- Itinerari
- Art & Culture
Walking Through Milano in the Footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci
Short on time and wondering what to see in Milan in one day? This itinerary offers the perfect balance between efficiency and discovery.
In just a few hours, you’ll visit must-see landmarks and uncover hidden stories and fascinating facts about Leonardo da Vinci’s enduring influence on Milan.
Skip-the-line tickets to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Crypt of San Sepolcro, Castello Sforzesco Museums, and the National Museum of Science and Technology, plus 24-hour public transport and two special Leonardo-themed itineraries, are all included in the YesMilano City Pass Leonardo Edition.
Leonardo da Vinci is the most Googled Italian personality in the world, yet few people know that he deliberately chose to settle and work in Milan, where he spent most of his professional and artistic life.
Leonardo and the Duomo
Begin your journey in the heart of Milan, in front of the majestic Duomo, the city’s symbol and a Gothic masterpiece.
Leonardo da Vinci also contributed to a call for ideas for the cathedral’s design, particularly for the dome.
Continue through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an elegant covered passage connecting the Duomo to Teatro alla Scala. In Piazza della Scala, admire the statue of Leonardo, surrounded by busts of his pupils.
Conceived decades earlier in unrealized projects, the statue was begun under Austrian rule and completed after Milan’s liberation.
Inaugurated in 1872, the statue of Leonardo da Vinci stands as a symbol of his timeless fame.
Leonardo's legacy
Statue of Leonardo da Vinci in Piazza della Scala
Conceived decades earlier in unrealized projects, the statue was begun under Austrian rule and completed after Milan’s liberation.
Inaugurated in 1872, the statue of Leonardo da Vinci stands as a symbol of his timeless fame.
The world in a Codex
A young musician, immortalized by Leonardo’s brush, is one of the highlights of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, alongside works by Bruegel, Caravaggio, Titian, and Botticelli.
Nearby, the Ambrosiana Library houses over 1,000 pages of the Codex Atlanticus, revealing Leonardo’s thoughts, visions, and projects.
Selected pages are displayed on rotation for conservation purposes.
A garden in a room
Head to the Castello Sforzesco, once a ducal residence and now one of Milan’s main museums.
Inside, the Sala delle Asse, painted by Leonardo with intertwining branches and leaves, transforms the room into a secret garden.
Currently under restoration and closed to the public, the courtyard features a reconstructed mulberry pergola also designed by Leonardo.
Take the opportunity to dive into Milan’s past with the Museum of Ancient Art and Armory, Museum of Furniture and Wooden Sculpture, Decorative Arts Museum, and Museum of Musical Instruments.
Don’t miss the final, moving masterpiece by another great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo Buonarroti: the Rondanini Pietà.
A flight through the centuries
End your itinerary at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, Italy’s largest science and technology museum.
Here, you’ll find 3D models of Leonardo’s inventions, faithfully reconstructed from his original drawings—an immersive experience into the engineering mind of the Renaissance genius.
Visit the National Science and Technology Museum and its Leonardo section.
Immortal fragility
No visit is complete without seeing The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
This fragile yet timeless masterpiece continues to move visitors from around the world.
⚠️ Important: Only a few tickets are available each morning at the ticket office. Due to conservation efforts, advance booking is essential.
Admission to the church, a masterpiece by Bramante, is free. Leonardo likely walked through its aisles during the four years he spent completing the mural for the Dominican friars.
The legacy of Leonardo
Statue of Leonardo da Vinci in piazza della Scala
The statue of Leonardo da Vinci was conceived decades before its presentation: it was started when the Austrians ruled the city, and was completed shortly after the liberated city had just opened the square in front of La Scala Theatre and the façade of Palazzo Marino, the City Hall and the institutional site, was being renewed. The year was 1872, and the placing of this statue shows how Leonardo da Vinci's fame endured and survived through the centuries.
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