Milan Essentials: A Walk Around Duomo Square

Milan’s story begins when Celtic tribes followed mystical omens to settle in marshy lowlands – long before its Gothic cathedrals and fashion houses appeared. On this essential walking tour, you’ll explore centuries of history from around the magnificent Duomo Square. You’ll discover how a simple settlement grew into a Roman capital and eventually the stylish metropolis we see today. As you walk, you’ll find that each corner has stories that even locals have never heard.

The tour starts at the majestic Duomo Square. You’ll see hidden corners of Milan’s historic center, including Via dei Mercanti, where traces of the city’s mythical founding can be spotted on ancient columns. You’ll wind through narrow medieval alleys and venture into the Ambrosiana Library, built upon the crossroads of Roman Mediolanum where emperors once walked.

Along the way, you’ll hear curious legends about Milan’s emblematic creatures, from the half-woolly boar that gave the city its name to the snake that’s linked to powerful ruling families. You’ll also learn how Romans, Viscontis, and Sforzas each left their mark on the city, and hear about Leonardo da Vinci’s long relationship with the city. The walk ends where it began, at Duomo Square.

On this 60-minute tour, you’ll also have a chance to:

• See the hidden carving of the “scrofa semilanuta,” the mythical half-woolly boar that gave Milan its name
• Discover Bramante’s ingenious optical illusion in the Church of San Satiro
• Visit the macabre San Bernardino alle Ossa chapel, adorned with human bones arranged in decorative patterns
• Examine the curious Visconti-Sforza coat of arms featuring a snake devouring a man
• Spot handprints of international celebrities like Francis Ford Coppola and Sylvester Stallone at Milan’s hidden “Walk of Fame”
• Test your luck with a traditional ritual at the bull mosaic in the grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

From Celtic myths to Roman glory, Renaissance genius to modern fashion, this essential walk reveals Milan’s many incarnations, all within the magnificent heart of the city. By the end, you’ll see the Duomo not just as a cathedral, but as the culmination of centuries of Milanese ambition.