Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Italy's oldest active shopping gallery under a soaring iron-and-glass dome

Address Piazza del Duomo, 20121 Milan
Admission Free

Italy's oldest active shopping gallery, opened in 1877, connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala. The iron-and-glass arcade is one of the finest examples of 19th-century architecture in Italy — four storeys of mosaic floors, painted vaults, and a central octagon under a glass dome. The luxury shops and cafés are expensive, but walking through costs nothing.

Find the mosaic of a bull on the floor of the central octagon and spin on its, er, relevant anatomy — local tradition says it brings good luck. Camparino in Galleria, at the Piazza del Duomo entrance, is the best spot for an aperitivo.

things to do sight architecture centro storico

Other places in Centro Storico