Milan in 1 day – Itinerary of my self-guided walking tour + map

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.

Tour to visit Milan in 1 day

Why visit Milan?

Capital of Lombardy, Milan is located on the Bassa Padana in northern Italy. As Paris, London ou New York, Milan is known to be a Mecca for Fashion and creation. But, this city is much more than that! Indeed, Milan has preserved monuments and historical masterpieces with, among others, the Brera Art Gallery, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, the old Sforzesco castle, the Duomo and of course the magnificent Teatro alla Scala.

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 routes:
  • Book a guided tour of the main sites:
  • Either do my tourist circuit on foot following the route, the map of which you will find 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 walk to be spread throughout the day. You can therefore walk 2 km for morning visits and 2 km 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?

1 day to visit Milan is of course not enough to do the complete visits and all the museums. But with good organization and an optimized itinerary, it is possible to complete a walking tour of the most beautiful places in Milan. Indeed, Milan is not a very large city and its historic center can therefore be discovered by walking!

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 start my walking tour, you have to go to the Duomo Square (Piazza Duomo). It is the historic center and the main square of Milan where major events and other events are celebrated. All around this square you will find the Palazzo Carminati, Palais Royal and Duomo cathedral with its terrace.

Sightseeing Milan on foot - First tour around Piazza Duomo

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 : at Quadrangle of Fashion.

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

By taking Via Pietro Verri, after 500 meters of walking, you will arrive at La Scala square (Piazza della Scala) where the statue of Leonardo da Vinci is enthroned. There you can start by visiting the magnificent Teatro de la Scala which is in fact one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

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.

visit Milan in 1 day on foot with a stop at the shopping mall

You have to walk there and take advantage of its good restaurants, trendy cafes or beautiful shops.

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 in Piazza Castello. There you can visit the Sforz Castlea and take a short walk to Sempione Park just behind.

Visit Milan on foot Visit the Sforza Castle

Santa Maria delle Grazie

Here is the last visit of my Milan tour in 1 day: The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is in this church that the famous painting of " The Lord's Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.

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.

Milan on foot - Stage at Santa Maria delle Grazie

Where to stay to visit Milan on foot?

For a short weekend in milan, it is obvious that we must avoid certain districts of milan and choose a hotel well located in the historic center to 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 Milano 
  • For those looking for good value for money, here is a good accommodation just 1 minute from the Cathedral:

Another city tour in Italy?

Why not a visit to florence, or a day in Rome

or a romantic weekend in Venice

5 thoughts on “Milan in 1 day – Itinerary of my self-guided walking tour + map”

  1. Geweldig dat je je dagje Milaan met ons deelt. Wij plannen een reis naar Italië en stoppen net 1 dag in Milaan! Dankjewel voor de tip!
    Greetings Ingrid

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