Free things to do in Milan
Milan has a reputation for being pricey — but some of its very best experiences cost nothing. Here's an honest, current list of what's genuinely free, from the famous to the local.
1. Piazza del Duomo & the Galleria
Wander Milan's grand square and step inside the glass-domed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — spinning your heel on the bull mosaic is a free local tradition.
2. Sforza Castle courtyards
The vast inner courtyards of the Castello Sforzesco are free to enter and explore, even if the museums inside are ticketed.
3. Parco Sempione
Milan's biggest central park, behind the castle, with the Arco della Pace at its far end.
4. San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore
The “Sistine Chapel of Milan” — a church covered in dazzling 16th-century frescoes, and entry is free.
5. The Navigli canals
Stroll the Naviglio Grande and the Darsena, and find the tiny Vicolo dei Lavandai washhouse.
6. Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio
One of Italy's oldest churches, founded by Milan's patron saint in the 4th century — free to visit.
7. Colonne di San Lorenzo
A row of 16 Roman columns, around 1,700 years old, and a lively local meeting spot in the evening.
8. Cimitero Monumentale
An extraordinary open-air museum of sculpture and mausoleums — free and often almost empty.
9. Bosco Verticale & Piazza Gae Aulenti
See the award-winning Vertical Forest towers and Milan's futuristic plaza — free to walk around.
10. Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Ossa
A small, striking chapel decorated with human bones — unusual, moving and free to enter.
11. Free museum Sundays
Many state museums, including the Pinacoteca di Brera, offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month. Always check current dates.
12. QC / window-shopping the Quadrilatero
Walking the fashion streets of Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga costs nothing and is a sight in itself.
Want a local to show you around?
Our walking tours are free too — reserve a spot and tip what it's worth.