A vintage tram near the Arco della Pace. When I lived in Milan, it wasn’t the tourist destination it is today, and while there was no shortage of travelers arriving at Malpensa or Linate airports each week, they typically came to the then often-foggy city for work. Now Milan is an international hot spot, drawing 8.5 million visitors a year, not only for business, but also for leisure, bleisure, and various fashion pursuits— a one-million increase over pre-pandemic numbers. Those figures are sure to grow in 2026 when the Milan-Cortina Olympics kick off. Parco Sempione. one of MIlan's more tranquil settings, with a view of the Sforza Castle. While you won’t face Venice-like crowding in Milan, the Duomo-Galleria area can get packed, but there’s much to see beyond the best-known attractions. Here are a number of suggestions for experiencing Milan with a new twist. Seek out masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci besides The Last Supper. The city's monument to Leonardo da Vinci is in the Piazza della Scala. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to see La Ultima Cena each year, as well they should, but there are other important Da Vinci works to check out in the city, too. At the monumental Castello Sforzesco, the fortress of the ruling Sforza family during the early days of the Renaissance, you’ll find one of the artist’s most unusual efforts, a large-scale illusionary fresco with an intricate pergola design; it covers the vaulted ceiling and walls of the Sala delle Asse, a grand salon where Duke Ludovico Sforza, once held court. The late Dr. Augusto Marinoni, renowned Da Vinci scholar, at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana with the Codex Atlanticus. (Photo: James L. Amos/Corbis via Getty Images) Corbis via Getty Images Then head to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, an outstanding museum about a 15-minute walk from the castle, to see Portrait of a Musician, an uncompleted canvas thought to be Da Vinci’s only male portrait, along with the extraordinary collection of the artist’s drawings and observations that make up the Codex Atlanticus. Get to Know the Sforzas. The Castello Sforzesco, where the Sforzas once ruled Milan. (Photo: Paolo e Federico Manusardi / Electa / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) Mondadori via Getty Images Florence had its Medicis, the powerful patrons of the Renaissance; Milan (and great swaths of Lombardy) were under the sway of the another larger-than-life family, the Sforzas, who dominated the city from 1450-1535 and were instrumental in making it a noteworthy cultural hub. Explore the castle and grounds, where the ducal Sforzas lived, now home to eight museums. The Sforza Pinacoteca showcases paintings by Mantegna, Tiziano and Tintoretto; another museum in the Spanish Hospital section of the fortress displays Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pietà, the mega-artist’s last sculpture. For a repository of priceless bronzes, ivories, glassware and tapestries from the Middle Ages to the present, go to the castle’s Museum of Decorative Arts. If you want to step back further into the past, go to the Archaeological Museum, showcasing items from ancient Egypt. The cloister of Santa Maria delle Grazie, part of the church complex commissioned by Ludovico Sforza. (Photo: Bluered/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Universal Images Group via Getty Images The trompe l’oeil choir space at Santa Maria presso San Satiro, another church commissioned by the Sforzas. (Photo: Francesco Tanasi / Electa / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) Mondadori via Getty Images Ludovico Sforza commissioned the church, Santa Maria delle Grazie, as a final resting place for his family, along with Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, which was painted on a refectory wall. The church, parts of which are believed to be the work of Donato Bramante, who created the initial designs for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, can be visited without a reservation (a small donation is appreciated). Another Sforza-Bramante collaboration was Santa Maria presso San Satiro, which is known for its trompe l’oeil choir space. (The Sforzas also had a hand in the development of the Duomo, as well as the cathedral’s piazza, an exceptionally popular photo site in the city today.) Take in Milan’s house museums. Milan has often been described as a place that best reveals itself behind closed doors, in the homes, courtyards and clubs of the its most influential residents. To get a sense of private Milan, at least as it was in the recent (and not-so-recent) past, head to one of the city’s house museums. The Case Museo di Milano, a network of former private dwellings, includes Villa Necchi Campiglio, a Rationalist touchstone from the 1930s and a location for Luca Guadagnino’s, I Am Love. Fans of 20th-century art should visit Casa Museo Boschi Di Stefano, the former residence of collectors Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano, given to the city in 1974. The antique staircase at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum. (Photo: Federico Magi/Mondadori via Getty Images) Mondadori via Getty Images Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli collected Old World masterpieces in the 19th century, among them works by Bellini, Raphael, Canaletto and Botticelli, which are now displayed in his former palazzo, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli. The Bagatti Valsecchi Museum is named for Barons Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi, who filled their home with a trove of Renaissance paintings and decorative objects. Stop by this lesser-known fashion museum. The Palazzo Morando houses a museum devoted to the history of Milan and a Costume Fashion collection. (Photo: Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images The big-ticket visits for fashion lovers are Armani Silos and the Rem Koolhaas-designed Fondazione Prada, major museums devoted to the collections of two of the most influential names in the history of Italian fashion. To learn more about Italian style over the centuries, head to Palazzo Morando, a palace on Via Sant’Andrea from the 1700s, about a one-minute walk from Via Montenapoleone, Milan’s luxury shopping street. The palazzo houses an intriguing collection of historic costumes and accessories, ranging from the 17th century to the present day, as well as an assortment of antiques and a picture gallery with important depictions of Milan and its urban life spanning hundreds of years. Model Amber Valletta in a vintage shop in Milan. (Photo: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast/Contour by Getty Images) Contour by Getty Images Visit Milan’s vintage stores. Via Montenapoleone is an essential stop even for non shoppers if only to see the great design skills of Italy’s top ready-to-wear, jewelry, and shoe designers. But if you’re looking for prêt-a-porter pieces at lesser cost, along with items from designers who may have once dominated the city’s runways, but whose labels today are harder to find, head to a good vintage shop. One place to start is Via Gian Giacomo Mora, where you’ll find Cavalli e Nastri (No.12), known for its collection of fine Italian brands, unique pieces, as well as a selection of antiques. Bivio (No. 4 for women; no.14 for men), is stocked with both designer labels and popular brands. Ambroeus Milan is another option with two store locations, one in the Isola neighborhood at Via Pastrengo 15; the other in the Navigli area at Viale Gorizia 34. Try an “insider” dining spot. Don Lisander restaurant. (Photo: Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images) Getty Images With its sophisticated residents and an extensive Lombardy culinary heritage (endless varieties of risotto!) to draw on, Milan has long offered a rich dining scene, made all the more vibant in recent years with the introduction of new places like Veramente, Cucina Franca and the recently opened Lubna, winning plaudits from locals and visitors alike. To see Milanese both at play and at work, head to a classic power spot, like Il Baretto. Opened in 1962, this restaurant has been the go-to for decades for Italy’s bold-faced business names like the Agnelli clan (Gianni Agnelli was a regular), fashion executives and media honchos to talk shop over house specialities like costoletta alla Milanese or prawns and Mammole (artichokes). The setting is club-like with dark paneling; there’s aslo a lush garden area for outdoor dining and aperitivi. Another mainstay for Milan’s well-heeled diners is Don Lisander, located in part of a palazzo from the 1500s with a beautiful garden The Sina de la Ville pool with views of the top of Milan's Duomo. Courtesy of Sina de la Ville While Milan is certainly not a beach destination, summers here can be steamy, yet there are ways to stay cool in hot weather without running from one air-conditioned refuge to the next. Many luxury hotels have wonderful indoor pools, but if you want some al fresco swimming, book at the Sina de la Ville, among only a handful of properties in the city center to have an outdoor pool. The new reception area. Courtesy of Sina de la Ville Located a few blocks from the Duomo and a few steps from shopping emporium La Rinascente, Sina de la Ville, one of Milan’s mid-century classics and a Sina Hotel since 1989, offers a competitively-priced four-star option in a destination that’s recently seen an influx of five-star lodging. It recently completed a major redo with new public spaces—lounge, reception and bar area—designed with a blend of sharp modern styles. Various rooms and suites were also refurbished. Milanese seek out Il Vizio Restaurant on the hotel’s ground floor for its unique hybrid Italian and sushi menu overseen by chef Marco Gargalia, known for his passion for Japanese cooking. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions