Milan: where to eat, shop and sleep

Discover the unforgettable treasures and simple pleasures of Italy’s cultural capital.

While Rome is the historical heart of Italy and Florence is home to its artistic soul, Milan is the cultural capital where all the good things meet; fashion, food and the arts. Its treasures aren’t as obvious as those of other Italian cities, you have to dig a little deeper to discover them – but that makes them all the more satisfying.

Shop like you mean it

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan — For the best of Milan’s high street shopping you’ll want to head to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

If you fancy a designer bag or three, Via Montenapoleone is where it’s at. This narrow street houses all the luxury brands in one handy location. Visit for the window shopping and people watching alone.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is also a designer haven and the main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is where to find all the high street brands.

Inside the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

La Rinascente is a luxe department store stretching over 10 floors while 10 Corso Como offers a tightly edited mix of designer fashion and art. Think Milan’s version of Paris’ famed, now closed, Colette boutique.

For a designer bargain, the top of Via Manzoni towards Archi di Porta Nuova is where you’ll find designer outlet stores such as DMag.

Wander the Navigli

Naviglio Grande, Milan, Italy — Explore the canals of Naviglio Grande.

Venice isn’t the only Italian city with canals. A 10-minute metro ride from the centre of Milan to Porta Genova will take you to the Navigli, a set of intersecting canals which were once the city’s main trading routes with Europe.

These canals were fed by two different lakes, Maggiore and Como, so the water levels weren’t even. Enter Leonardo da Vinci who designed chiusuras, or dams, so the boats could travel along them.

You can take boat rides along the canals or simply spend the day strolling beside them and soak up the charm of the area’s boutiques and bars. At night, it’s a buzzing hub of people taking aperitivo by the water.

Discover Brera

The boho artists that called Brera home have made their stamp on this little corner of the city and it’s still an art hub. As well as cool independent galleries you’ll find the impressive Brera Art Gallery or the Pinacoteca di Brera, which displays one of the most comprehensive collections of Italian art.

There are also chic boutiques, upscale restaurants and picture-perfect cobblestone pedestrian streets such as via Fiori Chiari.

Peruse the work of Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is on display within the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie

His most famous artwork, The Last Supper, is a mural in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Seeing it in a book doesn’t do it justice. Stand up close and let the details slowly reveal themselves to you; the folds in the tablecloth, the veins on the hands of the apostles, the use of light to tell the story of good and evil.

Book ahead. Numbers are limited to protect the priceless piece and if you turn up on the day, you might miss out.

The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana also pays homage to Da Vinci. It’s the caretaker of the Atlantic Codex, over 1000 pages of his notes and sketches. The display, which changes every three months, showcases about 10 pages at a time and can cover anything from his theories on soundwaves and music to the optic nerve and how sight works.

His notes are hard to decipher, until you learn that he was a lefty who wrote from right to left in mirror script.

It’s an intimate insight into the great man’s mind.

Visit La Scala

The sumptuous red velvet and gilded gold interiors of this iconic opera house are enough to make you swoon, even if you’re not a fan of the theatre. But if you are, it’s worth splurging for a ticket to the opera or ballet. Then there’s the more-affordable behind-the-scenes tours.

La Scala Milan — Experience one of the opera at Milan’s iconic La Scala.

Composer Giuseppe Verdi’s operas Otello and Falstaff premiered here and the stage has hosted performances by the greatest opera singers such as Maria Callas and ballet stars including Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.

Fondazione Prada

Miuccia Prada is considered the most intellectual woman in fashion and this sprawling contemporary art museum may be a bigger legacy than decades of shaping how we dress. Housed in a former gin distillery, the privately-funded collection is open to the public and is more a cultural compound than regular museum.

In addition to the 13,000 square metres of exhibition space, there are cinemas, bars and a new restaurant Torre, which opened in 2018 and has sweeping views over Milan.

Indulge in aperitivo

The Italian tradition of pre-dinner drinks and snacks originated in Milan thanks to the popularity of the bitter liqueur Campari, which was distilled nearby. The idea being that it whets the tastebuds and gets the digestive juices flowing.

From about 5pm till 8pm you’ll see people sitting outside enjoying a spritz or negroni with a few nibbles before they head off to dinner.

Order a negroni at Officina 12, a hip gin bar in Navigli, head to the top floor of the Rinascente department store and enjoy an aperitivo while overlooking the spires of the Duomo or hang with the locals at Morgan’s, a dive bar in the historic centre just off Via Lanzone.

Eat up

Rovello 18 Milan — Rovello 18 serves up their own inspired version of risotto Milanese al salto.

The city’s most famous dish is the saffron-hued risotto Milanese, served on its own as a primo or with ossobuco as a secondo. For something a little different, try risotto Milanese al salto, where the risotto is cooked then fried so the outer edges of the rice cake crisp up. At Rovello 18, it’s served in little patties while Antica Trattoria della Pesa does a giant disk as big as the plate.

You’ll find fabulous seafood at El Brellin and Langosteria if budget permits, or the more accessible Langosteria Café.

For a taste of luxury, Italian celebrity chef Carlo Cracco opened Ristorante Cracco inside the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II earlier this year.

For something truly dolce, the original Marchesi Pasticceria has been satisfying sweet tooths since 1824.

Sleep with the stars

Fancy staying in the same room as composer Giuseppe Verdi, singer Maria Callas or author Ernest Hemingway? They were all famous guests at the five-star Grand Hotel et de Milan and the suites they called home all have a personal touch: from the desk Verdi wrote at to a copy of Hemingway’s visa framed on the wall.

Follow in the footsteps of some of history’s biggest names and spend a night at the Grand Hotel et de Milan

This family-owned property is part of the Leading Hotels of the World Group and has an unbeatable location just a block from La Scala and a stone’s throw from the start of the shopping mecca, Via Montenapoleone.

More information

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza del Duomo, 20123 Milano

La Rinascente, Piazza del Duomo, 20121 Milano
Phone: +39 02 88521
La Rinascente

10 Corso Como, Corso Como 10, 20124 Milano
www.10corsocomo.com

DMag Outlet, Via Alessandro Manzoni, 44, 20121 Milano
Phone: +39 02 3651 4365

Pinacoteca di Brera, Via Brera, 28, 20121 Milano
Pinacoteca di Brera

Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 20123 Milano
www.legraziemilano.it

Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Piazza Pio XI, 2, 20123 Milano
Phone: +39 02 806921
www.ambrosiana.it/en/

Teatro alla Scala, Via Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milano
www.teatroallascala.org/en/

Fondazione Prada, Largo Isarco, 2, 20139 Milano
Phone: +39 02 5666 2611
www.fondazioneprada.org

Officina 12, Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 12, 20144 Milano
Phone: +39 02 8942 2261
www.officina12.it

Morgan’s Milano, Via Novati 02, 20123 Milano
Phone: +39 02 867694
www.facebook.com/Morgans-Milano

Rovello 18, Via Tivoli, 2, 20121 Milano
Phone: +39 02 7209 3709
www.rovello18.it/en/home-en/

Antica Trattoria della Pesa, Viale Pasubio, 10, 20154 Milano
Phone: +39 02 655 5741
www.anticatrattoriadellapesa.com

El Brellin, Vicolo dei Lavandai, Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 14, 20144 Milano
Phone: +39 02 5810 1351
www.brellin.com

Langosteria, Via Savona, 10, 20144 Milano
Phone: +39 02 5811 1649
www.langosteria.com

Cracco, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 20121 Milano MI
Phone: +39 02 876774
www.ristorantecracco.it/en/

Marchesi Pasticceri, Via Santa Maria alla Porta, 11/a, 20123 Milano
www.pasticceriamarchesi.com/en/

Grand Hotel et de Milan, Via Alessandro Manzoni, 29, 20121 Milano
Phone: +39 02 723141
www.grandhoteletdemilan.it/en/

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Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK.

Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius — A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris — People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.

How to live la dolce vita in Milan