Milano
September 2026
4 Days
We wanted to make sure we had a chance to see Lewis Hamilton in red at Ferrari before it's too late, so we decided that we would make it happen at Monza since we've traveled to Italy many times and thought our familiarity with the country would just make one less complication of traveling with the little one. Plus he loves meatballs.
I had been to Milan once more than 10 years ago, but only for one day so didn't have time for much outside of a couple of the top tourist attractions. Milan is the financial and economic center of Italy and (comparably) much more modern than other popular cities in Italy. And of course Milan is famous as one of the fashion capitals of the world.
After our initial stop in Milan and visit to Monza, we drove through Tuscany (with a stop in Maranello, home of Ferrari) to stay on a farm which we figured would give the baby a little more space to move around before wrapping up the trip with a couple days in Florence.
Contents
Daily Itinerary
Check in to the Park Hyatt Milan
Spritz and sandwiches outside the Duomo
Racing in Monza
Dinner in the famous Galleria at Ristorante Galleria
Take the train to Como to begin a Lake Como day trip
Take a boat to see the highlights of Lake Como
Stop at Villa del Balbianello, famous as a setting in James Bond and Star Wars
Stop in the picturesque waterside town of Bellagio
Dinner in the lively Brera district at Il Solferino
Shopping in the capital of fashion
Visit the flagship Ferrari store
Climb the Duomo
Cool off with spritzes in the Navigli district
Dinner overlooking the canal at Posto di Conversazione
Flights
United Airlines Economy ORD-MXP: 40,000 United miles one-way + $6 taxes & fees
Hotels
Park Hyatt Milan: 180,000 Hyatt points for 4 nights
▸ One of the premier hotels in Milan and the Hyatt portfolio, located in the heart of Milan just steps from the Galleria and Duomo.
Park Hyatt Milan - Milan, Italy 2026
Food (With Beli Ranking)
Il Solferino (8.4) - Located in the lively Brera district, a great atmosphere with no-nonsense waiters serving very good Milanese food.
Posto di Conversazione (8.4) - Translating to "conversation place", this restaurant serves traditional Milanese dishes overlooking the canal running through the lively Navigli district.
Cesarino (6.1) - Small shop right outside the rear of the Duomo, with another location one street further removed from the Duomo. Serving delicious sandwiches and 5€ spritzes all day.
Ristorante Galleria (4.3) - Located inside the popular Galleria, the prices reflect the prime location and the catering to tourists although the food was better than expected.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Park Hyatt Milan
The Malpensa Express train connects the airport to the Milan Central train station, but with a baby and a ton of bags we didn't want to deal with this so we took a taxi straight to the hotel from the airport. The Park Hyatt Milan couldn't be more centrally located - the famous Galleria is literally maybe 20 steps from the hotel entrance. The entrance though is on a dead end street and a bit unassuming so crowds and noise were never an issue.
Park Hyatt Milan - Milan, Italy 2026
Just one street over from the rear of the Duomo, this small shop serving sandwhiches and 5€ spritzes was always packed. But, strangely directly across from the rear side of the Duomo is another location which was not crowded at all. A great spot for a delicious sandwhich and a spritz.
The Line at Cesarino - Milan, Italy 2026
Day 2
Monza
Our intention was to go to Monza on Friday only for the practice day as we figured that if the baby wasn't feeling it, we could leave any time without feeling like we spent a bunch of money for nothing. It turned out the baby did great, but the logistics of getting to the racetrack was just far too complicated for my level of patience. In the end, it took us about 3 hours to get from the hotel to the track and that was with skipping the line for the shuttle (since we had the baby) which probably would have been another hour.
So, if you happen to be visiting for the Italian Grand Prix, my recommendation is to pay for a taxi.
Autodromo Nazionale Monza - Monza, Italy 2026
Ristorante Galleria
We had kept this evening free of plans since we weren't sure what the day would look like or how long it would take to get back from Monza. Ristorante Galleria is located inside the Galleria and looks like your classic tourist trap restaurant, but it was right near the hotel and we could walk in without a reservation. If you're really dying to eat inside the Galleria, the food was actually not terrible although certainly overpriced.
Ristorante Galleria - Milan, Italy 2026
Day 3
Lake Como
When planning this trip we considered staying on Lake Como for part of the trip, but eventually decided it would be too much. Instead, we booked a boat tour which began in the city of Como, took us to Bellagio for an hour and then returned. I didn't fully appreciate how big Lake Como is until we got on the boat and started absolutely flying. Yet, at this speed it still took nearly an hour to get to Bellagio.
Ponte della Civera - Nesso, Italy 2026
Villa del Balbianello
The coast around Lake Como is lined with elegant villas, and although the Villa del Balbianello may not be as much of a household name as George Clooney's villa, you've almost certainly seen a picture of Lake Como from the viewpoint of this Villa. Most famously scenes in Casino Royale and Star Wars were filmed here.
Villa del Balbianello - Tremezzina, Italy 2026
Bellagio
Of the many towns situated on the shores of Lake Como, Bellagio is probably the most famous nicknamed the "Pearl of the Lake". The town sits right on the point where the lake splits in two, offering the most beautiful panoramic views of the lake. The cobblestone stairs take you uphill through the town, with tiny alleys and stairways shooting off where you'll find small shops and restaurants around every corner.
The view from the Salita Serbelloni is one of the most photographed spots on Lake Como.
Salita Serbelloni - Bellagio, Italy 2026
Dai Viga
With only an hour to spend in Bellagio, we didn't have time to sit down for a full lunch. After climbing up the Salita Serbelloni, we came across a small shop with a handful of standing tables outside and a line out the door. On a tight schedule, this was perfect - simple but pretty good pasta standing at a table outside before it was time to head back down to the boat.
Dai Viga - Bellagio, Italy 2026
Il Solferino
The Brera district in Milan is widely regarded as the city's most chic neighborhood featuring cobblestone streets, art galleries, boutique stores, and many restaurants. Il Solferino was established in 1909 in the heart of Brera and features traditional MIlanese dishes like ossobuco and cotoletta alla Milanese.
The restaurant is stylish while still feeling traditional, helped by the no-nonsense waiters, and the food was very good. Although all of our dinners were quick given the baby's schedule, this would be an excellent place for dinner and drinks before continuing the night into the Brera nightlife.
Il Solferino - Milan, Italy 2026
Day 4
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
As Milan is one of the most famous fashion centers of the world, if you're going to do any shopping this is the place to do it. But, even if you aren't shopping you should at least walk through the Galleria, a remarkable 19th century shopping arcade with glass ceilings and home to the original Prada store.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - Milan, Italy 2026
Ferrari Store
Of course we had to stop at the Ferrari Flagship store, just outside the Galleria. Here, you can buy everything Ferrari from Ferrari Legos, to Ferrari clothes, to historic F1 car parts.
Ferrari Store - Milan, Italy 2026
Duomo
Every European city has a church or cathedral at it's center, but in my opinion there are not so many that are that unique. While I would make that claim about the inside of the Duomo di Milano, the exterior is quite a marvel - and even then the view from the ground level is nothing.
Duomo di Milano - Milan, Italy 2026
The Duomo has terraces all around the roof that you can walk on - it's a bit of a climb up or you can pay a little extra to take the lift. Once you're on the terraces you can see up close the intricate carvings of the 96 gargoyles, 135 spires, and 3,400 statues adorning the exterior. A very cool experience, but make sure to book your tickets in advance if you want to go during sunset.
Terrazza del Duomo - Milan, Italy 2026
Navigli
The Navigli district is Milan's historic canal district, with the Naviglio Grande lined on both sides by dozens of places to eat and drink. The lively atmosphere begins in the early evening when the cocktail bars start filling up for aperitivo.
Navigli District - Milan, Italy 2026
Posto di Conversazione
After our aperitivo we had planned dinner at Posto di Conversazione, a restaurant on the canal serving traditional Milanese food. Unfortunately for us, a full Italian dinner after aperitivo proved a bit too much for the baby. The ossobucco I quickly ate was excellent though and this restaurant felt like an excellent place to spend an evening - the name does literally translate to "conversation place".
Posto di Conversazione - Milan, Italy 2026
Overall
Now that I had a chance to spend more than a day in Milan my overall impression is that while we enjoyed it, there's just many more places in Italy I would go to first. Milan is where the money is in Italy so you can find the best shopping, delicious restaurants, and excellent hotels. But it definitely falls more closely in the "another big city" bucket compared to some of Italy's other locations. I feel I can always be excited to go back to Rome, but I don't have that same feeling about Milan.
To see the next stop on this trip, go here to Tuscany