There’s just so much to see in Milan that you can stay in town for weeks and not see everything. Yet if you’ve checked off all the must-sees and feel like exploring the surroundings, you’re in luck. I’ll tell in this post what the coolest day trips from Milan are and what you can’t miss in each place.
I haven’t included a few obvious destinations like Venice and Florence because rushing through these iconic cities isn’t really the best way to enjoy them. Instead, I chose to focus on smaller towns (and a few natural landmarks) that are definitely worth visiting over a single day.
Table of Contents
1. Lake Como
No trip to Milan feels complete without a pit stop by Italy’s most famous lake, which is less than an hour from the city by train.
The historic town of Como on the lake’s southwestern lake can work as a launchpad to discover all the must-sees in the surroundings.
A major highlight is Bellagio’s Punta Spartivento, a promontory that dramatically juts out into the waters and offers commanding views of the Alps’ snow-capped peaks.
Drive along its 93-mile perimeter or take a boat tour of Lake Como to spot imposing villas and picturesque villages along the way.
2. Verona
While Verona is one of the Italian capitals of romance, it isn’t just a great destination for loving couples. At a mere 100 miles from Milan, Verona makes an amazing day trip from the city.
After Rome, Verona boasts the best preserved ancient heritage in the country, spanning a huge arena and several city gates.
Stroll along the Adige’s riverfront promenade as you let the cool breeze caress your face, then lose yourself in the maze-like streets of the stunning historic core.
Don’t miss the attractions that are connected to the story of Romeo and Juliet — Juliet’s House, where you can visit her (alleged) balcony, as well as the Basilica of San Zeno, home to the crypt where the couple got married.
3. Turin
The first capital of unified Italy remains largely ignored by most foreign travelers. That however is perfect for visitors looking to escape the crowds who often take some of the shine off the more popular destinations.
Turin is known for its elegant parks and plazas and for its majestic palaces. Here you can visit the largest Egyptian Museum after Cairo’s and climb the Mole Antonelliana, the 550-foot dome that towers over Turin and is hands down the city’s no. 1 symbol.
Stop by the Cathedral, which has housed the Shroud of Turin for almost 450 years. Afterward, sit outside one of the cafes lining Piazza San Carlo to people-watch and recharge.
4. Franciacorta
The Franciacorta region spans the southwestern corner of the Province of Brescia to the south of Lake Iseo.
Here’s where you’ll find the most renowned sparkling wine in Italy — although Prosecco is more popular, Franciacorta is comparable to the best champagnes according to most connoisseurs.
You can reach Brescia in less than 40 minutes if you take a high-speed train from Milan. That means you’re free to explore the city in the morning — including its 13th-century castle — and take a vineyard tour after lunch.
Alternatively, book a tour that will pick you up and drop you off in Milan and spend the whole day straddling between vine rows and cellars.
5. Bergamo
Bergamo is a personal favorite of mine, as it has something few other Italian cities do: an upper and a lower part.
The lower city looks like a typical Lombard town — quaint but not exactly imposing due to its working-class origins.
Upper Bergamo instead has the monumentality of a Tuscan town, complete with medieval stone houses and Renaissance marble churches.
Better yet, the upper city is surrounded by 16th-century walls that have been turned into a green promenade where you can stroll while soaking up the breathtaking views of the valley.
6. Bologna
Bologna is another underrated gem in northern Italy; despite being renowned worldwide for recipes like lasagna and mortadella (fair enough), few foreign travelers actually choose to visit it.
If you bravely decide to swim against the tide, I promise you won’t regret it. Bologna has a unique cityscape thanks to the 35+ miles of arcades lining its mostly reddish buildings and the medieval towers that dot its skyline — i.e. the 17 that have survived out of the original 100.
Dubbed la grassa, la dotta e la rossa (“the fat one, the scholarly one, the red one”) in reference to its cuisine, thousand-year-old university, and both the predominant color of its housing stock and its historically left-wing politics, Bologna is definitely a fascinating destination for a Milan day trip.
7. Lake Garda
Italians often choose to visit Lake Garda over Lake Como, as it’s less touristy and just as beautiful. Though you can easily spend a whole day touring the lake, you can also combine a morning tour of its southern shore with an afternoon in the neighboring Franciacorta vineyards.
Straddling the border of Lombardy and Veneto, it’s home to Gardaland, the largest amusement park in Italy, and the gorgeous Sirmione Peninsula, where you’ll find beaches, hot springs, Roman ruins, and a medieval castle.
8. Mantua
Mantua grew surrounded by a system of nine-hundred-year-old dams that for centuries turned it into an artificial island. It eventually became a peninsula when one of its four lakes was reclaimed in the 1700s, but it remained a monumental town at the crossroads of Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna.
Besides its dazzling architecture, Mantua is worth visiting for the lush nature of the parks and reservations encircling it. If you have enough time, swing by tiny Sabbioneta within the province of Mantua. Both towns have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2008.
9. Lugano
Lugano offers a chance you’ll get almost nowhere else: seeing what an Italian-speaking city looks like when it’s not located in Italy. The capital of Italian Switzerland is sort of a more austere and orderly Como — snow-capped peaks overhanging the lake included.
Across the lake, you can gamble in the casino at the Italian exclave of Campione d’Italia. In case you feel like getting an extra stamp on your passport while visiting Milan, absolutely hop on a train to Lugano. It takes a little over an hour to reach it anyway.
10. Genoa
Genoa is where northern Italy feels most like southern Italy (and Naples specifically), and that’s why I love it. Squeezed between dramatic cliffs and the sea, the port city gave us a fresh and mouthwatering cuisine that includes pesto and focaccia, as well as a rich musical tradition.
What’s more, its historic core hasn’t been gentrified, so it feels authentic with its winding streets that are often too narrow for sunbeams to shine through.
I picked Genoa over neighboring Cinque Terre because I feel you’ll need more than a day to make the most of that jagged stretch of coastline along the Italian Riviera.
Still, you can take a 2-hour train ride from Milan to Portofino if you really feel like you can’t leave Italy without setting foot at Cinque Terre.
11. St. Moritz
Nestled between towering alpine summits, St. Moritz is a beautiful — and fancy — ski station in southeastern Switzerland. It’s also a marvelous destination during the summer thanks to its multiple mountainside trails.
Interestingly, though, for tons of visitors the train ride to St. Moritz is more of an attraction than the town itself. Blame it on the bright-red Bernina Express, which crosses spiral bridges, canyons, and snow-covered valleys along the way.
Plan your trip in advance if you’re down for the ride, as 100 miles separate Milan and the town of Tirano where you’ll get on the train to St. Moritz.
12. Modena
Modena is a sort of miniature Bologna where you can try the original balsamic vinegar and wonder at its medieval cathedral. The church, alongside the bell tower and the Piazza Grande where both are located, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
While you’re at it, don’t miss the Albinelli Market, where you can taste the freshest produce and all the best local specialties.
Discovering the most iconic towns in Emilia-Romagna, Parma (see n. 15), Modena, and Bologna is by far one of the coolest weekend trips from Milan that you can do.
13. Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore may be less popular than Lake Como and Lake Garda, but it’s worth visiting if only for the so-called Borromean Islands along its western shore. You can hop on a train to the quaint town of Stresa to take a boat tour of the islands.
The archipelago boasts sumptuous villas and flawlessly manicured terraced gardens which are home to 2,000+ plant species. More impressively, the islands have belonged to the same family, the House of Borromeo, since the 14th century.
14. Cremona
Cremona is noted for its 370-foot bell tower (one of the tallest in the country), for its mouthwatering torrone (a kind of nougat), as well as for its age-old violin-making tradition — to which it has devoted a museum.
Visiting Cremona will give you a glimpse of the Po Valley Lombardy, which looks entirely different from alpine towns like Como and Bergamo.
15. Parma
As the birthplace of Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, among other delicacies, Parma is of course one of the world’s food capitals.
But the city itself, which is still shunned by most foreign travelers, is a stunning destination for a day trip with its medieval palaces and sprawling parks.
You can wander through the city center in the morning, then head off for a tour of prosciutto factories and dairies when hunger strikes.
16. Pavia
I don’t want to sell Pavia short; it’s a charming and delightful trip for a Milan day strip. Yet it ranks last on our list because it’s not as awe-inspiring as the previous items.
One huge advantage it does have over other destinations is that you can reach it in 30 minutes by train, so it’s worth visiting even if all you have is a free morning.
Plus, you’ll get to see one of the most impressive monasteries in all of northern Italy, the 500-year-old Certosa di Pavia (pictured above).
Final thoughts
Since it’s located at the heart of northern Italy, Milan is a strategic starting point for exploring the vast region between the Italian Riviera to the west, the Alps to the north, and the historic cities of Emilia-Romagna to the southeast.
I had to leave out of our list of day trips from Milan a few remarkable destinations like Varese and Piacenza. I figured a longer list would probably be inconvenient rather than helpful.
For more day trip ideas, you can check out this list of cities near Milan. Let me know in the comments which of these places you simply can’t wait to visit!
