To visit Milan in 1 day, here is my self-guided walking tour with route map to discover the most beautiful places in Milan in one day!

Indeed, my walking route allows you to have a general overview of the city of Milan by touring the city's must-see sites. All you have to do is follow the route on the Google maps that I share with you in this article.

Why visit Milan?

The capital of Lombardy, Milan is located in the Bassa Padana region of Northern Italy. Like Paris , London , or New York , Milan is known as a hub for fashion and creativity. But this city is so much more than that! Indeed, Milan has preserved historical monuments and masterpieces, including the Brera Art Gallery, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, the former Sforza Castle, the Duomo, and of course, the magnificent La Scala opera house.

How to visit Milan in 1 day?

And, although it is recommended to allow 2 days to visit Milan, it is possible to discover the emblematic sites of the city in just one day.

To visit Milan in 1 day you can:

• Take the Milan tourist bus which offers 4 itineraries:

• Book a in guided tour of the main sites:

• Either do my tourist circuit on foot following the route for which you will find the map below.

I let you discover below how to organize this walking tour of Milan and how to make the most of it in 1 day.

Visit Milan on foot

All of the tourist attractions listed above are all close to each other. Thus, the small tourist circuit of Milan to do on foot represents approximately 4 km of walking spread over the entire day. You can therefore walk 2 km for morning visits and 2 km walk for afternoon visits.

In addition, visiting Milan on foot is very pleasant. This allows you to soak up the atmosphere of the streets, to enjoy gourmet breaks and to mingle with the Milanese who know how to welcome tourists so well!

What to see in Milan in 1 day?

One day to visit Milan is, of course, not enough to see everything and visit all the museums. But with good planning and an optimized itinerary, it's possible to complete a walking tour of Milan's most beautiful spots in just one day. Indeed, Milan isn't a very large city, and its historic center can easily be explored on foot!

Here are the steps to follow to visit Milan in 1 day following my self-guided walking tour:

• Piazza Duomo + Duomo Cathedral + Royal Palace of Milan
• Piazza San Babila + Basilica of San Babila
• Quadrangle of Fashion
• La Scala Theater
• Leonardo's World Museum
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
• Piazza Mercanti + Piazza Cordusio
• Sforza Castle + Sempione Park
• Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci)

Itinerary of my self-guided tour to visit Milan

Download the Google Mpas map below to your phone in advance. In fact, you can use it offline to follow the route of my self-guided tour on foot to visit Milan in 1 day.

Self-guided walking tour to visit Milan in 1 day

To make the most of this circuit and to do it entirely, it will have to be started very early in the morning. Here are the visits in the order of my itinerary:

Piazza Duomo

To begin my walking tour, you must go to Piazza Duomo. This is the historic center and main square of Milan, where major events and other celebrations take place. Around this square, you will find the Palazzo Carminati , the Royal Palace , and the Duomo Cathedral with its terrace.

Piazza San Babila

After having visited the Cathedral and climbed on its terrace, you will take the direction of Piazza San Babila for about 800 meters of walking. You can discover the Basilica di San Babila which is a Romanesque Catholic church once considered the 3rd most important in Milan.

Quadrangle of Fashion

300 meters further west, you will arrive in one of the most beautiful districts of Milan : the Quadrilatero della Moda (Fashion District ).

In fact, it is an area bounded by 4 streets: Via Montenapoleone, Via Alessandro Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia. This is where the boutiques of the great Italian and international fashion designers and stylists are concentrated.

La Scala Theater

Taking Via Pietro Verri, after a 500-meter walk, you will arrive at Piazza della Scala, where the statue of Leonardo da Vinci stands. There you can begin your visit to the magnificent La Scala opera house, one of the most famous opera houses in the world. Book your tour of La Scala in Milan.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, called “Il salotto di Milano” is a must-see in Milan. This is a magnificent 19th century shopping arcade. It is a covered walkway that connects the Duomo and the La Scala theatre. Metal structure 32 meters high, entirely glazed, you will discover in the middle of the gallery an octagonal place with a superb dome where at the 4 corners the paintings representing the 4 continents.

Leonardo's World Museum

This museum is also located in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This is an interactive museum, with audio guide and projections that allow you to discover all of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions.

Sforza Castle

To reach the mythical castle of Milan on foot, you will pass through two squares that Milanese very much appreciate: Piazza Mercanti and Piazza Cordusio.

Following my route, you will arrive in less than 15 minutes on foot at Piazza Castello. There, you can visit the Sforza Castle and take a short walk to the Sempione Park just behind it.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

Here's the last stop on my 1-day Milan tour: the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It's in this church that you'll find Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting " The Last Supper ".

The Last Supper is located in the original refectory of the former Dominican convent in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Guided tours allow you to discover all its secrets.

Where to stay to visit Milan on foot?

For a short weekend in Milan , it's obvious that you should avoid certain areas of Milan and choose a well-located hotel in the historic center so you can do everything on foot!

I have 2 addresses to recommend to you according to your budget:

• For those looking for luxury, here is a magnificent hotel in one of the most beautiful areas of Milan. It is ideally located for visiting the city : Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Touring Club Milan 

• For those looking for good value for money, here is a good accommodation just 1 minute from the Cathedral: Cheap accommodation in Milan

Another city tour in Italy? Why not a visit to Florence , a day in Rome , or a romantic weekend in Venice?