City Guide • Milan 🇮🇹

Milan 🇮🇹 — Guide to Best Rooftops, Cocktail Bars and Local Spots

Milan isn't just about street level: looking out from a terrace above the Duomo spires or the skyscrapers of Porta Nuova, living the authentic aperitivo ritual and discovering hidden courtyards turns every stay into an unforgettable experience.

Italy's Most Modern Skyline

From the Gothic spires of the Duomo to the UniCredit Tower, Bosco Verticale and the Three Towers of CityLife.

The Signature Aperitivo Ritual

Born here with Campari Seltz and Bar Basso's Negroni Sbagliato: gourmet finger food and world-class cocktails.

Hidden Courtyards & Secret Design

Behind severe doors lie pink flamingos at Villa Invernizzi, Renaissance cloisters and art galleries.

Get Around with Contactless Metro

Just tap your bank card at the turnstiles of lines M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 without needing paper tickets.

Explore Milan by Category 🇮🇹

Guides by moment and by area, with real places

Rooftop Bars & Panoramic Terraces47 Places

The best panoramic terraces and sky bars in Milan: spectacular views, sunset exposure and practical details.

See the dedicated guide

Aperitivo with a View & Cocktail Bars37 Places

The best sunset aperitivo spots and cocktail bars with a view in Milan: the aperitivo ritual, signature drinks and unique panoramas.

See the dedicated guide

Romantic Rooftops & Evenings for Two37 Places

The most romantic rooftops in Milan: intimate atmospheres, candlelit panoramic tables and breathtaking views for couples.

See the dedicated guide

Hidden Gems & Secret Spots21 Places

Hidden gems and secret terraces in Milan: places off the usual tourist trail, picked by people who live the city every day.

See the dedicated guide

Things to Do & Local Experiences16 Places

Things to do in Milan: a complete guide to terraces, craft experiences, free tours and events.

See the dedicated guide

Why RoofTop

Milan from Above: Much More Than a Traditional Guide

Standard travel guides recommend generic street-level lists. RoofTop takes you up to rooftops, viewpoints and historic terraces, with precise GPS coordinates, astronomical sunset calculation and full transparency.

Rooftop map

All the city's places on a map, with area, floor and what you see.

Sunset exposure

For each place, the direction it faces: you know beforehand if the sun sets in front of you or behind.

Picked one by one

Rooftops, terraces and viewpoints picked by the editors, with price band and direct links to the official sites.

Free Booking

No booking fees or middlemen: direct contact with the official terraces.

Rooftops & Panoramic Viewpoints in Milan 🇮🇹

Real places, with address and position on the map

6 Places

The Duomo and the Galleria, Milan — Photo: Steffen Schmitz · CC BY-SA 4.0

Duomo & Centro Storico

94%

Aperitivo & Duomo View€€

Terrazza Aperol Milano

Directly overlooking Piazza del Duomo, Terrazza Aperol is the temple of the Milanese aperitivo. Enjoy world-class spritz cocktails with an unrivaled panoramic angle directly facing the Gothic spires and marble façade of the Cathedral.

View: Duomo di Milano & Piazza del Duomo

Milan CathedralGalleria Vittorio Emanuele IIRoyal Palace of Milan

Price range:Spritz & cocktails €21; dishes €14 - €28 (no reservations)

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Porta Nuova skyscrapers, Milan — Photo: Francesco Ungaro · CC0

Porta Nuova & Repubblica

97%

Skyline Lounge & DJ Sets€€€

Radio Rooftop Milano (ME Milan Il Duca)

Perched on the 10th floor of ME Milan Il Duca in Piazza della Repubblica, Radio Rooftop offers a cosmopolitan atmosphere with DJ sets, craft mixology, and breathtaking 360-degree views of the new Milanese skyscrapers and UniCredit Tower.

View: Porta Nuova Skyscrapers & Torre Diamante

UniCredit TowerVertical ForestTorre DiamantePiazza Gae Aulenti

Price range:€22 - €35 per drink & tapas

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Monumentale & Garibaldi

98%

Twin Pools & Luxury Dining€€€€

Ceresio 7 Pools & Restaurant

Designed by Dimore Studio and founded by fashion icons Dean and Dan Caten (Dsquared2), Ceresio 7 features two stunning outdoor pools, 360-degree city views, masterful cocktails by Guglielmo Miriello, and Michelin-caliber Italian cuisine by Chef Elio Sironi.

View: Garibaldi Skyline & Sunset Pools

Monumental CemeteryPorta NuovaTorre Solaria

Price range:€25 cocktails / €85 - €140 fine dining

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Missori & Centro Storico

92%

Historical Panorama & Aperitivo€€€

The Roof Milano (Hotel dei Cavalieri)

Located in Piazza Missori, The Roof Milano offers a tranquil, sophisticated setting away from street chaos. Its panoramic terrace frames the majestic silhouette of Torre Velasca and the historic roofs of old Milan.

View: Torre Velasca & Missori Square

Torre VelascaDuomo (spires)Chiesa di San Nazaro in Brolo

Price range:Tapas €15 - €22; signature cocktails €25

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Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione — Photo: Prelvini · CC BY-SA 4.0

Parco Sempione & Castello

96%

Design, Park & Castle View€€€

Terrazza Triennale - Osteria con Vista

Set atop the Palazzo dell'Arte (Triennale Milano), this transparent greenhouse designed by OBR architects floats above the trees of Parco Sempione with views sweeping from the Sforza Castle to the skyscrapers of Porta Nuova and CityLife.

View: Parco Sempione & Castello Sforzesco

Castello SforzescoTorre BrancaArco della PaceCityLife Tre Torri

Price range:€20 cocktails / €60 - €95 dinner

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Brera courtyard — Photo: Gerda Arendt · CC0

Brera & San Marco

91%

Bohemian Chic & Food Pairing€€€

Clotilde Brera

An intimate botanical terrace overlooking the charming rooftops and cobbled streets of Brera. Renowned for its food-pairing cocktail experience combining vintage recipes and contemporary Milanese cuisine.

View: Chiesa di San Marco & Tetti di Brera

Chiesa di San MarcoAccademia di BreraPalazzo Brera

Price range:€18 - €28 per cocktail pairing

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Cocktail Bars & Aperitivo in Milan 🇮🇹

Temples of mixology, birthplace of the Negroni Sbagliato and bars in trendy districts

4 Venues

Porta Venezia, Milan — Photo: Palickap · CC BY-SA 4.0

Città Studi / Porta Venezia#1

€12 - €16 cocktail served in the iconic oversized chalice€€

Bar Basso (Birthplace of the Negroni Sbagliato)

The cathedral of Milanese mixology and the epicenter of global designers during Milan Design Week. Vintage wooden millwork, Murano glass chandeliers, and a timeless authentic atmosphere.

Must try: The legendary original Negroni Sbagliato, invented here in 1972 by Mirko Stocchetto

Local tip: Ask for your cocktail in the monumental hand-blown glass chalice with a single hand-carved ice block.

Via Plinio 39, 20129 Milano

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Duomo / Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II#2

€15 - €25 signature cocktail & historic bitter classics€€€

Camparino in Galleria

Founded by Davide Campari in 1915 at the grand entrance of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Original Liberty mosaics, centuries-old seltz pressure craft, and an upper floor ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars.

Must try: Campari Seltz at the historic ground-floor bar or the avant-garde "Compadre" cocktail upstairs

Local tip: Ordering the Campari Seltz standing at the ground-floor bar costs a fraction of table service and is the purest Milanese ritual.

Piazza del Duomo 21, 20121 Milano

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The Navigli canal, Milan — Photo: Chabe01 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Navigli / Porta Ticinese#3

€11 - €15 artisan cocktail served with fresh hot kitchen appetizers€€

Rita & Cocktails

Tucked away on a quiet cobbled side street off the bustling Naviglio Grande. Mahogany island bar, freshly squeezed citrus juices made to order, and all-natural ingredients.

Must try: Gin Zen (gin, freshly muddled root ginger, mint, homemade cordial, and lime)

Local tip: No stale buffets here: with your drink, they serve crisp seasonal raw vegetables with olive oil dip and fresh warm focaccia straight from the oven.

Via Angelo Fumagalli 1, 20143 Milano

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Porta Venezia / Tricolore#4

€14 - €20 avant-garde molecular mixology creations€€€

Nottingham Forest

Led by maestro Dario Comini, this is a living museum of modern cocktail alchemy. Ethnic relics collected on travels around the globe and drinks presented with dry ice smoke, syringes, test vials, and cold-distilled botanicals.

Must try: Cocktails served in molecular test tubes or in mini ceramic bathtubs with tiny yellow ducks

Local tip: The bar is intimate and does not take reservations: arrive at 18:15 to queue up and secure a table in the first seating.

Viale Piave 1, 20129 Milano

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Recommended Experiences & Activities in Milan 🇮🇹

Free tours, art masterpieces and wellness, picked by the editors

6 Experiences

Guided Tours

€48 per person2 hours

Duomo di Milano & Terrazze delle Guglie (Skip-The-Line VIP)

Ascend to the rooftop terraces of the magnificent Duomo di Milano. Walk among 3,400 marble statues, gargoyles, and Gothic spires with a certified art historian.

Piazza del Duomo, Milano

Direct elevator access to the Duomo rooftop terraces

Close-up view of the golden Madonnina statue

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Milan seen from the Duomo terraces — Photo: AntoACZ · CC BY-SA 4.0

Guided Tours

€65 per person1.5 hours

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (Cenacolo Vinciano) Exclusive

Priority entry to Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'The Last Supper' inside the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie with a Renaissance master specialist.

Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milano

Official regulated 15-minute viewing pass of The Last Supper

In-depth Renaissance context and hidden symbol decode

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Boat Trips

€38 per person1 hour 15 mins

Navigli Sunset Boat Cruise & Milanese Spritz Aperitivo

Cruise along the historic Naviglio Grande canals engineered with locks designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Enjoy Campari spritz, prosecco, and local charcuterie as the sun sets over the water.

Alzaia Naviglio Grande 42, Milan

Electric vintage canal boat cruise on Naviglio Grande

See the historic Vicolo dei Lavandai

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Art & Museums

€55 per person2.5 hours

Pinacoteca di Brera & San Maurizio ("The Sistine Chapel of Milan")

Immerse yourself in Renaissance masterpieces: Raphael's Marriage of the Virgin and Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus in the world-renowned Pinacoteca di Brera, followed by the breathtaking 16th-century frescoes of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore.

Brera / Corso Magenta, Milan

Pinacoteca di Brera: Hayez's The Kiss, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Mantegna

San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore fully painted interior walls and choir

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Unique Experiences

€35 per person2 hours

Milan Secret Courtyards, Art Nouveau & Villa Invernizzi Flamingos Tour

Discover Milan's hidden eccentric side: gaze at live pink flamingos in the private garden of Villa Invernizzi, explore the Art Nouveau architecture of the Quadrilatero del Silenzio, the ear-shaped brass intercom of Casa Sola-Busca, and Villa Necchi Campiglio.

Palestro / Porta Venezia, Milan

Villa Invernizzi garden: see the colony of live pink flamingos in central Milan

Palazzo Berri-Meregalli with its gothic gargoyles and Wildt sculptures

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Pools & Swimming

€54 per personFull Day / Evening Pass

QC Termemilano VIP Thermal Spa Day & Tram Bio-Sauna

Immerse in an enchanting urban thermal oasis nestled against 16th-century Spanish fortifications. Experience heated outdoor mineral pools, aromatherapy steam rooms, sensory showers, the world-famous bio-sauna constructed inside a vintage Milanese street tram, and the sunset Aperiterme with fine Italian bubbles.

Piazza Medaglie d'Oro 2, Porta Romana, Milan

World-famous original vintage Milanese street tram converted into a bio-sauna

Heated outdoor mineral pools surrounded by century-old botanical gardens

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Events, Live Music & Nights Out in Milan 🇮🇹

Jazz clubs, panoramic DJ sets, social dance nights and live music

3 Events

Porta Romana / Historic Center

Every Day09:00 - 23:00

QC Termemilano — Porta Romana

Thermal wellness sanctuary nestled against 16th-century Spanish walls with tram bio-sauna

Piazza Medaglie d'Oro 2, Milano

Historic Thermal BathsTram Bio-SaunaAncient Wall Pools

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Monumentale / Garibaldi

Mon - Sat07:00 - 22:00

Ceresio 7 Gym & Spa — The Exclusive Club

Milan's most exclusive lifestyle wellness club with rooftop fitness, Finnish sauna & cryotherapy

Via Ceresio 7, Milano

Luxury Rooftop GymVIP Personal TrainingFinnish Panorama Sauna

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Montenapoleone / Fashion District

Every Day09:00 - 21:00

Armani/SPA — 8th Floor Skyline Sanctuary

High-altitude luxury hydrotherapy vitality pool and panoramic relaxation over Milan rooftops

Via Alessandro Manzoni 31, Milano

8th Floor Vitality PoolPanoramic RelaxationLuxury Giorgio Armani Spa

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Domande Frequenti

When is the best time to visit a rooftop in Milan?

Golden hour between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM (Milanese Aperitivo): the sun sets behind the Porta Nuova skyscrapers and colours the marble spires of the Duomo.

How to get around Milan's neighborhoods?

Duomo and City Center for monuments and historic terraces, Brera for bohemian courtyards and art, Navigli for drinks by the water, and Porta Nuova/Isola for skyscrapers and avant-garde design.