Milan gets a lot of hate when it comes to Italian cities. And I’ll be 100% transparent; I am a former Milan hater. My hate was solely based off visiting the city on a gloomy winter day without much planned beyond seeing the Duomo. But I was WRONG.
Milan is not like Rome or Florence or Venice. You don’t necessarily just wander and magically stumble upon a some ancient ruins. However, Milan is absolutely show-stopping in its own right if you know where to look. After seeing classic sites like the Duomo and enjoying an aperitivo in Navigli, make sure you scope out my favorite hidden gems in Milan.
Table of Contents
A Spooky Church
Dark Tourism has certainly taken off in recent years. For those who dare to explore a slightly spooky side of the city, you’ll be interested in visiting the Sanctuary of San Bernardino. By slightly spooky, I mean a church full of human bones.
So…why? When the nearby cemetery ran out of space in the 1200s, this side room of the church started being used as overflow for the bones. Enter if you dare!
You can find the Sanctuary at: Piazza Santo Stefano.
Milan’s Walk of Fame
Everyone knows the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in California. Did you know Milan has a slightly-hidden version of its own? Steps away from the Duomo, if you know which turn to take, you find Milan’s very own Walk of Fame! You’ll see celebrity names like Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Luciano Pavarotti, and more!
Many of the tributes are from the 1990s and 2000s and unfortunately I couldn’t find any clear information on why the city seemed to stop utilizing it. This is a fun spot to see a tiny film tribute in Milan.
Find the walk of fame on Corso Europa.
Flamingos in the City
Shockingly, you can spot flamingos in the center of Milan. Head over to Villa Invernizzi (Via Cappuccini, 7), a large private villa. Given its private property, you can’t enter. However, if you head to the fence and peer around the hedges, you’ll spot the backyard flamingos!
Luigi Rovati Museum
Many people don’t know that one of the coolest museums in Milan is dedicated to Etruscan art and is located near the popular Porta Venezia neighborhood. The real showstopper is the basement. The architecture is designed to make you feel like you’re entering an Etruscan cave!
You can read my full, detailed guide Visiting the Luigi Rovati Museum in Milan: Estruscan Treasures.
Villa Necchi Campiglio
Another one of my favorite hidden gems in Milan is hidden right in the city center. Nestled behind fences and tall foliage, it could be easy to miss the entrance of Villa Necchi. However, once inside you’ll get a glimpse at how the elite lived it up in Milan during the early 20th century. I was jealous, to say the least.
They have an audio guide available for use on your smartphone so you can wander the rooms and gain a full understanding of the villa’s history. You can purchase tickets and learn more about this architectural delight here.
Branca Museum & Distillery
Have you ever tried Fernet-Branca? It’s a digestive made of a mixture of 27 various herbs, spices, and roots. Those who have sipped it understand it has a very notable taste. Interested in learning more and tasting it for yourself? Then this hidden gem in Milan is for you.
Fernet-Branca originated in Milan in the mid-1800s. Today the distillery still exists and offers FREE tours to the general public with reservations. Most tours are in Italian, but several times a month they offer English tours. Make sure to check the calendar and see if a tour aligns with your schedule.
For a more in-depth guide read A Fernet-Branca Tour: Visit the Fernet-Branca Distillery and Museum in Milan, Italy.
The Branca Museum is located at Via Resegone, 2.
Giuseppe Verdi’s Tomb
Opera and music lovers may want to pay their respects to the legendary Giuseppe Verdi. Many may be surprised the best place to find his tomb is not at a cemetery. Instead, he is buried (with his wife) at the retirement home he founded for retired musicians and opera singers.
Head inside, ask the person at the door to see “cripta,” and they will buzz you in. First, step into the garden area (featured above) then walk straight ahead through the doors to view the tomb.
The retirement home is located at Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti, 29.
Casa Museo Boschi di Stefano
This museum is a former private residence and art collection that was donated to the city of Milan in 1974. The museum is FREE and located just off the bustling Corso Buenos Aires in the city center.
Inside, you’ll find over 300 pieces of art. That is narrowed down from the more than 2,000 pieces in the original collection!
Head to Via Giorgio Jan, 15 to visit.
Palazzo Morando
Many of my Milan hidden gems include FREE museums! Fashion lovers will be interested in this museum as they typically have rotating exhibitions (I got to see a vintage Salvatore Ferragamo exhibit the last time I was here). Otherwise, the palazzo in itself is quite impressive.
I have a detailed article dedicated to information about a Visit to the Palazzo Morando: Free Museum in Milan, Italy,
Looking for more Milan content while planning your trip to Italy? You may also be interested in these popular articles: