Discover Milan’s infamous Duomo: The heart of the city

If you’ve ever been to Milan before, you probably didn’t miss the infamous Duomo cathedral. Standing in the centre of the city, this magnificent building leaves a huge impression. If you haven’t been to Milan before, then this building alone is reason enough to visit.

I visited the city of Milan for the first time in December 2022 and I have to say the Milan Duomo is the most impressive cathedral I have ever seen (and I’ve seen a few in my time!). We spent a lot of time marveling at this building, which is why I’ve built a comprehensive guide of how to make the most of your Duomo visit.

Duomo in the day

Your first sighting of the Milan Duomo is likely to be in the daytime, whilst exploring the city. At least that was the case for me and my friend. From first glance, this building really is grand, standing proudly in the main plaza, next to the galleria shopping centre, home of the most prestigious brands. It’s only fitting to have such a marvellous building right outside.

On a closer look, you’ll notice the intricacies of the building, where spires, statues and decorative elements fill the design. No wonder this building took around 600 years to build.

Duomo at night

In my opinion, the Duomo at night is even more beautiful. With the plaza lit up, you really get a sense for the sheer size and complexity of the building, as well as a view of the stained-glass windows across the front.  

We also visited a hidden gem, Terrazza Aperol, upon a recommendation from our friends. This is a must-visit rooftop bar, on the second floor of the galleria, with a terrace that overlooks the Duomo. The bar is known for serving an aperitif, meant for enjoying ahead of your evening meal. As the name suggests, the bar offers a variety of Aperol-based drinks, to be enjoyed with a selection of appetisers that are included in the price.

One thing to note with Terrazza Aperol, is that you will need to queue to get a prime spot on the terrace. Otherwise, you can sit inside the bar and once you’re inside, the bar staff are more than happy for you to step onto the terrace to take in the view.

Rooftop walk

Climbing to the top of the Duomo to walk along the rooftops is certainly something you should endeavour to do if you can. The ticket we bought was priced at €15 and included the rooftop via the stairs, seeing inside the cathedral, as well as visiting the Duomo museum and archaeological area (which we unfortunately didn’t have the time to do). We also managed to gain a small discount by using an American Express credit card. For those who would prefer to take a lift to the rooftops, there is a similar ticket option for €20.

As I mentioned before, I’d never seen a cathedral quite like this one and the walk along the rooftops did not disappoint. The climb to the top was tiring but nowhere near as tough as cathedrals I’ve climbed in the past, and I would go as far as saying this was my favourite rooftop walk. The trail we walked along takes you through arches across different sections of the cathedral and really makes you feel like you’re walking on rooftops. This was such a refreshing experience compared to places I’ve visited before that just have a small area to stand and take photos.

Eventually the walk opens up onto a bigger area where you have the best view of both the city and the statue of the Virgin Mary which stands on top of the cathedral. One of the most impressive elements of the rooftop walk, was seeing the detail of the cathedral design up close. The sheer quantity of decorative elements, figures and arches really is incredible.

Inside the cathedral

Following the rooftop walk, the path takes you down a staircase on the other side of the Duomo, which leads you right inside the cathedral. The cathedral is huge, grand and incredibly decorative. We quietly walked around and took in the beautiful mosaics, before catching the start of mass (it happened to be a Sunday morning!). The echo of singing and the calming presence of worshipers really made the experience feel magical and ended our Duomo experience in the most perfect way.