← Torino City Marathon·2 nights

Milan: Two Nights an Hour from Turin

A direct high-speed train takes you from Turin to Milan in about an hour, for two nights in the centre with the Duomo, Brera and the Last Supper.

Duration2 nights
TransitFrecciarossa or Italo high-speed train, about 1 hr to 1 hr 20 min to Milano Centrale
DepartsTorino Porta Nuova or Porta Susa

After the Torino City Marathon: Two Nights in Milan

The Route: Torino Porta Nuova → Milano Centrale (2 nights) → Malpensa (MXP) or Linate (LIN) Logistics: Direct high-speed trains all day, about 32 services daily. Milan's metro covers the centre. Marathon Month: November Duration: 2 nights

Torino Porta Nuova ──(Frecciarossa/Italo ~1 hr)──> Milano Centrale ──(metro)──> Duomo / Brera
                                                          │
                                   Malpensa (MXP) or Linate (LIN) <──(airport train or metro)──┘

The Torino City Marathon finishes on Sunday 29 November, and Milan is the easiest next stop: the fastest direct train takes about 1 hour, the average is closer to 1 hour 20 minutes, and there are around 32 services a day from first departure near 05:00 to the last around 22:00. Advance fares start at around EUR 10 (approximately GBP 8.60), and Frecciarossa, Italo and regional operators all sell the route. Book at trenitalia.com or italotreno.it a few weeks ahead for the lowest price.

November in Milan. Late November is damp and grey in the Lombard plain, with fog common and temperatures just above freezing at night. The Christmas season has started in the shops, but the main festival around 7 December falls after a Monday arrival. Plan indoor mornings and short outdoor walks. Museums in Milan commonly close on Mondays, so check each one before building a day around it.

Nights One and Two: Central Milan

Milan's centre is flat. The Piazza del Duomo and the arcade of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II are level pavement, and the metro lines M1 and M3 meet at Duomo, which saves walking. The cathedral's roof terraces can be reached by lift or by stairs, and the lift is the choice for legs that still feel the marathon. Check ticket types and hours at duomomilano.it.

Brera, north of the Duomo, is a district of narrow streets and small galleries, with the Pinacoteca di Brera as its anchor. Check the Monday closing before going. The Last Supper, Leonardo's mural at Santa Maria delle Grazie, requires a timed ticket that sells out weeks in advance, so book it months ahead if possible. Entry prices change, so use any figure you see as a guide only.

Where to stay: Hotel Spadari al Duomo is a boutique hotel on Via Spadari, a short walk from the cathedral square and the Galleria, which keeps walking to a minimum. Hotel Principe di Savoia is a larger luxury hotel near Piazza della Repubblica, within a short walk of Milano Centrale and the metro. Rooms are cheaper midweek than at weekends.

Where to eat: Trattoria Milanese on Via Santa Marta serves the dishes the city is known for, including cotoletta alla milanese, a veal cutlet fried in butter, and risotto alla milanese with saffron. Book ahead, and check days of opening.

Getting to the Airport

Milan Malpensa (MXP) is reached by the Malpensa Express rail link from Milano Centrale or Cadorna, which takes under an hour, and Linate (LIN) is reached by metro line M4. Check times and fares at the operator's site before travel. For a UK flight from Turin instead, take the train back to Torino Porta Nuova and the Arriva airport bus to Turin Caselle (TRN), which costs EUR 7.50 one way.