Day Trips from Milan

Milan isn't everyone's idea of the perfect Italian vacation, but it sits on a rail hub that puts two lakes, four historic cities and a walled hill town within about an hour or two. That makes it one of the best bases in the north for day trips from Milan: you keep one hotel, skip the packing, and still see a lot of northern Italy.

The train is the answer for almost every trip below. You don't need a car, and on the lake and hill-town days a car is a liability (parking in Bellagio or Bergamo's upper town is miserable). Two things are worth knowing before you go:

• High-speed trains (Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and the private Italo) serve Turin, Bologna, Verona and Florence. Fares are dynamic, so booking a few days ahead is much cheaper than buying at the station. Book on trenitalia.com or italotreno.com.
• Regional trains to the lakes, Bergamo and Vigevano are mostly run by Trenord. Regional fares are fixed, so there's no advantage to booking early, and they don't sell out. Check which Milan station your train leaves from: it isn't always Centrale.

Getting to your departure station is easy now that Milan's metro takes contactless bank cards and phones at the gates; see getting around in Milan.

Times are the fastest trains on each route in 2026; many trains are slower. Check the operator before you go.

The lakes: Como and Maggiore

Both Lago di Como and Lago Maggiore are close enough to Milan for a day on the water. They're hugely popular with Italians and with visitors from abroad (especially Germans and Swiss), so you won't find peace and quiet on a summer weekend, but it's hard to beat them for sheer picturesque beauty in good weather.

For Lake Como you have two choices. Trenord trains from Milano Cadorna run to Como Nord Lago, which drops you right on the lakefront in Como town, in about an hour. Or take a Trenord train from Centrale up the eastern shore to Varenna (about an hour), then hop the ferry across to Bellagio or Menaggio. Varenna is the better day: it's prettier than Como town, and the ferry ride is the best part of the trip. Ferries are run by Navigazione Laghi, and in summer the queue at Varenna's ferry dock can be long, so go early.

For Lake Maggiore, trains from Centrale reach Stresa in about an hour. From the Stresa waterfront, boats run out to the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella with its palace and terraced gardens, and Isola Madre with its botanical garden. Maggiore is less of a scene than Como, which I count in its favor.

>> If one day isn't enough, see the Italian Lakes guide and these Lake Como hotels with a view.

Bergamo

Bergamo has a modern lower town that's nice enough but not really worth the trip. What you come for is the old walled Città Alta on the hill, reached by funicular from the lower town. Its Venetian walls are part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing (2017). The upper town is small, so it won't fill a day unless you take things slowly, but it's charming and quieter than anything in Milan, even though it's also kind of touristy. Trains take about 50 minutes; local buses and the funicular are run by ATB. If you fly budget airlines into Bergamo's Orio al Serio airport, you can fit the visit in on your way in or out.

Turin

Turin (Torino in Italian) is a big city, but it doesn't feel as big or as busy as Milan. It hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics and it's home to the Shroud of Turin, though the Shroud itself is only shown on rare special occasions. The Egyptian Museum is the one thing I'd make sure to see, and the arcaded streets and cafés make it a pretty city to walk. High-speed trains get you there in under an hour. If you're in Milan in February, time it for the CioccolaTo chocolate festival. More in the Turin guide.

Bologna

On the high-speed line you can get from Milano Centrale to Bologna in about an hour, which means you can leave the busy city behind for the famous foods you're craving, in the heart of arguably Italy's premier food region. There are pretty churches and historic buildings to see, but to me Bologna is all about the food. (For the husband, it was equally about the Lamborghini Museum and the Ferrari Museum, which are out of town and need a car, a bus or a tour.) Food lovers can also stop in Modena on the way back to visit a balsamic vinegar maker, but book the acetaia ahead.

Verona

High-speed trains reach Verona in about an hour and 12 minutes, and the old center is a short walk or bus ride from Porta Nuova station. The Roman Arena, the river bends and the market square of Piazza delle Erbe fill a day comfortably. Skip the crush at "Juliet's balcony" unless you really want the photo.

Florence

Florence is the kind of city where you could spend a week and not see everything, so I'd only do it as a day trip if you've been before and just want a fix of the Renaissance capital. The fastest trains take 1 hour 43 minutes each way, which makes for a long but doable day. Pre-book any museum you care about (the Uffizi and the Accademia sell out), because a day trip leaves no slack for queues.

Vigevano

If you really want to get away from other foreign tourists, head to Vigevano, a town southwest of Milan where the Italians go. Its Piazza Ducale is one of the prettiest squares in Italy, and there's not much to "see" or "do," which is one of its charms. The Milano Porta Genova rail station closed in December 2025, and the regional trains on the Mortara line that used to start there now run from Milano Rogoredo; check current times on trenord.it.

Which one would I pick?

With one free day and good weather, go to Varenna and take the ferry to Bellagio. On a gray day, or if you'd rather eat than sightsee, go to Bologna. With half a day, Bergamo's upper town is the easy win.

>> Still planning your time in the city itself? Start with the Milan guide and the top 10 things to do in Milan.