• Private Tour
• Carbon Neutral

Discover Milan in a refreshing and unique way by visiting places full of mystery and with great legends behind. Learn about the secrets and riddles hidden away inside Milan’s famous churches and squares.

Destination

Milano, Italy

Category

Off The Beaten Track

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Français, Español, Italiano

Included

• Private guide

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Francesco.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Piazza Santo Stefano - Milano to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meeting point

   Duomo -Start your tour in the heart of Milan

4. Creepy Chapel

   Visit San Bernardino alle Ossa, a small church decorated with numerous human skulls and bones

5. Luxurious Gallery

   Walk through the luxurious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

6. Famous Theatre

   Stroll through Piazza della Scala and admire the famous 19th and 20th century masterpieces.

7. Picturesque Square

   Take a walk in Piazza Mercanti and see some of the most famous medieval buildings in the world.

8. Historic Library

   Discover the wonderful Pinacoteca Ambrosiana with its fascinating stories

9. Impressive Castle

   Admire what was once one of the largest citadels in Europe - Castello Sforzesco

10. End

    End your tour with personal recommendations from your local insider

11. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Lalita🇨🇭 Switzerland

29 September 2024

We had great time with Francesco, he is a very entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide. We learned a lot about history of Milan and Italy during the tour, and saw many interesting locations. Those 2 hours flew by, we were also able to ask some general questions about Milan and even share some food recipes. Overall, highly recommended. If you are looking for some fun, but also valuable tour, you cannot go wrong with Francesco. Great tour with amazing guide

Morten Lund

31 March 2024

We booked the "dark" tour of Milan and were given a 2-hour (plus change) of the city, during the course of which Francesco came across as an extremely knowledgable and charming guide. He somehow connected the dots between stories of various dukes, popes, invasions, ghosts and even the history of safran to a coherent whole, delivered in a very nuanced and fluent English. Highly recommended!Very informative and witty!

Brittany 🇦🇺 Australia

17 September 2023

I am recommending Francesco's tour to all of my friends. Francesco went above and beyond to ensure the tour was informative and entertaining. I loved learning about Milan's enchanting history, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable experience. Grazie Mille!Francesco is fantastic

Emma

27 August 2023

My daughter and I booked a Myths, Legends and Ghosts tour with Francesco and really enjoyed it. Francesco delighted us with many interesting facts about locations in central Milan, and it was not in any way "dry" or boring. Francesco is a really interesting character and knows so many interesting stories. My 18 year old daughter really enjoyed it too.Fascinating tour

Eun🇺🇸 United States

30 July 2023

Francesco is an amazing story teller! He is an accomplished gentleman with dramatic flair. The kids especially had so much fun, and the two hours just magically disappeared while we were fully mesmerized by his stories of the secrets of Milan. Join his tour!Amazing

Bethia 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

23 July 2023

Francesco is an excellent guide! I'm not sure if there's anything he doesn't know about Milan. We learnt about history, intrigue and legends around the city and the people who have lived here. I look forward to doing another tour with him when we visit again!Very entertaining and informative

Adam🇺🇸 United States

3 June 2022

Francesco delivered exactly what I was looking for! We covered a lot of Milan in the 3 hours we spent and his education and experience really provided for an experience that left me feeling like I gained some real value and love for the city, its past and present. I would highly recommend booking some time with Francesco if you want to go deeper into the history and culture of Milan. Thanks Francesco!Great way to experience Milan!

Erin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 April 2022

We had a brilliant tour with Francesco and learnt so much about the history and legends of Milan and modern Italy. Thank you!Wonderful tour

Jim🇺🇸 United States

15 September 2021

Francesco is very knowledgeable particularly about the history of Milan and he brings that history to life by bringing you to places you normally would not see. Very worthwhile tour

Jessica🇳🇿 New Zealand

26 October 2019

Thank you so much for the tour Francesco! It was so interesting and great to meet you. Loved sharing our common interest in the social history of food. Let me know if you ever get to Napier in NZ and I'll take you on a tour of our lovely region in exchange! Great to meet you!

Oxana🇨🇦 Canada

29 September 2019

Francesco is full of fun and eye-opening facts and energy ;) 3 hours were a breeze in a sweltering August Milan. Fun, energetic and knowledgeable!

Deo Adiel🇵🇭 Philippines

23 June 2019

Francesco was very pleasant and accommodating when i made a suggestiong to start with a walking tour that ends with a food tour. And what he prepared for us, we really liked. We didnt notice how far we've walking because he fed us with history and anecdotes about places we should see for our first time going about milan. We ate at 2 charming places and drank wine. Both places totally different with great food. He was very warm, conversational and funny. We felt a friend was giving us a look of his city. A very nice gesture towards the end of our trip made us feel very special and gave us the impression that francesco was a really lovely and amazing guy. If you want to go around the city with noticing the time, i highly suggest taking franscesco with you :)Really amazing personalized tour!

Nicolette🇺🇸 United States

29 May 2019

When I read that Francesco held a PhD, I thought that the tour may be a bit boring (like a lecture style museum tour). The tour name was too intriguing for me to pass up and I am so glad that I didn't let that advanced degree keep me away. Francesco is definitely a genius and has a wealth of knowledge in virtually every subject but his tour strategy encourages participation and the retention of interesting facts and useful knowledge. It was so fun and I feel smarter just having spent a few hours with him. Hands down, the best tour I've ever taken and I state this as a museum docent who is very critical of tours in general. I learned a few new things about creating a positive and successful tour. And, had fun! Thanks, Francesco! Best tour ever!

Caroline🇬🇧 United Kingdom

21 January 2019

He met us on time and greeted us enthusiastically. Francesco packed the 2 hour tour with lots of facts and interesting stories. He also gave recommendations on where to eat and the best places to drink. If you want a really good tour guide, pick Francesco! What a good host

Elizabeth 🇺🇸 United States

9 October 2018

Francesco is a true Milanese and it is evident by the way he talks about Milan. He has lots of knowledge and is very easy to hang out with. I would definitely recommend him. Single people who traveling alone - don’t hesitate to book Francesco. He will make sure there isn’t an awkward moment. You can’t go wrong with Francesco.

Emma🇬🇧 United Kingdom

13 September 2018

As I only had the one day in Milan and Francesco suggested combining your standard pit stop tour of Milan with his own unique “dark tour of Milan”. I think it’s safe to say if there is ghost story in Milan than Francesco knows it! If ghost stories and eerie history stories are your thing you’ll love this tour. I was by myself in Milan and this was my first time doing a tour with someone by myself and I was a bit nervous about it. But Francesco was super friendly, approachable, easy to talk to/ask questions and very accommodating. Even as we did the tour he recommend additional places we could see, tailoring the tour while we were on the go! Not only is Francesco incredibly knowledgeable about the city and it’s vast history, but he knows all the best places to eat, go for a drink or a gelato, and can tell you how to spot/avoid a tourist trap! He made my one day in Milan totally worthwhile and would highly recommend to any solo travellers, or anybody who likes something a bit more quirky than your standard tour! I only wish I had longer in Milan so I could have stayed longer and tried out some of the bars Francesco had recommended. The only advice I would give is if your in Milan for a while I would not recommend booking your tour on a Monday as a few churches, museums and other attractions are closed on Mondays. Thank you Francesco for the wonderful tour, I’ll certainly be booking another one with you if I’m in Milan again! A fantastically spooky tour of Milan!

Tammy🇺🇸 United States

25 June 2018

Francesco was very knowledgeable and very personable. His tour took us through a large part of the downtown of Milan. Thank you for your time with our group Francesco. TammyJune 4 2018

Jennifer 🇺🇸 United States

19 June 2018

Francesco, was truley wonderful and extremely knowledgeable! He took us to places we would have missed if not for him. He shares interesting stories, trivia and history. A great addition to traditional tours if not better.Great way to start our visit!!

Steven🇬🇧 United Kingdom

20 May 2018

We would recommend the Milan Dark tour to anyone, Francesco was very entertaining as well as knowledgeable about the places that we visited and it was obvious that he was passionate about the topic and he passed that enthusiasm on to our party.Dark tour

Claire🇩🇪 Germany

16 May 2018

We really enjoyed Francesco's Dark Tour of Milan. He has an amazing knowledge of local history, which he told in an interesting and entertaining way in excellent English! We definitely recommend him!Fascinating tour of Milan

Philippe🇫🇷 France

11 March 2018

Très bon guide, français très bon, je recommande 👍🤗🤗Bravo!!!

Vanessa🇨🇭 Switzerland

29 October 2017

Nous avon passé un apres midi très sympa grâce à Francesco. Les histoires et légendes étaient très bien racontées. Francesco est passionné et c'est très agréable de l'écouter parler de sa ville.Super expérience

Shannon🇺🇸 United States

6 January 2025

We took a Milan Food tasting tour and Hidden Gems of Milan with Francesco and must say it was our favorite tour of our trip! His sense of humor, knowledge and personality made the tour a family favorite. The 4 restaurants he took us to was by far the best food we had while visiting Milan. We can’t say enough good things about Francesco and his companion. By the end, not only had we had a great tour and full belly, but also a good friend!Dont think about it! DO IT!

Alexander🇺🇸 United States

19 November 2024

Francisco is very knowledgeable and lively. Even the Milanese person in our group tole me he learned something new.An excellent guide

Gert Peter🇩🇰 Denmark

28 October 2024

Francesco is a very enthusiastic and well-spoken guide. He obviously knows everything there is to know about Milan, especially historical legends. We enjoyed both his anecdotes and small quizzes, making the historical tales lively. We are not sure if "Hidden gems" is the right title for this tour, as it mainly focused on the Duomo, Gallery and Sforza castle, but of course with very interesting new details:) Legends and humour

Tally🇺🇸 United States

15 October 2024

We did 2 tours with Francisco (hidden gems & tastings). Our ages were 29-72. Everyone in the group absolutely loved both tours. Honestly, they were the most memorable experiences we had in Milan! He was interesting, funny & full of so much incredible history & information! 2 tours just wasn’t enough time with this wonderful man. Francisco, thank you! thank you! Thank you! for making our time in Milan so amazing! Don’t do Milan without Francisco!

Christoph🇦🇺 Australia

6 October 2024

V pleasant person passionate about Milan’s history happy to go away from tourist hot spots Good sense of humour— would give the castle a miss —too hard with all the people!!Historical

Catherine🇦🇺 Australia

5 October 2024

This evening was a highlight of my stay in Milan. Francesca and her sister Alessandra hosted a delightful, relaxed evening at their home just a few minutes walk from the centre of the city. We developed the menu together when I booked, and I enjoyed a delicious three course meal of home made pumpkin ravioli, Osso buco and home made flourless chocolate cake. Francesca was very keen to make a meal I enjoyed. We had a lovely evening and I got to experience a genuine Milanese home, learn more about the lifestyle here, and meet two really interesting, warm people. Highly recommended ! Warm hospitality and a delicious meal

Regina🇺🇸 United States

6 August 2024

Francesco is an excellent guide. His English is easy to understand. He was engaging and clearly knew his history and Florentine food. I would not hesitate to book him again. Excellent guide

Craig🇺🇸 United States

5 August 2024

We had an amazing food tour with Francesco. He gave us great background on Milan and the different history of foods across Italy. We tried Milanese food and it was all delicious! Highly recommend Francesco for any tours in Milan! Awesome food tour with Francesco

Unknown

1 July 2024

Francesco was good company with great local knowledge and happily adapted to our wishes for a local Milanese experience, including shopping!Friendly and knowledgable

Weronika🇴🇲 Oman

30 June 2024

We visited main touristic attractions but Franscesco gave it a new perspective + he showed us some hidden gems what was a great surprise. Very knowledgeable and lovely person! We’d never ever have the same experience of sightseeing (even if with best book guide) without a professional like Francesco. Now we know to use such services wherever we travel. Excellent! We got what we expected and more!

Marilyn🇺🇸 United States

13 June 2024

Francesco is amazing. So so knowledgeable, encyclopedic. When he is not guiding, he works as a teacher and it is clear that he is very good at teaching. We all learned a bunch and it was entertaining. And, he managed to keep my 18 year old jet lagged and basically exhausted twins engaged which was no small feat as we had just made it to Italy after 20 some hours of air travel. My twins both gave it a thumbs up. Totally worth it!

k4cttkvk5f

28 December 2023

Very competent and friendly guide, a great storyteller Excellent

Phung🇺🇸 United States

29 November 2023

Our tour guide, Francesco, tried his best to entertain us, but I think that the tour itself should be modified. Yes, the tour did include all of the items stated in the offering for 6 hrs. Seems like adequate time, but we took 2 hrs to ride the train from Milan to Como and back. Francesco did his best to tell us about some history. The hour boat tour was the highlight. Other than that, we ate a good lunch. I would suggest modifying to include the funicular to have a great view, visit to villa made famous in movies, Bellagio, hiking/strolling in nice areas. If the hours are not enough, then extend the tour hours or start the tour at Como. The current tour format is just OK.Withlocals should change this tour

Julie

25 October 2023

Francesco was a wonderful tour guide. He made the tour engaging for all ages and was full of energy and wit. He had us all hooked with his many unusual and interesting stories about the history of Milan and its protagonists. We would warmly recommended him not just for tourists but for residents of Milan who want to learn more about their city.A wealth of knowledge!

Thomas🇩🇪 Germany

23 October 2023

A great guide, a great guide with a wealth of knowledge about the city and its historical background. very nice and personable. He gave us lots of good tips and designed the tour individually. thanks a lot!!! Fantastic

Hans🇳🇱 Netherlands

9 September 2023

Francesco is een lopende encyclopedie. Wat weet hij veel! Dit was al de tweede keer with locals in Milaan en hij heeft ons drie uur lang nieuwe dingen laten zien. Heel heel leuk! We waren met z’n tweeën en dan is het wel duur maar zeker de drie uur waard.War een kennis

Katelyn🇨🇦 Canada

2 May 2023

Had a wonderful time with Francesco eating, drinking and getting to know a little bit about Milan and the local foods. We really enjoyed the tour, Francesco had a wealth of information to share with us and customized food stops based on our preferences. Would highly recommend!!Wonderful afternoon in Milan

Michele

2 May 2023

We've done quite a few food tours over the years and this one ranks right up there with the best of them. Besides being a stellar guide, Francesco is just a lovely person. He's extremely knowledgeable and also made sure to give us options on what we ate and drank. We even went back to two of the spots yesterday because we enjoyed them so much. Very Enjoyable Tour

Francesca🇮🇹 Italy

23 April 2023

Francesco è preparatissimo, conosce la storia di Milano e non solo come credo pochissimi. Ti fa scoprire angoli e dettagli ai più sconosciuti. Super disponibile!! Esperienza super consigliata

Jill🇺🇸 United States

19 November 2022

Francesco put together the precise tour I requested. I wanted to learn about food and culture, so he carefully chose where we went and what we did - all the while asking for my feedback. I'm probably the only visitor he's ever taken to a grocery store, but that's what I wanted, so that's what we did. Delightful!Exactly what I wanted!

Vincent🇨🇭 Switzerland

25 July 2022

Thanks for this great afternoon!Nice afternoon

Clive🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 July 2022

Excellent 3 hour personalised tour of Milan with an officially approved guide. Francesco was very professional, friendly and accommodating to our requests. We saw stunning parts of Milan which we would never have seen otherwise. The weather was very hot so we had asked Francesco to plan a few stops for drinks and Gelato (ice cream). We were not disappointed, the small café was in beautiful surroundings away from the main tourist parts and very inexpensive. The Gelato was excellent, (we had to walk past several very busy touristy ice cream shops before we found one that Francesco approved of). We would certainly recommend booking a personal tour with Francesco. He is a true Milano local and talks with great passion about his city. We had a three person exclusive 3 hour tour by a Milano local for not much more than a regular 2 hour tour with a coach load of people. Well worth the money. The better way to see Milan.

Ann🇨🇭 Switzerland

26 June 2022

We were a group of four ladies on a weekend trip to Milan. We are so pleased we decided to book this tour with Francesco! The food was totally delicious and Francesco’s amazing knowledge about history and all things Milan made the tour the highlight of the weekend. Highly recommended! Grazie Francesco Excellent tour!

Shane🇮🇪 Ireland

13 June 2022

Francesco was an excellent guide, highly knowledgeable on a plethora of topics and brought us to some top class local eateries. Even though our tour was only 2 hours we managed to pack so much in. Highly recommended!

Sara🇩🇪 Germany

1 June 2022

Francesco’s knowledge and insights are so incredible! If you’re a history fan like me you will love this tour! I especially enjoyed his quizzes, tested my knowledge for sure. The tour seemed to fly it was so fun, it was three hours and it felt like an hour had passed. I really enjoyed learning about the beautiful city from someone so knowledgeable. On the plus side, he is very genial and has great energy. Francesco is very easy to speak to and to get along with. Highly recommend! History is Fun! Great tour!!

Didi🇩🇪 Germany

9 May 2022

Wenn Ihr einen Reisebegleiter sucht, nehmt Francesco, er weiß alles, Danke Francesco es waren interessante und kurzweilige Stunden. Didi Milano sei meraviglioso

Roger🇺🇸 United States

29 September 2021

We had a fabulous tour with Francesco! He is an absolute wealth of interesting information about Italian history, culture, food and wine. Although we most definitely enjoyed the wine, food, and gelato that Francesco arranged, the knowledge he imparted and his company was beyond compare!Eccellente and Perfetto!

Alison🇺🇸 United States

12 September 2021

Francesco was a wealth of knowledge bringing his expertise as a linguist and anthropologist to deliver a truly compelling tour of the “real” milan. His passion for Milan and it’s culture and history shined through and both the adults and two teen girls were riveted. We could have never gotten “underneath” the city without Francesco. Thank you!Dynamic tour