36 Hours in Milan
By Ciara Sanchez | Posted: March 14, 2026
There’s nothing more thrilling than a quick trip through a major European city. When my friends and I decided to take a weekend trip to Milan to catch one of the Women’s Ice Hockey Olympic games, we knew there’d be more to-dos on our list than time to see them all. But we were excited to make our way to Milan and pack in as much fun as possible.
Getting there and getting around
Aside from countless museums, incredible architecture, and delicious food tailored to each region, Europe does one thing well: transit. Flights are affordable, and train options connect virtually any European destination to another.
Our group of 5 decided to take the direct train from Geneva, Switzerland, to Milano Central Station. It was nice not to have to worry about a security check or the weight of our baggage. And the views? Stunning displays of the Swiss Alps, farmland, and lakes.
Tip: If given the option to reserve seats, we always request at least one window seat to have an unobstructed view. If you’re ever headed northeast from Geneva, choose the right side of the train for jaw-dropping lake views.
In Milan
Once we arrived at the main station, we looked for a storage locker nearby to drop off our bags while we explored the city before our Airbnb was ready.
We purchased a 24-hour public transit pass for €7.60 (about $9 USD), which offered unlimited access to public trams and trains. The trains came frequently, so if one was full, we would wait a few minutes for the next one, which normally had plenty of space.
When we weren't using the Metro, we could easily walk around central Milan to see the sights, eat, and shop.
Google Maps was a reliable source for figuring out routes between the city center and the Ice Hockey Arena in Rho or any other landmark we wanted to see.
Must-sees, must-dos
Set aside time to wonder
Milan is very walkable and easily explored on foot. The walk from the Duomo to Arco della Pace is about 30 minutes and takes you past a great line-up of stores and through a lovely park.
Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa
You must visit the Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa, the most unique Catholic church I've ever seen. It was a sunny, bright day the first time I saw the room packed with thousands of human bones artfully arranged. The further I looked up, the more in awe I was at the ornately painted ceiling. On this most recent trip, the weather was gloomy, and the atmosphere of the room felt more eerie.
Around the Duomo
Grab a Classic (tomato and mozzarella) panzerotti from Luini when you're visiting the Duomo. Take time to explore the luxury shopping available right next to the Duomo. People watching for any amount of time will confirm that Milan is one of the world’s fashion capitals.
While you’re shopping, be sure to check out the Dancing Bull of Good Fortune mosaic located in the central square of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Myth has it that if you step your heel into the (well-worn) bull's testicles and spin three times clockwise, you’ll be blessed with luck. A fun
Food to try
Unfortunately, we did have to spend our only dinner of the trip on a sad slice of cheese pizza at the Olympic Arena (a cardinal sin for which I hope the travel gods forgive me). Milan is a city where I haven’t found an absolute favorite sit-down restaurant, so here at the more casual bites I can recommend a thousand times over.
Luini’s panzerotti
It cannot be overstated how much I love the Classic (tomato and mozzarella) panzerotti from Luini. I don’t think a trip to Milan is complete without it. The other panzerotti and assorted savory and sweet bakery items are great as well, but the Classic is just next level to me.
Venchi’s hot chocolate
Hot chocolate feels a little deceptive, as this drink is so thick that they give you a spoon to eat it! It’s the most decadent treat, and one my friends would warn that you need a bottle of water to power through (I was perfectly fine, but I really love chocolate). The seasonal flavor was raspberry while we were there. It was so good that I got it again from the main station before boarding our departing train from Milan.
De Santis paninis
The Milano Brera location was a cute, centrally located place to eat. I really enjoyed the Giorgia panini and the fresh fruit juice options as well!
Tip: The seating near the windows in front of the register also has USB and USBC outlets if you need to charge up devices while you eat.
Last but not least, the Olympics
When we booked our trip, the countries set to play had not be chosen yet. We were ecstatic to find out that Switzerland (where we were coming from) was set to play Finland! Before heading to Milan, we picked up a Swiss flag and some t-shirts for the game, which made the experience a lot more fun.
The crowds
As with any major event in a large city, there were a lot of people in Milan for the Olympics. The city did a great job of adding additional trains and trams for peak game times to shuttle people back and forth to the arenas. There were plenty of options to arrive at your arena, eat, and shop with time to spare before the game started.
The added exhibits for the Olympics
All over the city center, there were giant pop-up buildings and stores of different sponsors of the Games. The queues were hours long at each pop-up, and with our limited time, we didn’t feel it was worth it to wait in those lines. Even after googling a bit, I can’t find what those pop-ups had to offer, so the mystery continues!
The Women’s Ice Hockey Game
I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Swiss crowds, and they are typically very chill and reserved. In most concerts, you can hear an artist clearly, because the crowd isn’t singing along at top volume, and sometimes I’m the only one laughing out loud at the jokes on screen at the movie theater. So I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and vigor from the crowd as the Swiss team scored the first goal of the game!
The game itself was fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. I’d never seen an Ice Hockey game before, so I was grateful that the monitors in the arena showed graphics to explain the rules before the game started.
At halftime and during game time-outs, they played games with fans in the stands. It was really fun to see people decked out in Swiss and Finnish (and inexplicably Canadian?) gear to cheer on their team! A highlight of the night was getting on the jumbotron during one of those breaks.
In the last 5 minutes of the game, Switzerland was still up 1-0. One of the Swiss players was thrown into the penalty box, ushering the crowd to chant “Hop Suisse,” meaning “go Switzerland” or “Come on, Switzerland,” with even more fervor. At less than 2 minutes on the clock, Switzerland had managed to hold its lead, and a team member from Finland was sent to the penalty box as well, restoring balance on the ice. I’ve never been more stressed at a sporting event than watching those last two minutes of the game while Finland had attempt after attempt on goal. But Switzerland’s goalie kept it together and helped pull off the win for Switzerland! Team Switzerland’s Women’s Ice Hockey team went on to win bronze overall at the Games.
If you ever have the chance to see an Olympic game, even if it’s an event you’re unfamiliar with, go for it! The entire city will be transformed for the time you’re there, which is something fun to experience in and of itself.
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