Experience a cosmopolitan mix of art, culture, fashion, design, finance and business on a walking tour of Milan city center, and discover why it attracts millions of visitors to its trendy boutiques and stores. Meet your guide by the Duomo on Piazza del Duomo for close up views of the stained glass windows, marble statues, and spires of one of the world's largest cathedrals. Then, stroll over to La Galleria, designed by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni as an iron and glass cupola, and discover the flagship stores of Prada, Gucci, and Armani under the glass canopy of the luxury arcade. Next, take in the somber façade of La Scala, the most famous opera house in the world. Opposite you’ll see City Hall, seperated from the theater by a 19th-century statue of Leonardo da Vinci surrounded by his pupils. Take a short cut through Piazza dei Mercanti to see porticos, reliefs and loggias still standing from the Middle Ages. Continue to the 14th-century Castello Sforzesco, once one of the largest fortified military citadels in Europe. Now completely restored, the castle is home to many of Milan’s most important museums, including the Museum of Ancient Art, where Michelangelo's “Rondanini Pietà” sculpture takes pride of place.

With a guided tour of the Castello Sforzesco and the civic museums in Milan, experience the charm of courtly life, ladies and knights, and Gothic legends. Skip the ticket lines at Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) and the Museum of Ancient Art before visiting Parco Sempione. Marvel at the architecture of Castello Sforzesco, then visit its interior to rediscover the more distant history of the city of Milan, as witnessed by the sculptural treasures of the Museum of Ancient Art. Moving through the rooms of the castle, admire the masterpieces kept inside, from the Sala delle Asse by Leonardo da Vinci to the Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo, and other priceless gems of the Milanese Middle Ages and Renaissance. Later, pass the 15th-century courtyards of the castle to Parco Sempione for a stroll through the greenery of the park, where the hunting grounds of the Lords of Milan once stood. Learn about the history of the area as you explore among the tree-lined avenues and the numerous monuments. In the green heart of Milan, designed by the architect Emilio Alemagna, follow your guide on an itinerary that leads from the Fontana dell'Acqua Marcia to the romantic Ponte delle Sirenette (once suspended over the Naviglio). Continue to the Bagni Misteriosi di Giorgio De Chirico (a treasure sometimes forgotten by the Milanese themselves) and the Civic Aquarium of Milan. The aquarium is housed in a one-of-a-kind building, an example of Art Nouveau architecture and the only surviving building of an exhibition apparatus built for the universal exhibition held in Milan over a century ago. Not far from the aquarium, at the edge of the park, discover the Arena Civica, now a temple of sport in the city center: it was Napoleon who wanted it that way. Marvel at an amphitheater that could accommodate 30,000 people for celebrations and public performances under the Milanese sky.

With a guided tour of the Castello Sforzesco and the civic museums in Milan, experience the charm of courtly life, ladies and knights, and Gothic legends. Skip the ticket lines at Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) and the Museum of Ancient Art before visiting Parco Sempione. Marvel at the architecture of Castello Sforzesco, then visit its interior to rediscover the more distant history of the city of Milan, as witnessed by the sculptural treasures of the Museum of Ancient Art. Moving through the rooms of the castle, admire the masterpieces kept inside, from the Sala delle Asse by Leonardo da Vinci to the Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo, and other priceless gems of the Milanese Middle Ages and Renaissance. Later, pass the 15th-century courtyards of the castle to Parco Sempione for a stroll through the greenery of the park, where the hunting grounds of the Lords of Milan once stood. Learn about the history of the area as you explore among the tree-lined avenues and the numerous monuments. In the green heart of Milan, designed by the architect Emilio Alemagna, follow your guide on an itinerary that leads from the Fontana dell'Acqua Marcia to the romantic Ponte delle Sirenette (once suspended over the Naviglio). Continue to the Bagni Misteriosi di Giorgio De Chirico (a treasure sometimes forgotten by the Milanese themselves) and the Civic Aquarium of Milan. The aquarium is housed in a one-of-a-kind building, an example of Art Nouveau architecture and the only surviving building of an exhibition apparatus built for the universal exhibition held in Milan over a century ago. Not far from the aquarium, at the edge of the park, discover the Arena Civica, now a temple of sport in the city center: it was Napoleon who wanted it that way. Marvel at an amphitheater that could accommodate 30,000 people for celebrations and public performances under the Milanese sky.