Our big Italian vacation with Dan’s Uncle and Aunt ended with a fast 24 hours in Milan. We ended in Milan solely because we flew out of Milan on Emirates’ MXP – JFK evening flight. This post explains what we did in those quick 24 hours!

ARRIVAL TO MILAN VIA TRAIN

We trained from Florence to Rome on Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa train in Business Class mid-morning. The train ride was less than 2 hours – much faster than driving. The Business Class seats were spacious and super comfortable, and we received complimentary wifi (that actually worked), as well as a snack box and a non-alcoholic beverage of our choice. Needless to say, we loved the train. It’s the best and quickest way to get between Florence and Milan.

On arrival at Milano Centrale (one of Milan’s train stations), we were impressed its grandness. We took it in before walking 5 minutes to our hotel, Hotel Berna. Hotel Berna is an old-school, inexpensive hotel very near to Milano Centrale. This was our second visit to Hotel Berna (back in 2016). The hotel is nothing special, but its truly Italian, clean and reasonably priced. I would stay at Hotel Berna again.

THE LAST SUPPER

We had to leave shortly after checking into Hotel Berna, as I had reserved tickets to The Last Supper on the elusive free Sunday (logged in a couple minutes before noon in Lucca to get the tickets – the Last Supper free the first Sunday every month but you still have to reserve tickets the Wednesday prior). We arrived 30 minutes early to collect our Last Supper tickets and entered right on time. We spent every minute of the alotted 15 minutes with The Last Supper. As always, it was incredible.

THE TOURISTY AREAS OF MILANO

We next took an Uber from Santa Maria delle Grazie to the Duomo area to visit the exterior of the Duomo and walk through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. We stopped en route at a toy store for gifts, Giochi Preziosi Duomo, which offered stellar views of the Duomo from its second floor. And, for those unfamiliar, the Duomo is Milan’s largest church and one of its most popular tourist attractions. It is one of my top churches worldwide, and it’s stunning. We just viewed it from the outside, as we planned to return the following day to visit its rooftop (keep reading). We then walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is an upscale shopping gallery with a few restaurants (including Ristorante Galleria). Given that this was a Sunday, it was insanely CROWDED. We only lasted about 7 minutes in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I definitely recommend going early on a weekday to avoid the crowds; Sunday may be the worst time to go (but it was all we had given our schedule).

APERITIVO HOUR

After a brief rest at our hotel, where I snuck out for some fast shopping and to try an Italian McDonalds specialty that I really wanted to try (spicy chicken nuggets!), we enjoyed Aperitivo at Hotel Berna. Aperitivo Hour is popular in Milan, as well as many other cities in Italy. Traditionally, patrons buy a drink, often a cocktail, and then feast on a complimentary buffet. Hotel Berna had a particularly good Aperitivo buffet, including pigs in a blanket (!), cheese, vegetables, etc. The drinks were 10 euro each, so this was a great deal.

After our Hotel Berna Aperitivo, we had pre-booked rooftop drinks at The Roof Milano for sunset. We enjoyed another cocktail here, as well as small bites (The Roof’s version of Aperitivo, but Hotel Berna was honestly much better). Sunset views over Milan are really great. This was a fantastic end to our last full day in Italy. If you are looking for a rooftop sunset in Milan, The Roof is a good option. Reservations suggested.

DINNER AT RATANÀ

After sunset, we had our final Italian dinner at Ristorante Ratanà. Dan and I enjoyed an excellent dinner here in 2023, so we decided to return this year. Ristorante Ratanà does modern Milanese cuisine in a modern restaurant close to Il Bosco Verticale (the tower with greens). Highlights of this year’s meal were a beef tongue Ruben and a risotto with Puglian figs. Delizioso.

THE DUOMO & ITS TERRACES

The following morning we returned to the Duomo to visit its terraces! The Milan Duomo permits visitors to visit its rooftop and walk around the entire building on its roof, and I think this is the coolest thing about the Duomo. Advance tickets are almost mandatory given its popularity. We pre-booked access via elevator rather than climbing via stairs. We all made it up and this was a super cool experience. The detail, even on the roof, is incredible. I would note that while we took the elevator, patrons still must walk around, climb between 70 and 90 stairs and climb back down once complete (no elevator going down unless you get special permission). It’s totally worth it and not scary in my opinion (no, I don’t love heights).  Allow at least an hour for the rooftop.

We spent about 15 minutes inside the Duomo before Ubering back to Hotel Berna to depart for the airport. We were sad to leave but glad we packed a lot into our short time in Milan.

STEAL OUR TRIP

Hotel Berna: Via Napo Torriani, 18, 20124 Milano MI, Italy.

The Last Supper: Via Giuseppe Antonio Sassi, 3, 20123 Milano MI, Italy. Closed Monday. The official website is linked. Tickets go on sale months in advance and you need to buy them almost immediately. Otherwise, go through a third party and pay more for the tickets. The first Sunday of the Month offers free admission, but you still need a reservation. Those reservations open up the Wednesday prior to the Sunday at noon.

Giochi Preziosi Duomo: P.za del Duomo, 13, 20122 Milano MI, Italy. Open daily 10:00 – 20:00.

The Roof Milano: Piazza Giuseppe Missori, 1, 20123 Milano MI, Italy. Open daily 12:00 – 1:00, until 2:00 on Friday and Saturday. Reservations suggested.

Ristorante Ratanà: Via G. de Castillia 28, 20124 Milano. Reservations recommended. Open 12:00 – 14:30 and 19:00 – 23:00 daily.

The Duomo: This is the official website. We booked the Skip The Line tickets with access via lift.