Free Things to Do in Milan

Milan has a reputation for being expensive, and in some respects it earns it. But the city also has a remarkable amount on offer for free, particularly for anyone willing to wander on foot and look up occasionally. Here's what we'd prioritise.

The Duomo Exterior

The facade of Milan Cathedral is one of the great spectacles of European Gothic architecture. It's free to stand in the piazza and stare at it for as long as you like, and most people don't spend nearly long enough doing that before rushing inside or up to the rooftop (both of which cost money). The exterior — with its 135 spires, thousands of marble statues, and the gilded Madonnina on top — rewards close attention. Come back in the evening when the lighting changes.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Directly adjacent to the Duomo, this 19th-century covered shopping arcade is one of the most beautiful commercial spaces in the world. Entry is free. The iron-and-glass vault, the mosaic floors, and the central octagon with its dome are genuinely extraordinary. Stand in the centre and look up. The shops are expensive, but the architecture costs nothing.

Navigli Canals

Milan's canal district in the south of the city is where the city stops trying to impress you and just gets on with being itself. The Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese are free to walk along any time. The neighbourhood is liveliest in the evening, when the canal-side bars and restaurants fill up and the light on the water is at its best. Sunday morning brings a flea market (Mercatone dell'Antiquariato) on the last Sunday of each month.

Pinacoteca di Brera (Free First Sunday)

The Brera picture gallery is one of Italy's finest, with Raphael, Caravaggio, Mantegna, and Bellini all represented. Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month. Worth planning a visit around if you can.

Parco Sempione

The large public park behind Castello Sforzesco is free to enter and has a genuine escape from the city's harder edges. The Arco della Pace monument at the north end and the views back towards the castle make for a good walk. The Torre Branca observation tower within the park has a small fee but the park itself costs nothing.

Castello Sforzesco (Exterior and Courtyards)

The Sforza Castle's exterior and its large internal courtyards are free to enter. The museums inside charge admission, but walking through the gate into the central Piazza d'Armi and then into the smaller Corte Ducale gives a real sense of the castle's scale and history. The outer walls and moat area are also worth a circuit.

Cimitero Monumentale

Milan's ornate monumental cemetery is one of the most extraordinary public spaces in the city. Entry is free. It functions as an open-air sculpture museum, with elaborate Art Nouveau tombs, mausoleums, and monuments commissioned by Milan's wealthy 19th and 20th-century families. Allow at least an hour. Go on a weekday morning when it's quiet.

Corso Como and Brera Neighbourhood

The Brera district is Milan's art quarter: cobbled streets, independent galleries, aperitivo bars, and a village-in-the-city atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the fashion district nearby. Wandering it costs nothing. The 10 Corso Como concept store is technically free to browse (you don't have to buy anything) and the courtyard garden is a pleasant spot.

Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio

One of the oldest churches in Milan, built in the 4th century, and free to enter. The architecture is Romanesque at its most austere and impressive. The atrium alone is worth visiting. This is one of those places that most tourists skip in favour of the Duomo and regret missing later.

Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (First Sunday Free)

The Ambrosiana holds Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus (the largest surviving collection of his drawings) and Raphael's preparatory cartoon for the School of Athens. It's normally ticketed, but free on the first Sunday of each month, same as Brera. If you're planning a Sunday, you might need to choose between the two.

Street Art in the Isola District

Isola, north of the city centre, has some of the best street art in Milan and a neighbourhood feel that's very different from the fashion-focused centre. It's entirely free to walk through, and the murals along Via Confalonieri and around the Porta Nuova development provide a useful contrast to the glassy skyscrapers now towering above them.

Piazza Mercanti

Tucked behind the Duomo, Piazza Mercanti is the medieval heart of Milan and far less visited than the main cathedral square. The 13th-century Palazzo della Ragione, the Loggia degli Osii, and the old well at the centre make it one of the city's most atmospheric spots. Free, and usually quiet.