As a photographer traveling to Milan, where should you go to take awesome photos?
Milan is an old city in northern Italy with a rich and varied history, which comes across in its architecture and art. The architecture is a mix of mid-century buildings along with some older ones tucked in between. Here and there are ancient Roman structures, or more like pieces of structures, like the columns mentioned below. Whether it’s for Instagram worthy photos or to take photos for your portfolio, here are some top photo spots in Milan Italy!
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Sforza Castle
The Sforza Castle is in the middle of Milan and is an imposing medieval castle that houses several museums.
The front of the Sforza Castle, Milan Italy
Behind the Sforza Castle is Sempione Park, Milan Italy
Brera Neighorhood
The Brera neighborhood, just north of the central area, is where the famous Pinacoteca di Brera museum is located. The Brera Botanical Garden is also in this area, where you can go and relax in between siteseeing.
A street in the Brera neighborhood
Piazzetta di Brera, near the Pinacoteca di Brera museum
Courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera museum
Brera Botanical Garden in Milan Italy
Santa Maria delle Grazie
This medieval church and convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is where you go to see Leonardo da Vinci’s famous mural of the Last Supper. You can’t take photos of the painting, but it is worth seeing. The garden in the courtyard is a nice setting and a place to view the attractive dome of the church.
Front of the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, Milan Italy
A courtyard at the Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan Italy
Dome of the Santa Maria dell Grazie church, Milan Italy
We walked to most of the sites in Milan, except for the tour we took through Viator that transported us by bus. Unless you purchase tickets way in advance, the best way to see the Last Supper is to go on a tour. Our tour also included a visit to the La Scala Opera House and a tour through the interior of the Duomo. The bus ride also gave us a view of the central area that we wouldn’t have gotten just by walking around, so it was well worth taking the tour.
La Scala Opera House
The famous La Scala opera house is worth visiting to see the interior of the theater itself and for the museum which will show you the history of the opera house and the talented musicians, singers, and directors who performed there.
The sumptuous interior of La Scala Opera House, Milan Italy
Columns of San Lorenzo
South of the central area, as you head along the Corso di Porta Ticinese toward the Navigli area you will come across these old Roman columns in front of the church of San Lorenzo. It’s a marvel to think how old these columns are! We walked by on a Saturday evening and there were people hanging out, meeting up, and strolling by.
Colonned di San Lorenzo, Milan Italy
Night view of the columns of San Lorenzo, Milan Italy
Porta Ticinese Medievale
The Porta Ticinese Medievale gate, Milan Italy
Near the columns of San Lorenzo is the Porta Ticinese Medievale, one of the three remaining medieval gates of Milan, built in the 12th century.
Navigli
The Navigli district is where there are canals, originally built in medieval times to transport cargo and people. Now, it is a picturesque area, the canals are lined with shops and restaurant that light up in the evening. On a Saturday night the area is very lively with street musicians and food stands for the large amounts of people to enjoy.
A canal in the Navigli district during twilight, Milan Italy
Who can resist a spritz from this little stand in the Navigli area in Milan Italy?
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The glass dome enclosed shopping area was built in the late 1800s. The galleria is still a popular shopping area and one of the most popular sites to visit in Milan. For photography purposes it is best visited early in the morning, otherwise there are throngs of people around — it is next to the Duomo so you can take photos there as well. Besides shops, in the galleria there are restaurants and even a museum! The World of Leonardo museum is on the second floor and if you look out the window you can get a good overview of the galleria.
The glass dome and arched ceiling of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan Italy
View from the second story window of the World of Leonardo museum in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Duomo di Milano
In the center of Milan is one of the most photographed buildings in Milan, the Duomo. When researching Milan before the trip, the one image that always came up was of the Duomo. I didn’t want to take the same pictures that every one else does, but once I was there looking at the church, I understood why it was so popular!
It’s a massive structure! It’s the largest church in Italy and second largest in Europe. As you look at it you can’t help but wonder how this ever got built not only because of the size but all the details and parts of that went into it. There are about 3,400 statues and 135 spires, which you can see up close when you go on the rooftop.
The Condoglian marble that the cathedral is built of, reflects the light and provides a bright white glow in the sunlight during the day, then at sunset time picks up a rosy glow. When you’re up close, you can actually see that the marble is not white, but pink and cream with some grey streaks.
Late afternoon light on the Duomo, Milan Italy
Detail of the front right corner of the Duomo, Milan Italy
A rooftop view of the buttresses of the Duomo, Milan Italy
View of some spires at the top of the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is in the background
Old and new - decorative pinnacles of the Duomo roof and the spire of the Unicredit building in the distance, Milan Italy
Sunset from the Duomo rooftop, Milan Italy
