Finally, you’ve made it to Milan, and only happy days are ahead of you. But perhaps there is also a bit of trepidation layered in with your excitement as well. You always heard that Milan was a hyper-expensive city, and you know it is the birthplace of some of Italy’s greatest luxury labels. You might think that cheap or free things to do in Milan, Italy are unicorns: wonderful in theory, but non-existent in reality.
If you were a little concerned about the safety and well-being of your wallet while traveling through Milan, I have some good news for you.
Fortunately, the city of Milan is huge, vast, and full of different things to do for all kinds of people. That means there are lots of activities within all different price ranges, starting from free!
Sure, you can choose to stay at a high-end luxury hotel and only eat at Michelin-starred restaurants, but that would amount to a nice vacation with a very expensive bill at the end.
To tell you the truth, it also wouldn’t be an authentic Italian experience. Most people who live in Milan are not super rich or luxurious. So don’t be shy when it comes to finding free things to do around the city. Chances are, you might rub shoulders with a few locals along the way.
24 Cheap or Free things to do in Milan, Italy
These 24 things to do in Milan come with an approachable price tag: they are either completely free or cheaper than your standard Milan excursion. I’ll let you in on another little secret: While in Italy, there is one thing that you must do everywhere you go, and which doesn’t cost a dime.
Spend a few hours without your phone, exit out of Google Maps, and just go for a long walk. Seriously, get lost for a couple of hours in any Italian city. There is no better way to discover the unknown sides of Italy and even find some of your favorite little nooks and crannies tucked away from the big tourist spots.
While Milan isn’t my favorite city to walk in, some nice parts of town are incredibly enjoyable for a leisurely afternoon stroll. Sempione Park, the Navigli, and the Isola district are all great walking areas in Milan.
Tour the Fernet Branch Factory
If you’re a fan of Italian bitters like Aperol, Cynar, and Select, then you might already be familiar with Fernet. The flavor is quite different from the three, however. Fernet is a little more bitter and medical, made with a lot of local herbs, and has a slight resemblance to black licorice.
Fernet is world-known among baristas and cocktail drinkers, and if you’re in Milan you can take a free tour of their distillery. Head over to the Derganino neighborhood and you’ll find Fratelli Branca Distillerie, where a guided tour will lead you through the 170-year-old business, the family history, and the distilling process.
I love that the distillery has kept its vintage advertisements up on display. You’ll find lots of Art Nouvous-style advertisements from nearly a hundred years ago.
Brera District & Pinacoteca di Brera
As a standalone activity, simply walking around the Brera district is great fun. You’ll see the multi-story apartment buildings covered in ivy vines with flower beds hanging from each window. You’ll see narrow cobblestone streets nodding to the city’s far-distant past.
If you wander through the Brera District and happen to catch a bad weather day, you can check out the Pinacoteca di Brera, a contemporary art gallery. This space opened in 1906 on behalf of Napoleon Bonaparte.
You do need to book tickets through their website. The standard rate is about 15 euros, but you can get a discounted rate for large groups.
Street Art In the Isola District
Milan has always been a pretty industrial city. Right outside of the main city center are large-scale factories and manufacturing plants. The Isola district was once a blue-collar neighborhood for many workers of these plants, though in recent years it has turned into an open-air art gallery, more or less.
The Isola district is known for its extensive street art, which you can find in just about every building in the area.
Isola is right next to Garibaldi train station. If you were to hop on one of the regional trains (not the metro), then you can get off at Garibaldi and walk through the neighborhood.
Piazza dei Mercanti
The shape of cities tends to shift around after a few hundred years. The center of Milan in the modern day is usually considered the Piazza del Duomo, where the central cathedral is located. In medieval times, Milan’s city center was the Piazza dei Mercanti.
The old piazza (plaza) is located halfway between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza Cordusio. It’s also Milan’s last medieval square. This little sliver of ancient history feels years away from the rest of Milan. It’s relatively quiet and doesn’t attract the same volume of crowds as other parts of the city.
You’ll experience more of a local vibe, as lots of people hang out here for a drink after work. Stop at the Piazza dei Mercanti around 5:00 pm and spend some time observing how modern Milanse residents interact with their ancient city history.
Anfiteatro del Parco
Although much of Milan had to be rebuilt after World War II, there are some fragments of the city’s ancient past still scattered throughout the city.
One of these is a sliver of a Roman Amphitheatre found inside Sempione Park. It’s a bit small in stature, which makes me believe it was used for miniature performances among an intimate group.
Bike on the Navigli
The Navigli is an interconnected system of canals that run through Milan. At night, the walkways leading along the side come alive with bars. People crowd around the water’s edge and drink until the early mornings.
During the day it’s relatively peaceful (especially if you’re an early riser). This is a great spot to rent a bike and go for a calm morning ride without having to worry about cars.
Renting a bike is pretty cheap in Milan. The public bike rental is called BikeMi and charges by the ride duration or you can purchase a daily or weekly pass.
Michelangelo’s Pieta Rondanini at Castello Sforzesco
Located in a fantastic medieval castle that belonged to Francesco Sforza, once the Duke of Milan. Inside you’ll find an intense sculpture by Michelangelo named Pieta Rondanini. This refers to its original location, where it stood in the central courtyard of Palazzo Rondanini in Rome for many years before moving to Milan.
This is known as the very last sculpture Michaelangelo worked on during his lifetime. It depicts the recently deceased Jesus Christ being held upright by his mother and represents the relationship between death and salvation.
You can see this fine piece of work, the final send-off by Michaelangelo, among other art pieces, and the interior of this stunning castle. Entry into the museum is only 5 euros, which you can reserve ahead of time online.
BAM Library of Trees
This stunning green space stands out in Milan’s business district. The Library of Tree (Biblioteca degli Alberi) is a lovely outdoor garden that has a dog park and hosts community events. You can stroll through here anytime you like, though I recommend taking lunch to go and enjoying it on one of the benches.
If you’re staying in Milan long term, you can purchase an annual membership of around 25 euros per year. This grants you unlimited access to every event with reserved seats, special discounts to stores and restaurants in the surrounding area, plus an organic canvas tote bag.
Otherwise, it’s free to enter on a single visit (unless you want to visit a specific event that requires a ticket).
Cimitero Monumentale
If you’ve been following Earth To Editorial for a while, you might have come across a few other articles suggesting other cemeteries to visit (like Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris where Jim Morrison is buried). No, I’m not overcome with morbid curiosity, but I do think historic cemeteries are pretty cool!
Cimitero Monumentale is full of artistic tombstones. An abundance of marble sculptures and an interior crypt with vaulted ceilings. Notable person buried here: Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873), poet, novelist, considered the founder of the modern Italian language.
Fabbrica del Vapore
This cultural center lives now in a building that was once a train factory. Usually, there is a display of modern art but they also host live musical performances and have a movie theater inside. It’s a great spot for meeting with locals and practicing your Italian skills!
The space is open every day from 8:00 am until 7:30 pm. Since the events are always changing, you’ll want to check the calendar for specific events and movie timetables.
Ostello Bello
Ostello Bello and Ostello Bello Grande are two hip hostels in the middle of Milan, only a short distance from Centrale station. You can choose to stay here during your trip to Milan, but you can also come here during one of their open events
Some of their regularly hosted events include comedy nights, beer pong nights, pub crawls, karaoke nights, and game nights. They also coordinate group walking tours around the city. This is a great spot for meeting travelers and locals if you have a night you’re feeling social.
Pirelli Hangar Bicocca
Pirelli is a tire manufacturer based in Milan. This spot used to be a production factory, but was converted into a contemporary art space in 2012. Its 10,900 square meters of dedicated art space is quite roomy, perfect for immersive exhibits and installments you can quite literally get lost in.
One thing I love about HangarBicocca is the dedication to opening a dialogue about art. Yes, art can be quietly contemplated, but it can also be discussed and verbally explored.
Inside the museum are Museum Mediators, distinguished art professionals with a background in specific disciplines who can offer more contextual insight into the displays you see. Admission is free to enter.
Sempione Park
There is a huge park in the center of Milan (close to Castello Sforzesco). I have no idea if it has adopted the identity of Milan’s Central Park, though I can’t help but think of it in this way. The space is sprawling and super lovely to walk around.
In the dog days of summer last year, I found a sweet reprieve under a large oak tree in this park and hid away from the sun for an hour. While I sat in the park vigorously fanning myself, I saw all different kinds of people. Locals. Tourists. Families. Lovers.
Some had laid out picnic blankets and enjoyed the sun, while others held hands and crossed the wooden footbridges spanning miniature ponds. Arco della Pace is also near the northern edge of the park.
Arco della Pace
The Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace) is a bit of an oxymoron.
Napoleon Bonaparte was largely successful in his invasion of Italy during the French Revolution. To this day, you’ll still find numerous remnants of his footpaths throughout the country.
The Arch of Peace began construction in 1807 to commemorate Napoleon. The arch was constructed on Corso Sempione, a road that connects Milan to Paris, with the hope that Napoleon would pass under it on his way to the city. Subsequently, you might recognize that it also mirrors the design of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.
Though it’s difficult to accept the name peace when it was constructed in this particular spot due to an invasion, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a fine example of neoclassical design.
There is no entrance fee for Arco della Pace, which makes all of Sempione Park a great idea for free things to do in Milan, Italy. Feel free to walk around the park and check out the Roman Amphitheater.
Chiesa di San Maurizio
This is a church in Milan with great religious significance to the feminine power of faith. Some even consider it the Sistine Chapel of Milan for its wall-to-wall displays of deeply pigmented frescoes.
It was originally attached to the most important female convent of the Benedictines in the city, Monastero Maggiore, which is now in use as the Civic Archaeological Museum.
San Bernardino alle Ossa
Walk past the crowds standing to the right of the Duomo and cross about 3 blocks. Here you’ll find an unassuming church with a morbid secret in the back. Walk inside the church and head toward the back corridor. Then look up.
San Bernardino alle Ossa (St. Bernardine at the Bones) is a room decorated by skulls and bones. The stacks of bone pile behind a metal fence that stretches all the way up to the ceiling.
Built in 1210 as a supplemental grave site other burial sites in the city were quickly filling to capacity. It’s unclear who all of the people in the ossuary used to be, though it’s speculated that the majority are patients from the Ospedale del Brolo (local hospital), or inmates who died in prison.
Allegedly, it’s free to enter, but I paid a person 2 euros to enter. Perhaps I was scammed.
Santa Maria delle Grazie
When you go to see The Last Supper, a famous wall painting completed by Leonardo da Vinci, you might be eager to get right into the world of this famous painter and forget about the church conjoined to it.
Make sure to stop inside the Santa Maria delle Grazie. This lovely church is quite stunning because it’s one of the few brick churches found in Italy. The church is also one of the city’s UNESCO heritage sites.
This complex used to be a convent, and the large room where you’ll find The Last Supper was the dining hall for the residents here. As far as free things to do in Milan, Italy, churches are always a good choice because they’re usually free to enter.
Loggia dei Mercanti Whispering Gallery
Bring a friend to this one. It’s a secret medieval communication system. In an open-air space below the Palazzo della Regione in Milan, there is a corridor with a clever design that amplifies even the slightest whisper.
If you stand at one of the columns and speak softly next to it, a listener at the other end of the corridor will hear you, no matter how loud other visitors are. Though I suspect on any given day, you’ll hear more whispers here than you will normal speaking volumes.
Villa Necchi Campiglio
This is a historic residence furnished with the original belongings of the family from that period. It was built between 1932 and 1035 by Piero Portaluppi, a Milanese Rationalist architect. The house has a private garden, a pool with azure waters, and a tennis court.
Tickets cost around 6 euros, but it’s usually not busy inside. You likely won’t have to make a reservation ahead of time to enter. This is a great afternoon stop for those who love interior design or antique items. The residence is opulent in that Italian old luxury vibe. It’s full of lovely trinkets that were clearly loved by generations before ours.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Presso San Satiro
Come to the Chiesa di Santa Maria if you’re in the mood for an optical illusion. The church looks unassuming from the outside, with a tiny doorway and narrow sides that clinch the face of the building. When you step in, you’ll be shocked to find the space almost expand magically before your eyes.
The architect Donato Bramante had huge ideas for the church in 1472 but was frustrated with his lack of space to create them in real life. During the building’s construction, he used an architectural optical illusion called a trompe-l’œil to make the interior space appear bigger than it truly is.
Civico Planetario Ulrico Hoepli
Located in the Porta Venezia section of Milan is the largest and most important planetarium in all of Italy. You can find it in the center of the Gardens of Porta Venezia (also quite a nice park to walk around in).
For the price of a 5 euro ticket, you can tour the planetarium and learn about Italy’s contribution to astronomy and the sciences.
Galleria Vittoria Emmanuelle
The Galleria Vittoria Emmanuelle is likely the most popular mall in Italy (and possibly all of Europe). The building has a glass roof that protects you from the elements, but it does have an open-air component because it’s not in an enclosed space.
The building is architecturally stunning, and it’s free to go inside and walk around. Go if you love architecture, but go early. This place gets jam-packed essentially when the sun rises.
Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio
This ancient, Romanesque-style basilica keeps an interior courtyard tucked away. I love this because, during the crazy busy summer months, you can come in here and sit undisturbed, away from the noise.
The basilica is striking because where the Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the few brick churches in Italy, you find a second not too far away. The Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio has a similar exterior design featuring a low, obtuse-angle roof.
The basilica is free to enter, just make sure to cover your bare shoulders with a shawl before you go inside. It contains the remains of St Ambrose in a crypt, but visiting that part of the church may cost you an admission fee.
Weekend markets galore
If you love to browse market treasures, snap photos of bustling street activity, or haggle pricing, then check out one of the many weekend markets in Milan.
There is usually no cover charge to enter, making this one of the very best free things to do in Milan, Italy. If you’re up for making a small purchase, you can find a cool selection of vintage or kitsch items for relatively cheap.
Our favorite outdoor markets in Milan are:
- Fiera di Sinigaglia (the oldest flea market in Milan)
- Via San Marco Market in Brera Neighborhood
- Viale Papiniano market
- Via Fauché market
- Mercatino di Porta Genova
- East Market Shop
- Remira Market
- Isola market
What is Milan city like?
The vibe of Milan is unique. Major cities have to cater to millions of people living there, and so there are a lot of personalities in Milan.
On the one hand, you have a ton of tourists and plenty of reasons for them to visit. The stunning Duomo Cathedral. The Galleria Vittoria Emmanuelle, and so on. Then there are the local Milanese, who are all varieties of people.
Generally speaking, the vibe of Milan is contemporary and fun. I find people to be nice, but without overextending themselves.
The Milanese know how to have fun and proudly demonstrate a lively bar scene. Aperitivo time before dinner gets crowded but you will be in good company. There is kind of a cool, calm, and confident atmosphere among the local people who live here.
Most people also have exceptional personal style. You will want to spend lots of time strolling through outdoor markets just for the sake of people-watching.
How many days should I spend in Milan?
Spending 5-7 days in Milan is the perfect amount of time to see the major sites within the city, while also having enough downtime to stroll around the side streets, look through local markets, and enjoy the quieter side of town.
Can I do any day trips from Milan?
If you get bored or want to see what’s outside of the city limits, there are lots of day trips from Milan, all within a short distance. The Milano Centrale train station is the primary spot that connects you to the rest of Italy.
I have a great Milan day trip guide for places outside of the city. Each location will take one to two hours to reach, and I also included some information on what to do in these places.
You can catch trains from Milano Centrale pretty cheaply (starting at around 15 euros) to nearby cities such as Bergamo, Lake Como, Turin, and Brescia. For slightly higher prices, you can get farther to Florence, Venice, and even Rome.
