City Pass Milan: the tourist pass of Milan

After having recently shown you around Milan in our dedicated article, let us tell you today about the Milan city pass. This tourist pass allows you to group your visits and transport while saving money.
We will see that in the case of the city of Milan, there are different tourist passes that will allow you both to save money by grouping your visits.
These passes will be more or less interesting depending on the length of your stay, the number of activities you want to do and also the type of visit. We will see that there are alternatives to these two Milan city passes. At the end of the article, we give you our opinion on the tourist passes of Milan.

City Pass Milan

• The Milan Card
• The Milan Digital Pass
• Alternative au city pass Milan
• Summary of the different Milan city passes
• My opinion on Milan city passes

Two city passes are available in Milan: the Milano Card and the Milan Digital Pass.
Each of them has advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will detail the particularities, prices, durations and activities included in these two tourist passes.

The Milan Card

Let's start with what is undoubtedly the most popular Milan city pass, the Milano Card. A card including free visits, optional transport and numerous reductions.

What activities are included in the Milano Card?

Let's start by reviewing the main activities included in the Milano Card.

Terraces of the Duomo of Milan

The number one must-see in Milan, the Duomo of Milan is none other than the Milan Cathedral which sits proudly in the middle of the city. The emblematic cathedral is a must for all travelers passing through the city.
The Milano Card includes, not the visit to the cathedral which will unfortunately have to be taken separately, but access to the terraces of the cathedral. Indeed, it is possible to access the roofs of the Milan Cathedral. Access is either on foot or via the elevator. In the case of our city pass, access via the elevator is included.
From the top of the cathedral you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the center of Milan and even of its business district. You can also contemplate the Madonnina, the Virgin Mary, who sits atop the highest spire of the cathedral.

La Scala Museum and Theater

Another must-see in Milan, the famous La Scala theater is also part of the visits included in this Milan city pass. Before contemplating the huge theatre, browse the different rooms that make up the La Scala museum. Once the visit to the museum is over, discover the entrance hall of the famous theater and then settle down in one of the boxes to contemplate the beauty of the theatre.

Pinacothèque Ambrosienne

Milan has two renowned art galleries. This city pass allows you to visit one of them: the Ambrosian Pinacoteca. Located in a historic building, right in the center of Milan, this tour will delight lovers of art, sculptures and historical objects. The palace in which this art gallery is also worth a visit. As for the works of art, they are magnificently highlighted thanks to a thoughtful and pleasant layout. Some remarkable pieces are to be observed, such as the Basket of Fruits by Caravaggio or the Portrait of a Musician by Leonardo da Vinci.
At the end of the visit, you will discover the very first library that opened to the public in the world. A decor worthy of Harry Potter with very beautiful old books.

Catwalk of the gallery Vittorio Emanuele II

During your visit to Milan, you cannot miss the splendid Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, among the most beautiful galleries in Europe. This passage will take you from Duomo Square to La Scala Square. There are some of the best restaurants in town and luxury boutiques. If you look up to the sky you can see one of the joyful galleries, its cupola.
If you want to see it closer, it is possible. A 250-meter course, at the top of the galleries, has been imagined and takes you to discover the roof of the latter.
Access to this activity is included in the Milano Card.

Leonardo Museum 3: The World of Leonardo

Let's stay on the side of the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery to discover a place that is inside the galleries themselves. The Leonardo Museum 3: The World of Leonardo is a museum dedicated to the Italian genius, Leonardo da Vinci. You will discover, inside this museum, a large number of his inventions in reduced size. The museum aims to be interactive and fun. You will have the opportunity to try building some of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions yourself.
Part of the museum is dedicated to the famous painting “The Last Supper”. This part allows you to discover the work of the painter as he painted it several centuries earlier.
A museum worth visiting if you want to learn more about this character who marked the history of the city, the country and even all of Europe.

Leonardo's vineyard

If you are interested in the life of the Italian genius, then you cannot miss "Leonardo's vineyard". This place is none other than one of Leonardo da Vinci's residences, offered by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, in 1498.
This area was the living place of the inventor for several years. He imagined many works here, including "La Cène" or "La Joconde". During the visit, you will be able to discover the house in which Leonardo da Vinci lived, but also the garden, the greenhouses and, of course, the vineyard.

Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum

The Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum is one of the most important museums in the city. This gigantic science museum houses a whole host of surprising objects on science in general, transport and technology. There is a sector dedicated to the technologies of the last decades with the very first smartphones, a sector dedicated to astronomy, another to the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci but the most surprising remains that devoted to means of transport. You will have the opportunity to see them in all their forms, planes, boats of all kinds, but the most surprising remains the submarine and the rocket exhibited in the courtyard of the museum!

Museum and visit to the San Siro Stadium

Football enthusiasts or simply curious, a visit to the San Siro stadium can also be one of the city's must-sees. The Giuseppe Meazza stadium, more commonly known as San Siro, is one of the most emblematic stadiums in Europe. This stadium has the distinction of hosting two of the biggest teams in Italy, Inter Milan and AC Milan. A visit that includes access to the stadium museum, the locker rooms of the two teams, the access corridors to the lawn or even the stands of the stadium.
A guided and commented tour that will teach you more about the history of the stadium and the teams it hosts.

Triennale de Milan

Also called Palazzo dell'Arte, the Milan Triennale, located in the Sempione Park, houses various international exhibitions on the decorative arts.

Casa Milan

Casa Milan is none other than the museum of the football club, AC Milan. A unique exhibition that will teach you more about the history of the mythical Milanese club and its 115 years of existence.

Bagatti Valsecchi Museum

The Bagatti Valsecchi Museum is a historic residence in the city of Milan, today transformed into a museum, it houses a collection of art dating from the Italian Renaissance.

Transports

The Milano Card also offers, in addition to these activities, access to various transport in the city.
The basic pass offers access to the city's ATM network. This means that you will have access to all of the city's buses as well as the metro and tram.

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Option
For an additional €10, the pass can include unlimited access to the multiple-stop bus (Hop-on Hop-off bus). This means that during the two days of validity of your city pass, you can travel using one of the 4 lines of the hop-on hop-off bus included in your pass, unlimited. The bus is equipped with an audio guide in 8 languages ​​allowing you to discover the city with explanations of each of the places in front of which you pass.

What durations and prices for the Milano Card?

Acheter the Milan Card

My opinion on the Milano Card

Most: A city pass that includes transport and access to the main activities of the city.

Cons: Not very flexible, this city pass is only valid for 48 hours. We very much regret that access to the interior of the Duomo is not included in this tourist pass. You will need to make a large number of visits to make this pass profitable. Go to the end of the article for the comparison of Milan city passes.

The Milan Digital Pass

Let's now move on to the second Milan city pass, the Milan Digital Pass. A pass that aims to be simpler, less complete but also less expensive.

What activities are included in the Milan Digital Pass?

The Milan Digital Pass includes 5 items: 3 visits, an audio guide and a discount voucher.

Milan Duomo: Cathedral, roofs and museum

A big highlight of this Milan Digital Pass, access to the emblematic Milan Cathedral, inside the cathedral but also to its terraces and its museum. The visit of the cathedral will take you to discover the archaeological remains located under the latter.
Please note that access to the terraces of the cathedral will be via the stairs, not the elevator.
Opposite the cathedral, don't miss the Duomo museum retracing the history of the cathedral and exhibiting stained glass windows, statutes and other pieces from the cathedral.

La Scala Theater and its museum

Another strong point of this Milan city pass is access to the La Scala theater and its museum. As with the Milano Card, the Milan Digital Pass gives you access to the theater museum as well as the main hall and dressing rooms.

Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology

We talked about it above, the Science and Technology Museum is also part of the 3 visits included in the Milan Digital Pass. This museum, which houses more than 16 pieces, traces the history of technology from the past but also from the future. It houses some amazing pieces like a submarine and a rocket!

Milan audio guide

An audio guide available in 6 languages ​​and including explanations relating to more than 130 places in the city of Milan will also be offered to you with the Milan Digital Pass.

Réduction

This city pass also includes a 10% discount code on one of your future purchases on the Tiqets website. You can use this discount code up to 5 times on the visit of your choice, such as the Pinacoteca de Brera, the visit to “The Last Supper” or the hop-on hop-off bus.

How long and what prices for the Milan Digital Pass?

The Milan Digital pass does not have a validity period. Indeed, by buying this pass, you also book for the 3 activities included. You will therefore need to plan the date of your visits. The audio guide, meanwhile, is to be downloaded to your smartphone and also has no validity period.
The Milan Digital Pass costs €46.

Buy the Milan Digital Pass

My opinion on the Milan Digital Pass

Most: A city pass that includes the essentials of Milan. The audio guide is a plus of this Milan city pass.

Cons: The number of activities is limited. We regret the access to the terraces of the Duomo by the staircase (no elevator option). It will be necessary to use the reductions to make happening financially interesting.

Alternative au city pass Milan

Although the two city passes that we have previously discussed have certain advantages, they also have disadvantages. These disadvantages could make these city passes a bad solution in terms of booking activities in Milan.
We will see in the summary below the situations where these city passes are interesting and those where they are not. In the latter case, you will have to consider the alternatives to these city passes: book your activities independently.

Milan Cathedral
The Milan city passes have limits on the visit to the cathedral. The Milano Card only offers access to the terraces, while the Digital Pass offers entry to the cathedral and access to the terraces by stairs.
You can find here all the possibilities in terms of visits to Milan Cathedral:

• Ticket for the cathedral only – 7,50€
• Ticket for the cathedral and the terraces – 16,50€
• Ticket for the terraces only – 13€
• Guided tour in French of the cathedral and terraces – 29€

La Scala Theater and Museum
Tickets to the La Scala theater and museum are included in Milan city passes. However, if you want a guided tour, in French, you will have to turn to an independent purchase of the city pass.

• Ticket for La Scala Theater and Museum – €14,40
• Guided tour, in French, of the La Scala theater – 29€

Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum
If you choose not to opt for a city pass, you can purchase your admission to the Science and Technology Museum on its own.

• Ticket for the Science and Technology Museum – €10,50

Leonard 3: Leonard's World
Surprisingly none of the city passes offer entry to the Leonard 3 Museum: The World of Leonardo, yet one of the most interesting works of Italian genius.

• Ticket to Leonard's World – 12€

Bus Hop-on Hop-off
If you are a fan of multiple-stop bus tours, then you can book your ticket for access from 24 to 72 hours.

• Ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus – 22€

Summary of Milan tourist passes

Here is a summary table of the two main Milan city passes. We will compare this to buying activities individually.
For this we will focus on the essential activities of the city.
Let's take the example of a stay of two full days in Milan. These two days will allow you to visit the activities listed below without too much difficulty. This list represents, for us, the essentials (paying) of a stay in Milan.

When should you opt for a Milan city pass?

We will see the conditions to be met for these city passes to be interesting:

• You want to make a large number of visits: by multiplying the visits and mainly making the visits included in the city passes, you will be able to make these passes profitable. Please note that the Milano Card is only valid for 48 hours.
• You do not want to take a guided tour: none of the city passes offer a guided tour. If you want to do it, these city passes are very likely not to be profitable.
• You plan to travel often by public transport: one of the main advantages of the Milano Card is that it includes unlimited access to public transport in the city (please note, this does not include airports).

When not to buy a Milan city pass?

• You want to visit only the essentials of the city: as we can see in our summary table, if you only want to visit the essentials of Milan, forget the Milano Card. The Milan Digital Pass can be interesting if you do not want to take a guided tour.
• You want to take guided tours: none of the city passes offer guided tours. If you want to do some, go for the purchase of activities alone.
• You plan to get around on foot as often as possible: most of the things to see and do in Milan can be reached on foot from accommodation located in the center of the city. If you don't plan to use public transport, the Milano Card is not for you.

Milan City Pass Questions & Answers

How much does the Milan city pass cost?

The Milano Card costs €79 or €89 with the hop-on hop-off bus option. The Milan Digital Pass, meanwhile, costs €46.

How long is the Milan city pass valid for?

The Milano Card is valid for 48 hours. The Milan Digital Pass is only valid for the duration of the 3 reserved visits.

What transport is included in the Milan city pass?

The Milano Card includes access to the city's public transport. The Milan Digital Pass does not include any transport.

Do Milan city passes include guided tours?

Unfortunately none of the city passes offer a guided tour of the city or one of these monuments. If you are looking for guided tours, I invite you to take a look at this page which references many guided tours, in French.

My opinion on Milan city passes

While I usually recommend the purchase of a tourist pass during a city trip, it is much more difficult for me to recommend the Milan one. Indeed, several points, for me prohibitive, make these city passes options that I cannot recommend.
None of these city passes include a guided tour (even as an option). Some places, such as the Duomo or La Scala, can only be appreciated with the explanations of a guide who tells you their history. There are so many things to learn about these monuments that it would be a shame not to surround yourself with a professional guide.
Another black point of these city passes, none of them offer a transfer (private or not) to and from one of the city's airports.
The Milano Card could be interesting if its duration were not limited to 48 hours. Nevertheless, if you recognize yourself in the section "When to opt for a city pass?" » and that you have calculated that the « City Pass » option is more interesting, then go for it!