Quick answer
Spend day 1 on the Duomo, its rooftop and museum, the Galleria, La Scala and the Pinacoteca di Brera. Spend day 2 on Sforza Castle, the Last Supper (only with a ticket booked ahead) and an evening on the Navigli canals. Avoid putting day 2 on a Monday, when the Last Supper, Brera and the castle museums are closed.
Opening hours, closing days and ticket prices below were checked on each official site on 5 October 2026. The times are suggestions, except for the Last Supper, whose booked time slot decides how day 2 runs.
Milan in 2 days at a glance
| Morning | Afternoon | Evening | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Duomo, rooftop and Duomo Museum | Galleria, La Scala museum, Pinacoteca di Brera | Aperitivo from about 6pm |
| Day 2 | Sforza Castle museums and battlements | Last Supper, then walk to the Navigli | Navigli aperitivo |
Day 1 stays within a 15-minute walk of the Duomo. Day 2 moves west and south, and you can do all of it on foot. Walking times come from OpenStreetMap routing and are rounded.
Day 1: the Duomo complex, La Scala and Brera
9am: Duomo, rooftop and museum
With two days you have time for the Duomo Museum as well as the cathedral and rooftop. Two ways to buy that, both on the official shop ticket.duomomilano.it, where online tickets have no fees:
| Ticket | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fast-Track Pass | Rooftop by a skip-the-line lift, cathedral, Duomo Museum, archaeological area, St. Charles crypt | €32 |
| Duomo + Museum plus Terraces by stairs | Cathedral and museum, then the rooftop by 251 steps | €10 + €16 = €26 |
The official guide is at least two hours for the cathedral and rooftop. The Duomo Museum is in Palazzo Reale, on the square at Piazza del Duomo 12, and is closed on Wednesdays. On a Wednesday, skip it and buy Duomo and Terraces (€22 by stairs, €26 by lift).
Cover your shoulders and legs and leave large bags behind. The Duomo tickets guide covers every ticket and the security rules. For a guided visit, Duomo tours on GetYourGuide include the rooftop.
Early afternoon: Galleria and La Scala
After lunch, walk through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to Piazza della Scala, about 7 minutes. The arcade is free.
The Museo Teatrale alla Scala is open every day from 9:30am to 5:30pm (last entry 5pm) and costs €12. From the third-tier boxes you can look into the auditorium, but only when no rehearsal, performance or event is on.
3:30pm: Pinacoteca di Brera
Brera is a 9-minute walk from La Scala, at Via Brera 28. It stays open later than most sights: Tuesday to Sunday until 7:15pm, with last entry at 6pm. That makes it the right museum for the end of the day.
The “Grande Brera” ticket costs €20, with a date and time booked on the museum’s Brera Booking system or by phone. It also gives you Palazzo Citterio the same day and the next six days, so you can come back on day 2 if you have time.
Aperitivo hour in Milan usually starts around 6pm, about when you leave Brera.
Day 2: Sforza Castle, the Last Supper and the Navigli
10am: Sforza Castle
The castle museums open at 10am, Tuesday to Sunday, and cost €10 for all of them in one day. The ticket office closes at 4:30pm, so morning is the safer slot. The courtyards are free and open every day from 7am to 7:30pm.
With two days you can also walk part of the castle walls. The Merlate Panoramiche ticket (€10, sold at the castle Infopoint or online) lets you walk a stretch of the battlements on your own, Tuesday to Sunday, last entry 5pm. It does not include the museums.
On Saturdays at 11am there is an English guided tour of the museums for €20, ticket included, with no booking. Meet at the castle Infopoint at 10:45am.
Midday: the Last Supper (booking required)
The Last Supper is a 16-minute walk from the castle, at Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie 2. You need a ticket booked in advance for a fixed time slot: €15, 15 minutes in the room, and you must be at the ticket office 30 minutes before your slot. The museum is closed on Mondays.
A slot around midday fits this plan best. If you get a morning slot, see the Last Supper first and walk to the castle afterwards. Official tickets are on sale until 31 December 2026, and our Last Supper tickets guide explains the release dates and the Wednesday noon release for the following week.
The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie next door is open Monday to Saturday 7am to 1pm and 3pm to 7:30pm, and Sunday 7:30am to 12:30pm and 3pm to 9pm, except during services.
Afternoon and evening: the Navigli
From the Last Supper, the Darsena at the top of the Navigli canals is a 27-minute walk. You can also take the green M2 metro to Porta Genova.
Spend the late afternoon walking the canals, then stay for aperitivo, which usually runs from about 6pm to 9pm. The Navigli are the best-known aperitivo area in the city.
A weekend in Milan: what changes
- First Sunday of the month: the Last Supper, the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Sforza Castle museums are free. The Last Supper and Brera still need a booking, and free Last Supper tickets go on sale the Wednesday before at noon.
- Last Sunday of the month: the Duomo Museum is free from 10am to 7pm, and the €8 Duomo-only ticket is on sale.
- Saturday: the 11am English tour of the castle museums runs.
- Sunday: the Last Supper call center is closed, so book online.
If one of your days is a Monday
The Last Supper, the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Sforza Castle museums close every Monday. The Duomo, its rooftop and museum, and the La Scala museum stay open.
Make Monday your Duomo day and move Brera to day 2. Brera’s late hours help here: after the castle and the Last Supper you can reach Brera by mid-afternoon and still make the 6pm last entry, then take the metro to the Navigli for the evening.
Swap day 2 for Lake Como
If you would rather see the lake than spend a second day in museums, keep day 1 as it is and add a quick walk through the Sforza Castle courtyards in the evening (open until 7:30pm, free).
On day 2, take a direct train from Milano Centrale to Varenna, about 65 minutes for €7.40 each way, then buy a €17.50 central lake ferry day pass to hop between Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio. That comes to about €32 per adult before lunch and villa tickets. Our Lake Como day trip guide has the train times, ferry tips and a sample route.
You give up the Last Supper with this swap, unless you book a slot on day 1 and skip La Scala.
Getting around for 48 hours in Milan
There is no 48-hour ticket in ATM’s current range. Your options:
| Option | Price | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Tap a contactless card | €2.20 per ride, capped at €7.60 per 24 hours | Almost always |
| Two single-day tickets | 2 x €7.60 = €15.20 | Four or more rides each day |
| 3-day ticket | €15.50 | Rarely for two days, since two day tickets cost less |
Contactless works on the metro, trams and buses with a Visa, Mastercard or Amex card, or Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. The system charges the cheapest fare and switches to the day fare from your fourth trip. Tap in and tap out on the metro, and give each traveler their own card or phone. Single tickets in the ATM app cost €2.20 and last 90 minutes.
Arriving from Malpensa? The Malpensa to Milan guide explains the Malpensa Express, which needs a separate train ticket.
Where to stay for 2 days in Milan
Day 1 starts at the Duomo at 9am and day 2 is a walk across the center, so a hotel near the Duomo saves time on both days. Our where to stay in Milan guide compares the neighborhoods, including Brera and the Navigli, and you can check hotels near the Duomo on Booking.com.
Frequently asked questions
Are 2 days in Milan enough?
Two days cover the Duomo and its rooftop, the Duomo Museum, La Scala, the Pinacoteca di Brera, Sforza Castle, the Navigli and, with a booked ticket, the Last Supper. Add a third day if you also want Lake Como.
How many days do you need in Milan?
One day is enough for the Duomo and a quick loop of the center, but it forces you to choose between Brera and the Last Supper. Two days let you see both without rushing.
Is there a 48-hour metro ticket in Milan?
No. ATM sells a 24-hour ticket for €7.60 and a 3-day ticket for €15.50. Tapping a contactless card is usually simpler, because the fare is capped at €7.60 per 24 hours.
What is free in Milan on the first Sunday of the month?
The Last Supper, the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Sforza Castle museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. The Last Supper and Brera still require a booking.
Can I swap one day in Milan for Lake Como?
Yes. A direct train from Milano Centrale to Varenna takes about 65 minutes and costs €7.40 each way, and a central lake ferry day pass costs €17.50.
Which day should I avoid for a 2-day Milan trip?
Monday, if you can. The Last Supper, the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Sforza Castle museums are closed that day. If one of your days is a Monday, use it for the Duomo day and move Brera to the other day.