Castillo Sforzesco in Milan Tickets and Tours

Visiting the Castello Sforzesco is one of the must seeand do activitiesin Milan. Although the city is now known as the fashion capital of Europe, among the museums, theatres and monumental areas, the Milan Castle is an irresistible plan for any good traveller touring Italy's largest metropolitan area.

Milan Castle houses 7 museums, libraries and exquisite art galleries dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Andrea Mantegna and Bramantino. It is also flanked by tourist attractions such as Piazza Mercanti, the famous Duomo, Milan's Arc de Triomphe and more. Here's how to get tickets and everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.

Admission to the Sforza Castle is free. Just show up at the entrance hours and you will be able to visit the interior spaces. However, to visit the museums and exhibitions, you will have to buy a ticket. Don't worry, prices are cheap, as we have already seen, starting at €3.

Do tickets include an audio guide?

No, the price of the audio guide starts at €3. This is one of the largest and most symbolic castles in European history, and every corner is imbued with personality and interest, such as the famous Venetian knots that form part of the decoration of the Sala delle Asse, a work whose intertwined tree branches by Leonardo Da Vinci make up one of the emblematic spaces of the castle.

If you speak English or Italian, I recommend that you buy the audio guide so that you don't miss any details. The audio guide is not available in English.

Admission to the Sforzesco Castle is free, however, to visit its rooms, museums and specialised exhibitions, you will need to buy a ticket which costs between €3 and €5.

Yes, on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 2 p.m. admission is free. On Sundays you can also enter free of charge. However, remember that this ticket does not include a guided tour and the number of rooms available is limited.

Considering that the outer defences alone are 3 km long and have four levels, I think it is wise to purchase a guided tour.

Who can enter the Milan Castle for free?

• Visitors under 18 years of age. Visitors under 18 years of age must buy their tickets.
• Groups of secondary school students and teachers who anticipate their visit can write to castellobookshop@gmail.com to speed up the process.
• Certified tour guides who belong to the European Union.
• Tourist interpreters who assist the guides.
• Disabled persons, and their companion is also entitled to the benefit.
• Journalists.
• Superintendents and academic staff authorised by the museum management. If you wish to take advantage of this benefit, you must give advance notice of your visit by writing to castellobookshop@gmail.com.
• Members of the Sala delle Asse and the Friends of the A. Bertarelli Collection. Bertarelli Collection.

As the main wall in Milan, it's worth taking the time to see this medieval building. Not surprisingly, you should book in advance to take a look at the rooms, museums, exhibitions and libraries inside. Milan' s renowned fortress houses and offers to the public:

• The La Pietà Rondanini Museum - dedicated to Michelangelo, who completed this work a few days before he passed away.
• The Museum of Musical Instruments.
• The Egyptian Museum.
• The Museum of Ancient Art. One of the most exciting museums in Milan where you can book your tactile tour.
• The Museum of antique furniture and wooden sculptures.
• Two archaeological museums.
• One of the largest collections of Italian paintings. A visitto the Pinacoteca di Brera is a top activity for art lovers.
  And a dozen other gigantic halls.

The Egyptian room is often undergoing restoration to protect the works it contains, so make sure it is available before visiting.

Some sections of the castle, including the crenellated walls and the covered passage "Ghirlanda", are only accessible by private tour. I recommend you to choose in Hellotickets among the best tours and excursions from Milan one that suits your time and budget.

The Sforzesco Castle is a Gothic-style fortress built in the 15th century by the Visconti dynasty that served as the home of the reigning family of the city in 1450. It is regal, domineering and, if you want to know in depth why it was the centre of the Roman Empire for so long and its evolution within the Sforza dynasty, you must visit it.

Originally this castle was a military citadel. Over the years, the changes of governments and republics have left their mark on this place, which is why it is impossible to talk about Milanese art, culture and tradition without highlighting this space.

On the other hand, the design of its walled brick walls was the work of Leonardo da Vinci, who added imposing round battlements, gardens, museums and a tower with panoramic views of the city and is considered one of the genius's masterpieces. This fortress was joined by the Torre Branca, one of the modern cultural assets in the Parco Sempione so impressive that it is considered the Eiffel Tower of Milan.

Yes, I'll tell you:

• With a Lombardy Museums Pass. For the purchase of your subscription you get a year of free visits to the participating museums and exhibitions, including a visit to the Castello di Milano. The subscription comes annually and tickets for adults cost around 45 €.

• With the Esselunga programme. By combining subscriptions, vouchers and joint tickets, tickets can be exchanged for entry to the Castle of Milan. Approval depends on seasonal promotions as well as availability of seats.

The Sforzesco Castle is located in Piazza Castello, 20121 in Milan. You can get to visit it in different ways, here is how to get there from the most frequented meeting point: Milan Centrale Station.

• By underground:
  By line 1 from Cadorna or Cairoli stations you will be 200 metres from the castle. The first one leaves you on one of the sides, passing by the Museo della Pietà Rondanini while the second alternative invites you to pass by the Torre del Filarete.

Take metro line 2 from Centrale Fs to Lanza station. There you walk 300 metres and you will arrive at the gates of the castle.

• By bus:
  Bus lines 18, 50, 37, 58, 61 and 94 stop in front of the castle.

• By tram:
  Lines 1, 2, 4, 12, 14 and 19 have a stop a few metres away.

• By car:
  You can go along Via Vittor Pisani and you will find it 3.6 km away. If you choose to go along Foro Buonaparte you will find it 4.5 km away (this road also takes you directly to the nearest car park, the Buonaparte Parking).

Where to park

If you go with your private or rented car, you have several options for parking.

• At the Salone del Mobile Milan: located at Foro Buonaparte, 65, 20121 Milan.
• At the Buonaparte Parking: just 300 metres from the Castle, you can find it in Via Giacomo Puccini, 5, 20121 Milan.
• At the Garage Sforza: it is located in Via Francesco Sforza, 4, 20122 Milan. Ironically despite its name, this is the furthest option from the castle, 1.8 km. This option is suitable if you want to enter the Duomo of Milan before arriving at the Castle.

Yes, it is recommended, especially if it is a family outing. Milan Castle is a beautiful place where children have special activities in and around its Gothic walls.

• Inside the Castle
  Children between the ages of 4 and 12 can enjoy workshops and guided tours every weekend. The activities are part of a collaboration between Ad Artem, Aster, Opera d'Arte and Le Voci della Città for children to explore and discover the history of the city. Visit theSforza Castle website for details and to plan your visit in advance.

• Around the Castle
  Aside from the imposing edifice coined by Leonardo da Vinci, the Castle's parks and gardens form the green lung of Milan with their paths and ornamental fountains. It is a very beautiful place. In this space is the Parco Sempione, a design by Emilio Alemagna with a tower, an aquarium, a theatre, a library and a large green area with a pond to match the spectacular nature of this Milanese fortress.

The place lends itself to 10-point photographs, especially if you visit in summer. You can put this visit on your top things to do in Milan with kids.

• A visit to the Sala delle Asse. The Castle of Milan is impregnated with works bearing the signature of Leonardo da Vinci and with the passage of time researchers continue to bring to light part of the memories of that genius.

In the Sala delle Asse, as well as being surrounded by the Venetian Knots, the frescoes of "Trompe-l'œil" or "trap before the eye" stand out, where realism is present. Part of this painting was discovered in 1893 and careful examination has been ongoing. In 2013 another part of the fresco and its history were added to the curiosities of this impressive room.

• The Museum of Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà. Knowing the importance of this artist, you won't want to miss this peculiar room.

• Don't miss a visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera, a bohemian place that houses masterpieces by Bramantino, Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Canaletto, Lorenzo Lotto, Correggio, Tintoretto and many more.

• The Sempione Park. Its gardens and ornaments alone are worth a visit to Milan Castle. From its highest point you can get a beautiful panoramic view of the Lombard capital while the atmosphere relaxes you.

• Last but not least, head to the Arco della Pace or Milan's Triumphal Arch.

The Sforzesco Castle is huge and houses as we saw a wealth of internal museums, exhibition halls, as well as seasonal activities. To visit it in its entirety you should ideally set aside at least half a day of your itinerary. 4 to 5 hours will be enough time to complete the visit.

In my opinion, the ideal is to set aside a day to stroll between the Sforzesco Castle, go up to Milan's Duomo Terrace and visit the Pinacoteca di Brera.

The Castle is open from Monday to Sunday from 7:00 am to 7:30 pm. The Castle Museums on the other hand have shorter opening hours. You can visit them from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30.

All sections are closed on Mondays, 25th December, 1st January and 1st May.

• Travel by public transport. Use the metro or a bus to get to the castle - it's convenient, fast, cheap and has stops just a few metres away.
• Set aside a day to explore the area. The Sforza Castle is the centre of Milan's main tourist attractions, from Giuseppe Piermarini'sLa Scala Theatre to the Santa Maria delle Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its world-famous tour of Milan's Last Supper.
• Wear comfortable shoes and cool clothes, especially if you visit the city in summer.
• Buy your tickets in advance or sign up for one of the most comprehensive tours to the Sforzesco Castle, here's how to do it and why I like this option.

If you are interested in visiting the capital of Lombardy without forgetting the main landmarks of its long list of monuments, I recommend a guided tour from the Duomo to the Sforzesco Castle.

The experience offers you the opportunity to visit the courtyard and the interior of the Sforza Castle and get to know the history of one of Milan's most imposing noble families in a much more intimate and personal way. This tour also highlights different emblematic Italian works to explore the artistic memory of Lombardy.

Why I like this option: it is, without a doubt, one of the best tours and excursions from Milan and includes a minimum of four stops.

• Milan Castle. Better known as its walled fortress.
• La Scala Theatre where Milan's opera comes to life.
• The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Where you can among other things visit Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan.
• The tour of the Duomo square, a place where there are 10 other things to see and do, including a visit to the Cathedral, the central point of the square.

This tour is the most complete, including the four stops mentioned above with enough time to enjoy the works of art and continue the tour of the city.

This tour is recommended if you want to see the four sites of interest mentioned above, plus a visit to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. All in all, this is an expertly guided tour of contrasts and history so you won't miss a single detail.

Other interesting facts about the tour

• Price: From 204 €.
• Duration: Approximately 3 hours.
• What the tour may include: An expert multilingual historian leading the tour and answering your questions. A guided tour inside the Milan Castle. Entrance tickets to La Scala Theatre and Milan Cathedral.