Morning
The Duomo and the medieval heart
Start at the Duomo of Saint John the Baptist, with its white-and-green striped facade: inside, the Theodelinda Chapel frescoed by the Zavattari holds the Iron Crown. A few steps away, the Arengario, the medieval town hall at the heart of the city, and the Ponte dei Leoni over the Lambro river. The centre is pedestrian and compact: everything is walkable.
First, breakfast at RITRÒ: from 8:00 in Piazza San Paolo Open in Google Maps: Duomo di Monza ↗ Chapel hours and tickets: Duomo official site ↗
Midday
Lunch in the pedestrian centre
The right break is where the city meets: on weekdays there is the Business Lunch, at weekends the brunch. Piazza San Paolo is two minutes from the Duomo and the Arengario, on the way of any itinerary.
Lunch and the RITRÒ Business Lunch Open in Google Maps: Piazza San Paolo ↗
Afternoon
The Royal Villa and Europe’s largest walled park
The Royal Villa, commissioned by Maria Theresa of Austria to a design by Giuseppe Piermarini at the end of the eighteenth century, can be visited with its apartments and the Royal Gardens. Behind it lies the Park of Monza, the largest walled park in Europe: on foot or by bike, it is the city’s green lung.
Open in Google Maps: Villa Reale di Monza ↗ Visits and tickets: Reggia di Monza ↗
For motorsport lovers
The Temple of Speed
Foto: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0
Inside the park sits the Autodromo Nazionale, since 1922 one of the oldest circuits in the world: outside race weekends you can book tours of the track and its legendary corners.
Coming for the Grand Prix? Our dedicated guide Open in Google Maps: Autodromo Nazionale Monza ↗ Tours and calendar: Monza circuit ↗
At sunset
Aperitivo in Piazza San Paolo
Head back to the centre as the square lights up: from 5:30 PM it is aperitivo time, with the RITRÒ cicchetteria, empanadas, tacos and the bar’s cocktails. A table in the dehors, facing the square, is the right way to end the afternoon.
Evening
Dinner and after-dinner
The day ends at the table: sharing boards, homemade pasta, Black Angus tagliata and Fassona tartare. On Fridays and Saturdays the bar keeps going until late, with signature cocktails and DJ sets.
Getting here
From Milan in no time
Monza is a few minutes by train from Milan, with frequent services all day; from the station, the historic centre is an easy walk. By car, the city-centre car parks sit right by the pedestrian area.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Monza in one day?
Yes: the historic centre is compact and pedestrian. One day comfortably fits the Duomo with the Iron Crown, the Royal Villa and Gardens, a walk in the park and, for motorsport fans, the racetrack.
What are the must-sees in Monza?
The Duomo with the Theodelinda Chapel and the Iron Crown, the Royal Villa, the Park of Monza (Europe’s largest walled park) and the Autodromo Nazionale, the Temple of Speed.
Where to eat in Monza city centre?
RITRÒ, in Piazza San Paolo, covers the whole day of the itinerary: breakfast from 8:00, Business Lunch on weekdays, weekend brunch, aperitivo with cicchetti from 5:30 PM and dinner into the night.
How do you get to Monza from Milan?
By train: services are frequent and the ride takes just a few minutes; the centre is a short walk from the station. By car, the pedestrian area is served by the city-centre car parks.