Milan_Lombardy.html)**: delicious Italian ice creams in a very modern shop; several kinds of chocolate for connoisseurs and a favourite for the Piedmont chestnut ice cream (_to be consumed without moderation even in winter_) - **[Chocolat](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d3346073-Reviews-Chocolat-Milan_Lombardy.html)** : this patisserie and tea room serves a wide choice of cakes and drinks, a few steps from the castle. ## What we thought of Milan We had not heard much about Milan around us, so it was a lovely surprise! This city is very rich in heritage and that is what we liked a lot about it (_and it has to be said that you always eat well in Italy_). We will certainly go back another time, but in summer to enjoy the sun and the _dolce vita italiana_! **Do not miss out on Milan, if you are looking for a weekend idea or if you are planning to visit the lake region in northern Italy.** ![Couple embracing in front of the Arch of Peace in the rain](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/quatre-jours-a-milan-51-a6a9a174.webp)