Castello Sforzesco

Inside Parco Sempione on Piazza Cairoli

MM1 Cairoli or Cadorna, MM2 Cadorna or Lanza), Milan.

Phone 02-8846-3700. The castle is open daily 9:30 am-5:30 pm; the museums are open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30 am-5:30 pm. Admission to the castle and its museums is free

Admission is charged for the weekend castle tour.  

Built at the end of the 14th century, this red brick castle is one of the city's most imposing landmarks.  It was been destroyed, rebuilt and altered many times over the centuries. When Milan was under French rule, the castle was used as a military barracks. It now houses several museums: Museo d'Arte Antica, whose most notable piece is the Rondanini Pieta by Michelangelo, which was left unfinished at his death; the Pinacoteca, a collection of paintings and frescoes; and Egyptian and prehistoric collections. Tour offered Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm, through the castle. Bring a flashlight and good walking shoes.

Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica

Via San Vittore 21

MM2 Sant' Agostino, Milan.

Phone 02-485-551.

Tuesday-Friday 9:30 am-5 pm; Saturday and Sunday 9:30 am-6:30 pm. Admission charged; No credit cards. Both children and adults enjoy the National Museum of Science and Technology, a homage to Leonardo da Vinci: It is very crowded on school days. Although it highlights da Vinci's scientific work with models and plans of his many inventions, it covers a wide span of modern technology, including trains, cars, airplanes and even an Italian submarine. Hands-on displays let you experiment with how things work. Most of the exhibit descriptions are in Italian, but the spacious Renaissance monastery setting adds to the experience.

Giardini Pubblici

Corso Venezia

MM1 Porta Venezia or Palestro, MM3 Turati, Milan. Daily 6:30 am-sunset. Free. The oldest (from 1786) and largest park in Milan, it was originally planned by the architect who designed the La Scala opera house. It's a great spot for children, with a merry-go-round, go-karts and three lakes.

The Last Supper

Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2), Milan.

Phone 02-8942-1146 for reservations.

Tuesday-Sunday 8:15 am-7 pm (last entrance is at 6:45 pm). Guided tours in English are offered Tuesday-Sunday at 9:30 am and 3:30 pm Leonardo da Vinci painted this famous fresco, known in Italy as the Cenacolo Vinciano, between 1495 and 1498 on the wall of the monastery refectory, or dining hall, attached to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. As familiar as the Mona Lisa, the picture shows Christ celebrating a last meal with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion.

During the bombing of Milan in World War II, the refectory was almost completely destroyed. One of the few parts left intact was the wall with the fresco, which had been covered from floor to ceiling with sandbags. The fresco has had five restorations

Osservatorio Astronomico

Via Brera 28 MM2 Lanza), Milan.

Phone 02-7232-0301.

The observatory itself is open two days a month, though sometimes there are night sessions for viewing the stars.

Monday-Friday 9 am-12:30 pm, 1:30-4 pm. Museum, free; observatory charge.

The observatory, one of 12 in all of Italy, has been located in the Palazzo Brera since 1765. There you can visit the museum of antique astronomical instruments, the observatory where the canals on Mars were first charted and the rooftop where meteorological measurements have been made for 200 years. Guided tour times vary by season