In an emergency
112 is the single emergency number for police, ambulance and fire across Italy. Report thefts at a police station (Questura or Carabinieri) to get a written report for insurance. A Milan tourist-police or consumer complaint line could not be verified in 2026.
Fair prices
What locals pay. If you are asked for much more, you are probably being overcharged.
| Panzerotto at Luini (behind the Duomo)Street-food benchmark near the Duomo; sit-down cafes a few steps away charge several times more for a snack. | 3-5 EUR |
|---|---|
| Pizza al taglio (slice) at a bakeryLook for steady turnover and fresh toppings. | 3-6 EUR |
| Mondeghili (Milanese meatballs) at a market stallFried polenta about EUR 2-4; a salumeria panino about EUR 4-7. | 1-2 each EUR |
| Sit-down pizza at a good pizzeriaRange across Time Out's top pizzerias (Sorbillo EUR 7-14.50, Starita EUR 8-10, Dry EUR 9-16). | 7-16 EUR |
| Trattoria dinner per person (no wine)Trippa EUR 20-40, Silvano EUR 20-30, CreDa EUR 20-30; classic Milanese at Ratana about EUR 60. | 20-40 EUR |
| Aperitivo (drink with buffet or snacks)Fonderie Milanesi buffet from about EUR 8, cocktails about EUR 15; a drink with buffet can replace dinner at EUR 10-15. | 8-15 EUR |
| Weekday lunch menu (pranzo)Set lunches cost much less than dinner (EUR 25+) at the same kind of place. | 10-20 EUR |
| Coffee at the bar counterBar Luce range; the same order at a table costs more: Cucchi charges about EUR 8 for cappuccino and brioche seated. | 1-5 EUR |
| Single metro/tram/bus ticketValid 90 minutes; the 24-hour ticket is EUR 7.60. | 2.20 EUR |
| Airport train Malpensa to Cadorna/CentraleAirport shuttle buses are about EUR 10; the taxi fixed fare is about EUR 104 (not verified 2026). | 13 EUR |
Tickets
Official prices and the only places to buy. Anyone else selling on the street is a reseller.
- Leonardo's Last Supper
EUR 15 full (25+), EUR 2 ages 18-25, free under 18 (booking mandatory for all)
Buy at: https://cenacolovinciano.vivaticket.it/ (online, max 5), phone +39 02 92800360 (max 9)
Tour resellers bundle tickets at several times the price once official slots sell out; tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable, so be wary of 'spare' tickets sold on the street or online.
- Milan Cathedral (Duomo)
Cathedral only about EUR 12-14; full complex/rooftop passes about EUR 32-39 per Time Out 2026 (official price list not readable)
Buy at: https://ticket.duomomilano.it/ (official) or the ticket office by the cathedral
Buy only from the official site or ticket office; third-party packages cost more than the official prices.
- Pinacoteca di Brera
Price not verified 2026; free the first Sunday of the month with reservation
Buy at: https://pinacotecabrera.org/en/visit/ (official booking link); call centre +39 02 72105 141
Use only the official booking platform linked from pinacotecabrera.org.
- Pinacoteca and Biblioteca Ambrosiana
EUR 15 full, EUR 10 reduced, free under 14; EUR 20 with the San Sepolcro crypt
Buy at: On site or the museum's official website
- Crypt of San Sepolcro
EUR 8 full, EUR 6 reduced, free under 14
Buy at: On site or the official website
- Teatro alla Scala and Museum
EUR 15 full, EUR 8 reduced, EUR 25 family; guided tours EUR 30-37
Buy at: At the museum entrance, Largo Ghiringhelli 1; opera tickets from the theatre's official box office
For performances, leftover tickets are sold at the box office at a 25% discount shortly before curtain; avoid street resellers.
- Palazzo Citterio (Brera Modern)
EUR 12 full, EUR 8 EU residents 18-25, free under 18 and first Sunday of the month
Buy at: Via the Pinacoteca di Brera official channels (not verified 2026)
- Sforza Castle
Price not verified 2026; courtyards free; civic museums free on the first Sunday of the month
Buy at: Ticket office inside the castle
- QC Terme Milano
Day pass EUR 68, short visit EUR 59, evening from EUR 46
Buy at: On site or the spa's official website
Traps
- Watch outRestaurants in sight of the Duomo
Tourist-trap prices and mediocre food cluster around the cathedral; walk ten minutes in any direction or eat at trusted counters like Luini.
Source: milantourism.org, milantourism.org - Watch outPicture menus and English-only boards
A menu with photos in several languages is a red flag for a tourist restaurant; residents' trattorie rarely have one.
Source: milantourism.org - Watch outTable prices in the Galleria and Piazza della Scala
Cafes on the grand squares charge far more for the same coffee; drink standing at the bar, where prices are lower.
Source: milantourism.org, timeout.com - Watch outDistraction thieves around the Duomo and stations
Petty theft and bag-snatching concentrate at major sights, stations and on the metro; thieves use distraction tricks, so keep bags closed and in front.
Source: gov.uk, timeout.com - RuleDo not buy from street vendors
Buying from unlicensed street traders is illegal in Italy and can be fined, as the UK government warns.
Source: gov.uk - Watch outLast Supper resellers
Official tickets cost EUR 15 and are only sold via the museum's platform or phone line; tours resell them at a steep markup once slots sell out, and official tickets are non-refundable.
Source: cenacolovinciano.org, timeout.com - Watch outOnly take official white taxis
Use the rank or an app; the Malpensa fixed fare is about EUR 104 (not verified 2026), so anyone quoting more at the doors is not a licensed taxi.
Source: introducingmilan.com - Watch outHotel prices during fairs
During Salone del Mobile (April) and fashion weeks hotels raise prices to 'stratospheric' levels; book early or avoid those dates.
Source: timeout.com - Watch outUnattended drinks
Drink spiking followed by robbery has been reported in Italy; do not accept drinks from strangers.
Source: gov.uk
Money
- TipTipping is not expected
Time Out notes tips are not expected in Milan because staff are paid fair wages.
Source: timeout.com - TipBar counter vs table
The same coffee costs less standing at the counter than seated; at Cucchi, cappuccino and brioche at a table is about EUR 8.
Source: timeout.com - TipEat your main meal at lunch
Weekday lunch menus cost about EUR 10-20, against EUR 25+ for dinner at similar places.
Source: milantourism.org - TipAperitivo as dinner
A drink with a buffet (EUR 10-15) can stand in for dinner; Fonderie Milanesi's buffet starts around EUR 8.
Source: milantourism.org, timeout.com - RuleCity tourist tax at hotels
Italian cities charge a per-night tourist tax at your accommodation, usually payable on the spot; check the amount when booking.
Source: gov.uk - TipSales seasons
Winter sales run from early January into March and summer sales from early July into September, with discounts up to 70%.
Source: timeout.com
Transport
- TipJust tap your card
Contactless bank cards and phones work at metro gates and on vehicles, and the daily total is capped at the day-ticket price.
Source: introducingmilan.com, atm.it - RuleOne metro entry per ticket
A EUR 2.20 ticket lasts 90 minutes on trams and buses but allows only one metro entry.
Source: introducingmilan.com, en.wikipedia.org - TipLinate is 15 minutes away by metro
The M4 station is directly under arrivals and reaches San Babila in about 15 minutes on an ordinary ticket.
Source: introducingmilan.com - TipMalpensa Express: Cadorna is faster
Cadorna trains take about 30-43 minutes against about 50-57 to Centrale; pick the terminus nearer your hotel.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, introducingmilan.com - TipChildren ride free
Children under 14 travel free with a paying adult on ATM services.
Source: introducingmilan.com - TipWalk the centre
Duomo, Brera, the castle and the Galleria are all within easy walking distance; passes only pay off with four or more rides a day.
Source: introducingmilan.com - TipNight buses
After the metro closes around 00:30, night buses such as NM2 and NM4 keep running.
Source: atm.it, en.wikipedia.org
Etiquette
- TipCappuccino is a morning drink
Milk coffees are ordered before about 11:00; after lunch, order an espresso ('un caffe').
Source: timeout.com - TipOrder precisely
Ask for a cappuccino, caffe latte, caffe macchiato or latte macchiato; a plain 'latte' gets you a glass of milk.
Source: timeout.com - RuleDress for church
Covered shoulders and knees are required in the Duomo, and security checks exclude large bags.
Source: introducingmilan.com - TipShoes matter
The Milanese take footwear seriously; smart shoes or clean sneakers fit in better than hiking gear.
Source: timeout.com - RuleBe on time for the Last Supper
Arrive 30 minutes before your slot; latecomers lose their ticket.
Source: cenacolovinciano.org - TipAperitivo is not a free dinner party
The snacks or buffet come with the price of a drink; aperitivo hour is roughly early evening before dinner.
Source: timeout.com, milantourism.org
Food
- TipRisotto alla milanese
Saffron risotto made creamy with bone marrow; Time Out sends you to Ratana, near Isola.
Source: timeout.com - TipCotoletta alla milanese
Bone-in veal cutlet fried in butter; Trattoria del Nuovo Macello is Time Out's pick.
Source: timeout.com - TipMondeghili
Crisp meatballs made from leftover meats, no tomato sauce; try them at Osteria del Treno by Centrale.
Source: timeout.com - TipTrippa (busecca)
Milan's tripe soup, and fried tripe at Trippa in Porta Romana.
Source: timeout.com, timeout.com - TipMinestrone alla milanese
Milan's vegetable soup is made with rice, not pasta; Trattoria Mirta does a good one.
Source: timeout.com - TipCassoeula in winter
Pork-and-cabbage stew served roughly November to January, traditionally on 17 January.
Source: timeout.com - TipMichetta and panettone
The hollow star-shaped roll (try Davide Longoni) and panettone, sold all year at Pasticceria Cucchi.
Source: timeout.com - TipEat in Chinatown
Via Paolo Sarpi has dumplings and bao at fair prices, a local lunch habit.
Source: milantourism.org, wanderlog.com
Safety
- Watch outPickpockets on transport
Take care on public transport, in crowds and at main train and metro stations, including Centrale.
Source: gov.uk - TipKeep valuables split
Do not carry all cards and cash together; leave spares in the hotel safe.
Source: gov.uk - Watch outNothing on view in cars
Thieves target parked cars; never leave luggage visible.
Source: gov.uk - RuleEmergency number
Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire.
Source: gov.uk - TipGo early to the Duomo
Arriving early means fewer crowds and fewer pickpockets.
Source: timeout.com
Free
- TipFirst-Sunday free museums
All civic museums, including the Museo del Novecento, the Sforza Castle museums and Mudec, are free on the first Sunday of the month (expect crowds).
Source: timeout.com - TipBrera free on first Sundays
The Pinacoteca di Brera is free on the first Sunday of each month with advance reservation.
Source: pinacotecabrera.org - TipLast Supper free Sundays
Free-Sunday tickets go online only, from 12:00 on the Wednesday before.
Source: cenacolovinciano.org - TipFree contemporary art
Pirelli HangarBicocca is free, and the Triennale building is free to enter.
Source: wanderlog.com, timeout.com - TipFree frescoes and tombs
San Maurizio's painted interior, the Monumental Cemetery and Casa Boschi Di Stefano cost nothing.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - TipWalk the castle to the arch
The castle courtyards, Parco Sempione and the Arco della Pace make a free afternoon.
Source: timeout.com
Fun
- FunThe Negroni Sbagliato was a mistake
It was born at Bar Basso in the 1970s when a bartender reached for sparkling wine instead of gin.
Source: timeout.com - FunFlamingos in the city
Pink flamingos live in the garden of Villa Invernizzi; look through the railings on Via dei Cappuccini.
Source: timeout.com - FunA lock of Lucrezia Borgia's hair
The Ambrosiana keeps one, along with Leonardo's folios; legend says her ghost haunts it.
Source: timeout.com - FunDinner on a 1930s tram
ATMosfera serves a five-course dinner on a historic tram from Piazza Castello (EUR 90; Sunday lunch EUR 75, drinks included).
Source: timeout.com, timeout.com - FunPinball at a Wes Anderson cafe
Bar Luce at Fondazione Prada has vintage pinball machines, and you do not need a museum ticket.
Source: timeout.com - FunA spa in a tram depot
QC Terme's pools are in an old tram depot, and locals book the jacuzzi aperitivo.
Source: timeout.com - FunWalk on the Roman forum
The San Sepolcro crypt is built on the paving of Mediolanum's forum.
Source: timeout.com - FunCycle to Gorgonzola
The Martesana towpath takes you out to the town the blue cheese is named after.
Source: timeout.com - FunBar chefs in toques
At Nottingham Forest the bartenders dress as chefs.
Source: timeout.com - FunLast-minute La Scala
Leftover opera tickets are sold at a 25% discount at the box office shortly before the performance.
Source: timeout.com - FunA chapel of bones by the Duomo
San Bernardino alle Ossa's walls are decorated with human skulls and bones.
Source: wanderlog.com - FunThe Duomo's choir on Sundays
The Cathedral Choir sings at the 11:00 Sunday Mass.
Source: timeout.com
When to go
- TipAvoid August
It is swelteringly hot and many shops and restaurants close while residents are away.
Source: timeout.com - TipDesign Week in April
Salone del Mobile fills the city; exciting but crowded and expensive.
Source: timeout.com, timeout.com - TipOpera season
La Scala's season runs roughly December to June.
Source: timeout.com - TipWinter dishes
Cassoeula is served roughly November to January.
Source: timeout.com - TipSummer by the water
Idroscalo by Linate is where Milanese cool off in summer, with seasonal clubs nearby.
Source: yesmilano.it - FunEuropean Heritage Days
On 26 September 2026 the Last Supper opens in the evening (19:00-23:00) for EUR 1.
Source: cenacolovinciano.org
Words
- TipUn caffe
An espresso; 'un cappuccino' only before about 11:00.
Source: timeout.com - TipLatte macchiato vs latte
'Latte' alone means milk; say 'latte macchiato' or 'caffe latte' for milky coffee.
Source: timeout.com - TipAperitivo
The pre-dinner drink, usually with snacks or a buffet.
Source: timeout.com - TipSbagliato
'Mistaken': the Negroni made with sparkling wine instead of gin.
Source: timeout.com - TipMondeghili / cotoletta / risotto alla milanese
The three Milanese dishes to look for on a menu: meatballs, breaded veal cutlet, saffron risotto.
Source: timeout.com - TipTerrazze
The Duomo rooftops, the word you will see on ticket options.
Source: introducingmilan.com
Checked September 2026. Every item links to where it came from.