24-Hour Milan Itinerary
I enjoy Milan’s city living, and its cultural scene—especially art and food—has grown significantly in the last few years.
I’m a native New Yorker and a foodie, so I have enjoyed discovering the city’s classic offerings and the international restaurants and cafes. Here is how I’d recommend you spend 24 hours in Milan.
7:30AM – Viale Papiniano Farmers Market
To me, a perfect day in Milan must start at the Viale Papiniano farmers market (one of the largest in Milan). The key is to head straight to the fresh local produce first thing in the morning to shop for fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. Skip the other part of the market because it has endless junk stalls that can get crowded and touristy.
8:30 AM – Riad Food Garden
With a lovely minimalist Middle Eastern decor, Riad Food Garden is one of my favorite places to meet friends for breakfast or lunch.
Not only can you get a great breakfast (my usual is cappuccino and brioche), but you can also buy anything in the shop, including plants (hello, gorgeous succulents!), flowers, ceramics, and home decor. It’s a quiet hideaway where I can always steal a relaxing moment in the morning.
10:00AM – Fondazione Prada
This is a photographer’s playground—all sorts of light and shadows constantly glowing throughout the day. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, this former industrial complex has been transformed into a beautiful abstract and experimental exhibition space.
Most impressive is the golden tower, with almost 9 pounds of gold leaf applied to the exterior of the building, which (fun fact) cost less than it would have if they’d used marble. For a snack or a coffee, pop into Bar Luce, designed by Wes Anderson with a perfectly quirky 50s pastel feel.
1:00 PM – Ceresio 7 Pools & Restaurant
If it’s a sunny, warm day, you must dine here. A bit outside the city center and tucked in a street in Milan’s Chinatown, Ceresio 7 is one of the city’s swankiest rooftop bars and restaurants with a contemporary take on mid-century decor and seriously fantastic food.
I usually have their marinated salmon with blinis and goat cheese, along with a Ceresio Cobbler (one of their many trendy cocktails) for lunch.
2:00 PM – 10 Corso Como Bookshop
While Italians don’t walk around with coffee in hand, they have no problem eating gelato on the go. So, take your gelato for a walk to the best art bookstore in Milan, 10 Corso Como.
It’s a bookshop, art gallery, café, rooftop garden, and designer clothing shop. You can spend hours here just browsing through all the excellent art books and magazines worldwide.
2:30PM – Brera District
One of the best ways to discover Milan is to “get lost” and the perfect way to do so is strolling among alleys of the Brera District.
The closest thing in Milan to Manhattan’s Soho is that there’s lots of shopping, art galleries, a museum, boutiques, and restaurants, all set in beautiful, colorful buildings.
3:00 PM – Cioccolati Italiani
Of course, you can’t go without a gelato, and one is conveniently located in the center of Milan near the Piazza del Duomo.
Each time I go to Cioccolati Italiani, I try a new treat and this one, Fruit & Chocolate Gourmet Cone of strawberry and dark chocolate topped with gooey fresh meringue, tastes just like Marshmallow Fluff! Buonissimo!
4:00 PM – Villa Necchi Campiglio
To make the most of your afternoon, head to Villa Necchi Campiglio, one of my favorite villas in Milan. It is an architectural oasis in the city’s Silent Quarter—filled with beautiful collections of art and furniture that transports you to 1930s Italy—that I never tire of photographing.
This house was the backdrop for the Tilda Swinton film, “I Am Love,” and the recent movie, “House of Gucci.” Originally home to the Necchi family (of the sewing machine empire), they donated the home, which is still stocked with original furniture, art, and even some of the family’s accessories and clothing.
6:30 PM: Terrazza Aperol
It’s now the start of Italian Happy Hour (or, as I call it, “Spritz O’Clock”). Some locals start sipping Spritz as early as 11 AM, but I prefer to enjoy it at the end of the day.
Campari was invented in the 1860s when Gaspare Campari moved to Milan and opened a café to serve his homebrewed liquor. This drink can now be found all over the world.
Here in Italy, it’s served in a Spritz during Happy Hour (aka aperitivo) with snacks, mini sandwiches, and chips. Yes, it can be found everywhere, but I prefer to enjoy it on the roof terrace that overlooks the Piazza del Duomo. Cin cin!
8:30 PM – Ristorante Raw Vegan Milano
Though I am not vegetarian, I’ve become more vegetable-focused since moving to Italy. Especially after snacking at aperitivo, I prefer a lighter dinner. This vegan restaurant has zucchini noodles, filling ravioli, and snacks like cheesy kale chips and granola. Everything is fresh, delicious, and pretty, and the restaurant is relaxed, which is a perfect way to end a perfect day in Milan.
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