LivingTravelBest day trips from Milan, Italy

Best day trips from Milan, Italy

Best known for being a haute couture hub, Milan is also a good base from which visitors can travel to a lake and other parts of Italy’s Lombardy region. Many of the places listed below can be easily reached by public transport, and make excellent day or two-day trips for tourists staying in Milan.

Most of these places can be reached by train from Milan’s central train station.

Lake of como

Direction
Como lake, italy

Get directions

The cities of Como, on the southwest shore of Lake Como, and Lecco, on the southeast shore, are easily accessible by train from Milan in less than an hour.

Como is a walled city with a historic center, squares full of life, good restaurants and a funicular that rises above Como for hiking trails and beautiful views. If you want to visit other cities on the lake, there are buses and ferries from Como and Lecco.

Cremona

Direction
26100 Cremona, Province of Cremona, Italy

Get directions

Web

Visit the website

Cremona is home to the famous handmade Stradivarius violins and has a beautiful, compact center that is pleasant to walk on and can be easily reached on foot from the train station. Milan trains take a little over an hour.

Most of the sights are centered around the main square, including the Romanesque cathedral, the baptistery, and the Torrazzo, the 13th-century bell tower with the world’s largest astronomical clock. Climb the tower for fantastic views of the city and countryside.

Bergamo

Direction
Bergamo, Province of Bergamo, Italy

Get directions

Web

Visit the website

The old city, Bergamo Alta, stands on a hill above Bergamo Bassa, the modern city. It is about an hour by train from Milan. Bergamo Alta is a medieval walled hill town with ancient squares, beautiful monuments and buildings, and great views.

Book a guided tour of Bergamo, Franciacorta, and Lake Iseo with transport from Milan from Italy . In addition to the city of Bergamo, you will visit a charming little lake and the sparkling wine region of Franciacorta.

Pavia

Direction
27100 Pavia, Province of Pavia, Italy

Get directions

Pavia is a university town on the Ticino River, 35 km south of Milan. It takes about half an hour by train from Milan Central Station. Pavia is known as the city of 100 towers, but only a few remain intact today. Its interesting historic center has good examples of Romanesque and medieval architecture. Nearby is the impressive Certosa di Pavia which can be reached by bus from Pavia.

Brescia

Direction
Brescia, province of Brescia, Italy

Get directions

Brescia is a city often overlooked by tourists, but it is well worth a visit, for its Roman remains, its castle, its Renaissance squares and its interesting medieval center. Be sure to visit the City Museum at the Santa Julia Monastery if you make the trip. Trains from Milan take between 45 and 90 minutes and a local bus connects the station with the city center.

Lago de Garda, Peschiera del Garda

Direction
Lago de garda, italy

Get directions

Peschiera del Garda, on the southern shore of Lake Garda, can be reached in just over an hour from Milan. The train station is within walking distance of the city center and the lake. Peschiera has a small historic center with shops and restaurants within 16th century walls built in the shape of a pentagon.

There are small pebble beaches and walks along the lake. Desenzano del Garda, a little closer to Milan, also has a train station. From any of the cities, there are ferries and buses to other cities on Lake Garda.

Lake Maggiore, Stresa y Arona

Direction
Lake Maggiore

Get directions

Stresa has a small pedestrianized center with tourist shops and restaurants, a lakeside promenade, gardens, villas, and a port where you can catch a ferry to Isola Bella and other places on the lake.

Arona is a bit closer to Milan and a bit bigger than Stresa. It has very good restaurants and shops but less tourist facilities. By train, Arona takes less than an hour and Stresa is just over an hour from Milan. Both stations are right next to the cities.

Parma

Direction
Parma, province of Parma, Italy

Get directions

Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region, has a compact historic center with several good attractions. Its Romanesque cathedral is covered in beautiful frescoes and the 12th century Baptistery is one of the most interesting buildings in Italy.

As it is home to the famous Parma ham and Parmesan cheese, Parma has excellent cuisine and excellent restaurants. Trains take between 60 and 90 minutes from Milan and the center is about a 10-minute walk from the station.

Bologna

Direction
Bologna, Metropolitan City of Bologna, Italy

Get directions

While it’s a bit further from Milan than most other places on this list, the high-speed train takes just over an hour (and costs about twice as much as the slower two-hour train).

Bologna, also in the Emilia-Romagna region, is a beautiful old university city with luxurious walkways and arcaded squares, fine historic buildings, and a medieval center. It is also known for its excellent cuisine.

Turin or Torino

Direction
Turin, metropolitan city of Turin, Italy

Get directions

Web

Visit the website

Turin, or Torino, is the largest city in the Piedmont region. Turin has baroque cafes and architecture, arcaded shopping promenades, grand squares and museums, including a large Egyptian museum.

The Mole Antonelliana is a tall tower that houses the cinema museum and has an elevator that you can take to see the city. Trains from Milan take about two hours. Turin’s Porta Nuova station is in the center of Turin, but some trains only stop at Porta Susa, from where you can catch a bus into the city.

Keep the Mantova

Direction
46100 Mantua, Province of Mantua, Italy

Get directions

Mantua is a Renaissance city with beautiful squares, a good historical center and a huge Doge’s Palace with more than 500 rooms, making it the largest residence after the Vatican.

Although it takes almost two hours to get there by train, you can take the guided tour of Mantua: The Sleeping Beauty of Lombardy which includes transport from Milan, lunch, and guided tours of the Doge’s Palace and other parts of the city.

Milan: Eight dead in a small plane crash

A small plane crashes in Milan just moments after take-off and into an office building. All eight inmates die - including a child.

Milan's best museums, galleries and churches for art enthusiasts

While Milan is not as well known for its museums as Florence and Rome, the northern city has a host of great art spaces. It is also

Free things to do in Milan

Milan is the financial and fashion capital of Italy, so finding free, or even cheap, things to do here can be a challenge. Like

December events and festivals in Milan, Italy

Milan, Italy, is a gem of a city best known as a hub of fashion and culture, but in December the city comes alive with festivals of

Milan festivals and events in May

If you visit Milan in May, you will have plenty of company. It is a busy month in the city, when the late spring weather is warm and sunny, without the high

More