Milan isn't my favourite place in Italy, but it is a really handy base if you want to explore more of the country by train.
We've visited Milan several times over the last few years, and we tend to use it more as a transport hub than a destination in itself. We've flown into Milan to travel around northern Italy, passed through it between other cities and, on one trip, literally stopped there for lunch on our way from Turin to Verona.
The train connections are fantastic though, and that's what makes Milan such a good base if you want to see more of Italy without hiring a car.
You can be beside Lake Como in around an hour, reach Verona or Turin in just over an hour, or even travel as far as Venice and Florence for the day on the high-speed trains.
We've visited six of the places in this guide ourselves and travelled to all six by train, including several directly from Milan. I've also included four more easy options that I'd consider if I was using Milan as a base for a longer trip.
For each day trip, I've included the station you need, approximate journey time and whether the train is direct, along with how I'd plan the day and anything I'd want to know before going.
So if you're staying in Milan but fancy seeing a bit more of Italy while you're there, these are 10 easy day trips you can do without needing a car.
Planning a bigger Italy trip? We’ve travelled around Italy loads over the last few years, mostly using trains and public transport. You can find all our Italy travel guides and itineraries here, including budget trips, where to stay and how to get around without a car.
Just a quick note before we begin. Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products, services and experiences we've used ourselves or genuinely believe will help you plan your trip. Thanks for supporting Build a Break.
Varenna, Lake Como – around 1 hour
Sirmione, Lake Garda – around 50 mins to Desenzano + onward bus/taxi
Bergamo – around 50 mins
Turin – around 1 hour
Bologna – around 1 hour
Verona – around 1 hr 15 mins
Parma – around 1 hr 15 mins
Genoa – around 1 hr 30 mins
Florence – around 1 hr 50 mins
Venice – around 2 hr 15 mins
| Day Trip from Milan | Journey Time | Direct? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamo | Around 50 mins | Yes | Old town + views |
| Sirmione, Lake Garda | Around 50 mins to Desenzano | Train + bus/taxi | Lake + old town |
| Varenna, Lake Como | Around 1 hour | Yes | Lake views + pretty towns |
| Turin | Around 1 hour | Yes | City + food |
| Bologna | Around 1 hour | Yes | Food + sightseeing |
| Verona | Around 1 hr 15 mins | Yes | Sightseeing + history |
| Parma | Around 1 hr 15 mins | Yes | Food + smaller city |
| Genoa | Around 1 hr 30 mins | Yes | Coast + old town |
| Florence | Around 1 hr 50 mins | Yes | Art + sightseeing |
| Venice | Around 2 hr 15 mins | Yes | Canals + sightseeing |
Varenna is one of my favourite day trips from Milan, especially if you want to see Lake Como without hiring a car.
We've visited Varenna twice now. The first time was as part of our 5 day Bernina Express itinerary, which finished with Lake Como and a stay in Milan. More recently, we flew into Milan and spent two days exploring Lake Como, including another visit to Varenna.
Getting there from Milan is really easy. Direct trains run from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino and the journey takes around an hour, so it's completely doable as a day trip without needing to stay overnight.
Varenna itself isn't huge, which I actually think works in its favour. You can wander along the lakefront, explore the little streets around the centre and stop somewhere for lunch without feeling like you're rushing from one attraction to another.
It's also really easy to use the ferries from Varenna to see more of Lake Como. If you leave Milan early enough, you could combine Varenna with another town across the lake rather than spending the whole day in one place.
Route: Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino
Journey time: Around 1 hour
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Sirmione is a lovely option if you want to visit Lake Garda from Milan, although it's not quite as simple as jumping on one train and getting off in the centre.
We've visited Sirmione twice ourselves, once while travelling from Venice and again when we did an Extreme Day Trip, flying in to Verona. We haven't actually done it as a day trip from Milan, but the train journey to Lake Garda is short enough that I'd definitely consider it.
Sirmione doesn't have its own train station, so from Milan you'll need to take the train to Desenzano del Garda and then continue by bus or taxi for the final part of the journey.
Once you're there, Sirmione is really easy to explore on foot. The old town sits on a narrow peninsula stretching out into Lake Garda, with little streets, lake views and Scaliger Castle right at the entrance.
I'd allow a full day for this one. Although the train from Milan is quick, you'll need to factor in the connection at Desenzano and leave enough time to actually enjoy Sirmione before heading back.
Route: Milano Centrale to Desenzano del Garda, then bus or taxi to Sirmione
Train journey: Around 50 minutes on the faster services
Direct train: To Desenzano, yes
I'd allow: A full day
Venice is one of the longer day trips on this list, but the direct high-speed trains make it surprisingly easy to do from Milan.
We've visited Venice three times now, although we haven't travelled there directly from Milan. On our most recent visit, we took the train from Peschiera del Garda, and we've also combined Venice with Verona and Lake Garda on longer trips around northern Italy.
If you're travelling from Milan, make sure you choose a train to Venezia Santa Lucia, rather than Venezia Mestre. Santa Lucia is the station actually on the islands, so you step outside and you're straight onto the Grand Canal.
Once you're there, you can explore most of the main sights on foot. St Mark's Square, Rialto Bridge and the little streets and canals around the centre can easily fill a day. We've also used the vaporetto to get around, which is a great way to see Venice from the water without paying for a gondola.
It's a long day, but I'd still include Venice because the journey is direct and you're arriving right in the centre. I'd just book an early train out of Milan and a later one back to make the most of your time.
Route: Milano Centrale to Venezia Santa Lucia
Journey time: Around 2 hours 15 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Verona is another really easy day trip from Milan, with direct trains taking around 1 hour 15 minutes.
We've visited Verona several times, although we've usually stayed in Peschiera del Garda on Lake Garda and travelled into Verona from there. It's somewhere we keep going back to because it's really easy to explore without a car and you can see quite a lot in one day.
On our 16 day Italy by train trip, we'd actually planned to spend our final day in Milan after leaving Verona before flying home. By day 15 though, the kids voted for an extra day by the pool at Lake Garda instead, so Milan lost out 😂
Verona itself is quite compact. From Verona Porta Nuova it's around a 20-minute walk into the centre, where you'll find the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet's House and plenty of little streets to wander around.
For a day trip from Milan, I'd take an early train and give yourself most of the day there. If you've got longer, Verona also works really well alongside Lake Garda, which is how we've done it ourselves.
Route: Milano Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova
Journey time: Around 1 hour 15 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Turin is another really easy city to reach from Milan, and I think it's a great option if you want somewhere that feels quite different without travelling too far.
We've visited Turin ourselves and really enjoyed it. We actually stayed there at the start of a longer trip through northern Italy, before travelling from Turin to Milan by train, having lunch in Milan and then continuing on towards Lake Garda and Verona.
The high-speed train between Turin and Milan takes around an hour, so doing the same journey in the opposite direction as a day trip is really straightforward.
Turin is easy to explore on foot once you arrive. You've got huge piazzas, covered walkways, cafés and museums, and it generally feels much less hectic than Milan. It's also somewhere I'd happily go back to for a longer stay.
If you're only visiting for the day, an early train from Milan would give you plenty of time to explore before heading back in the evening.
Route: Milano Centrale to Torino Porta Susa
Journey time: Around 1 hour
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Bergamo is one of the shortest day trips on this list, with direct trains from Milan taking around 50 minutes.
This is one of the places we haven't visited ourselves yet, but I'd definitely consider it if I was staying in Milan and wanted an easy day somewhere different without spending hours on a train.
The main area you'll probably want to see is Città Alta, Bergamo's historic upper town. It's up on the hill above the newer part of the city, with cobbled streets, old squares and views across the surrounding area.
Bergamo train station is in the lower city, so once you arrive you'll need to make your way up to Città Alta. You can use the bus and funicular rather than walking all the way up.
Because it's so close to Milan, this is also one I'd consider if you don't fancy a really early start or getting back late. You can still have plenty of time in Bergamo without turning it into a 12-hour day.
Route: Milano Centrale to Bergamo
Journey time: Around 50 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: Most of the day
Bologna is another city that looks quite far from Milan on the map, but the high-speed trains make it surprisingly easy to visit for the day.
We haven't made it to Bologna ourselves yet, but direct trains from Milan take around an hour, so you can get there surprisingly quickly considering the distance.
You arrive at Bologna Centrale, which is within walking distance of the historic centre. From there, you can explore Piazza Maggiore, see the Two Towers and wander through Bologna's famous covered porticoes.
Bologna is also somewhere I'd pick if food is a big part of your trips. It's right in the heart of Emilia-Romagna and would give you a completely different day to somewhere like Lake Como or Lake Garda.
With such a short train journey, you could leave Milan in the morning, have pretty much a full day in Bologna and still be back in Milan for the evening.
Route: Milano Centrale to Bologna Centrale
Journey time: Around 1 hour
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Genoa is a good option if you fancy swapping Milan for the coast for the day. Direct trains take around 1 hour 30 minutes, so it's still an easy journey without needing to change trains.
We haven't visited Genoa ourselves yet, but I'd include it because it gives you something completely different to the lakes and cities further inland.
For the historic centre, I'd look for trains arriving at Genova Piazza Principe. From here, you're within walking distance of the old town and Porto Antico, so you don't need to spend loads of time getting around once you arrive.
You could spend the day wandering through the narrow streets of the old town, head down to the waterfront and, of course, find somewhere for some proper Genovese focaccia or pesto.
I'd give Genoa a full day, but with a journey of around 1 hour 30 minutes each way, you don't need a ridiculously early start to make it worthwhile.
Route: Milano Centrale to Genova Piazza Principe
Journey time: Around 1 hour 30 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
Parma is another easy option from Milan if you'd prefer somewhere smaller than the bigger cities on this list.
We haven't visited Parma ourselves yet, but direct trains run from Milan and the journey takes around 1 hour 15 minutes on the faster services, making it perfectly doable for a day trip.
Parma is fairly compact once you arrive, with most of the main sights around the historic centre. You could see Parma Cathedral and the Baptistery, wander through the old streets and have plenty of time to stop for lunch without needing to plan every minute of the day.
Food would be a big part of this day trip for me too. Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma both come from this part of Italy, so I'd definitely be planning the day around what I was going to eat as much as what I was going to see.
I think this would be a nice choice if you've already visited some of the bigger names like Venice, Verona or Lake Como and fancy somewhere a little different.
Route: Milano Centrale to Parma
Journey time: From around 1 hour 15 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: Most of the day
Florence might seem a bit far for a day trip from Milan, but the high-speed trains make it much easier than you'd think. Direct trains take around 1 hour 50 minutes, and you arrive right in the centre of Florence.
We've visited Florence ourselves and travelled there by high-speed train as part of our 16 day Italy by train trip, although we travelled from Rome rather than Milan.
Florence is one of those cities where you can see quite a lot in a day because so many of the main sights are within walking distance. From Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, you can walk to the Duomo in around 10 minutes, then continue towards Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.
I'd definitely book an early train from Milan for this one. You're looking at nearly four hours of travelling over the whole day, so I'd want as much time in Florence as possible before heading back.
Personally, Florence is somewhere I'd rather stay for a couple of nights if you have the time, but if Milan is your base and you've only got one day available, it's absolutely doable by train.
Route: Milano Centrale to Firenze Santa Maria Novella
Journey time: Around 1 hour 50 minutes
Direct train: Yes
I'd allow: A full day
If it was my first time visiting this part of Italy, I'd probably choose Varenna and Lake Como. It's close enough to Milan that you don't spend loads of the day travelling, the train is direct and you get a completely different experience to staying in the city.
For another easy option, Verona or Turin would be high on my list. Both are straightforward by train and you can see plenty in a day without needing to plan lots of extra transport once you arrive.
If you want to see Lake Garda, Sirmione is beautiful, but just remember there's an extra journey from Desenzano del Garda once you get off the train.
I'd only choose Venice or Florence if you're happy with a longer day. They're both completely doable from Milan, but with around four hours or more spent on trains over the day, I'd personally stay overnight if my itinerary allowed it.
That's really the good thing about using Milan as a base. You don't have to go particularly far to see somewhere completely different, and with the high-speed trains you have far more options than you'd probably expect.
Whenever I spot great-value DIY flights and accommodation from UK airports, I share them with members of the Build a Break Travel Club. If you'd like to travel without paying package holiday prices, it's a great place to start.
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media
