Milan Cathedral at night

Rick Steves Thinks This Town Is One Of Italy's Most Underrated

By Mike Dunphy

VACATIONS

Milan tends to rank low on Italy bucket lists, but travel icon Rick Steves calls it "Italy's most underrated city." For Steves, the excitement starts at Milan Cathedral.
The Gothic cathedral has 3,400 statues and 52 massive pillars. Steves finds new appreciation in each flower, gargoyle, and saint's face carved in marble.
Milan’s major sights are mostly around the cathedral, making it very walkable. Another Steves favorite, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping mall, is in the main square.
The prestigious opera house La Scala is also nearby, and the attached museum hosts The Last Supper. Guests should also venture out to Sforzesco Castle and its numerous galleries.
For the full Milan experience, meet the Milanese at the Navigli Grande’s dozens of restaurants, cafes, bars, markets, and shops or the Bosco Verticale apartment buildings.