10 Best day trips from Milan: exploring Northern Italy

Explore the best day trips from Milan. Discover Lake Como, Bergamo, and Verona by train or car. Your guide to the most beautiful spots in Northern Italy.

Why Milan is a great base for day trips

I have visited Milan several times now. While I find it an incredibly intriguing city, the hustle and bustle can be a bit overwhelming at times. This is exactly why I love using Milan as a base to explore more of Northern Italy; the options for day trips are incredibly diverse!

During one of my trips, I spent a full week in Milan and headed out by train almost every day. The city is a major rail hub, so you can reach the foot of the Alps or the shores of a crystal-clear lake in no time. It’s wonderful to escape the city for the day, discover new places, and return in the evening to unwind with an aperitivo on a terrace in Milan.

Although the train is my personal favorite because of its convenience, most of these spots are easily accessible by rental car as well. Driving gives you a bit more freedom to stop along the way, though traveling by rail in this region is often faster and much more relaxing since you won’t have to worry about finding a parking spot.

The best day trips from Milan

Wondering what you can explore with Milan as your base? These are the best day trips from the city. For each destination, I’ve included the travel time from Milano Centrale, so you can decide for yourself if it’s worth the trip.

Lake Como

I took the train to the town of Como because I wanted to see for myself what makes this famous lake so special. Although the weather wasn’t quite cooperating and it was drizzling a bit, oddly enough, it actually felt quite peaceful. Despite the gray haze, I immediately saw that this is a special place: beautiful stately villas by the water, gardens full of colorful flowers and statues, green hills, and boats zipping back and forth across the lake.

This visit definitely left me wanting more; I really want to check out other famous towns like Bellagio and Varenna next time, because this lake is gorgeous even with clouds.

• Travel time: About 40 minutes by train, 50 minutes by car.
• Fun things to do: In Como, take the cable car to Brunate for sweeping lake views, or book this popular day tour that takes you to both the city of Como and photogenic Bellagio in one day.

Certosa di Pavia

This is a destination that is still high on my bucket list. The Certosa di Pavia is a massive, richly decorated monastery complex considered one of the most important monuments of the Italian Renaissance. I especially want to visit for the tranquility and to see the impressive marble facade, which is covered in statues and intricate details. It is an ideal trip if you are looking for a historical site off the beaten path, just a stone’s throw from the city.

• Travel time: About 40 minutes by train, 50 minutes by car (it’s only 32 kilometers, but the roads can be quite crowded).
• Note: The monks here observe a strict siesta between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Plan your visit for the early morning or late afternoon to avoid arriving at a closed door. On Mondays, the monastery is closed to visitors.

Bergamo

Bergamo is without a doubt one of my favorite towns in Northern Italy. The city is divided into a modern lower part and a fairytale-like historic center on the hill: the Città Alta. When I arrived at the top, I truly felt like a princess for a moment; the place is so photogenic! I spent hours wandering through its narrow streets.

In a cozy little restaurant, I had a delicious local polenta and experienced something truly special: a couple of old Italian men came by and gave me a huge purple hat because they thought it suited me well. It probably looked ridiculous, but since it was so hot, I wore it all day. That hospitality and atmosphere make Bergamo unforgettable for me.

• Travel time: Approximately 50 minutes by both train and car.
• Read more: 15 awesome things to do in Bergamo Italy
• Fun things to do: From the lower town, take the historic cable car (funicolare) up to the upper town. After your polenta, be sure to get an ice cream at La Marianna, the place where stracciatella was invented in 1961.

Lugano (Switzerland)

Switzerland is one of my favorite destinations in Europe, and you can easily combine it with your stay in Milan! The train will take you across the border to Lugano in no time. Here, the Italian dolce vita blends perfectly with Swiss order and cleanliness.

Lake Lugano is stunning and surrounded by impressive mountains. It is still on my list to walk along the promenade to Parco Ciani, a park filled with flowers and statues right by the water. It seems to have a very different atmosphere from the towns in Lombardy, yet it still offers the familiar Italian language and delicious cuisine.

• Travel time: About an hour and a half by train, by car you are a little faster.
• Note: on’t forget your passport or ID card as you will be crossing the border. Also, keep in mind that prices in Switzerland (for lunch or a cup of coffee, for example) are significantly higher than in Italy.

Verona

To be honest: I didn’t visit Verona as a day trip from Milan myself; instead, I stayed there for an entire week. This allowed me to get to know the city very well. However, Verona is still a perfect day trip destination, as there is more than enough beauty to see in a single day!

Verona has a gorgeous historic center. Of course, you can check out Juliet’s balcony, although in my opinion, it’s certainly not the most beautiful spot in the city. I absolutely loved the view of the city and the Ponte Pietra from Castel San Pietro; you’ll have to brave quite a few stairs to get there, but the panorama is unforgettable. Piazza delle Erbe is a great place to enjoy a terrace, but other than that, you should just get lost in the streets. Every square and alley is photogenic; it is such an incredibly beautiful city!

• Travel time: Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes by high-speed train (from Milano Centrale), or 2 hours by car.
• Read more: 10 awesome things to do in Verona
• Fun thing to do: Visit Verona’s impressive Arena in Piazza Bra. If you’re there in the summer, you can even attend a world-famous opera here at night.

Turin

Turin has been high on my bucket list ever since my parents showed me photos of their trip. Like Milan, it is very stately, but much quieter and with a slightly less “hip” or modern vibe. Think wide boulevards and grand palaces; the city has a distinctly regal feel. Turin is also known as the capital of chocolate, so I definitely want to go there to try a Bicerin (a traditional drink made with coffee, chocolate, and cream). The view from the Mole Antonelliana also looks absolutely fantastic.

• Travel time: About 1 hour by high-speed train, or 1 hour and 45 minutes by car.
• Fun thing to do: For culture lovers, the Egyptian Museum is a must-see; it is considered the most important collection of Egyptian artifacts in the world after Cairo.

Lake Garda

I personally visited Lake Garda as a day trip from Verona (getting off at Peschiera del Garda), but it’s just as easy to visit from Milan. The atmosphere here is completely different from Lake Como. I found it more expansive and open, and I spent hours strolling along the promenade, enjoying the views over the water.

One thing I did notice is the large number of massive campsites around Lake Garda. While that’s not really my cup of tea, I can totally see why this is a great destination for a family vacation. For a day out of the city, the south side of the lake, with towns like Peschiera or Sirmione, is a wonderful place to get away from it all.

• Travel time: Approximately 1 hour by train, or 1 hour and 30 minutes by car.
• Fun things to do: Visit the peninsula of Sirmione. The lakeside castle is stunning, and you can also explore the ruins of an ancient Roman villa. Alternatively, you can book a scenic boat tour of the lake.

Genoa

Fancy soaking up the sea air? Then Genoa is the place to be. This raw but atmospheric port city is still on my list to explore. Genoa has one of the largest medieval centers in Europe, and I can already see myself getting completely lost in the caruggi (the characteristic narrow alleys).

It seems to be a city with two faces: stately palaces on one side and a lively, a tad chaotic harbor on the other. And of course, I want to taste the one and only pasta with fresh pesto here, because that’s where it originated!

• Travel time: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by train, or 2 hours by car.
• Fun thing to do: Stroll along Via Garibaldi to admire the beautiful palaces that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Monza

Most people only know Monza for its Formula One circuit, but the city itself seems to be well worth a day trip too. It is almost adjacent to Milan, so it takes no time at all to get there. What particularly attracts me is the massive Parco di Monza; this is one of the largest walled city parks in Europe, and it looks like a wonderful place for a long walk. I also want to see Monza’s Duomo, as it is where the famous Iron Crown of Lombardy is kept.

• Travel time: 10 minutes by train, 30 minutes by car.
• Fun thing to do: Visit the Villa Reale, an impressive palace with stunning gardens that are often compared to Versailles.

Bologna

Bologna is a city that immediately grabbed me, the atmosphere is just fantastic! It is known as the culinary capital of Italy, but it is also incredible in terms of architecture. What especially stuck with me were the miles of beautiful porticoes (arcades) that give the city its unique character.

During my visit, I climbed the Torre degli Asinelli, the tallest tower in the city. It was quite a climb, but the view over the sea of red roofs was more than worth it (unfortunately, this tower is currently closed for maintenance, but the sight from below is already impressive). I also found Piazza Santo Stefano, a square with seven different churches merging into one another, very special to see.

• Travel time: About 1 hour and 15 minutes by high-speed train (from Milano Centrale), or about 2 hours and 15 minutes by car.
• Read more: What to do in Bologna? Practical tips & the most beautiful sights
• Fun things to do: Visit the impressive anatomical theater in the old university building (Archiginnasio). And of course: eat an authentic tagliatelle al ragù here—the original version of what we know as Bolognese!

In my opinion, these are the best day trips from Milan. Looking at this list, there are plenty of reasons to head that way again; there is just so much beauty to discover!