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Family outings

Family outings in Milan

Milan works wonderfully at child height: a castle in the city centre with free courtyards, a science museum with a real submarine, gardens where adults may only enter with a child, a Scala that opens its doors to little ones, and the lakes under an hour by train. Here are our addresses, all checked on official websites.

Verified on 30 October 2026

Parks, playgrounds and big green spaces

Milan is not famous for being green, and yet: Parco Sempione at the foot of the castle, the Giardini Montanelli with their children-only garden, the BAM park beneath the skyscrapers, and real urban forests fifteen minutes away by metro.

Good to know

  • Parco Sempione, the city's green heart, stretches over 40 hectares from the Castello Sforzesco to the Arco della Pace, with the Civic Aquarium, the Arena, the Triennale, playgrounds, a lake and six kiosks; the Cascina Nascosta often runs children's workshops. Source
  • At the Giardini Indro Montanelli (Porta Venezia), three equipped playgrounds, the natural history museum and the planetarium inside the park; behind the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, the Villa Reale garden is reserved for children up to 12 and their companions: no child, no entry. Source
  • The BAM park, in Porta Nuova, offers a calendar of free open-air workshops for children on booking (vegetable garden, plants, stars), a play area accessible to children with disabilities and water games from May to September. Source
  • For big breaths of fresh air: Boscoincittà, 120 hectares of woods, meadows and streams developed since 1974 near San Siro, Parco Nord to the north, and the Idroscalo, the 'sea of the Milanese', with its free Villaggio del Bambino from age 3. Source

Addresses

  • Parco Sempione

    Park

    Piazza Castello et Arco della Pace, 20121 (M1 Cadorna, M2 Lanza)

    The great playground of the centre: playgrounds, turtle lake, Arena, aquarium and Triennale, gelato at the Arco della Pace; very busy on Sundays.

    Website Source

  • Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli et jardin de la Villa Reale

    Park

    Corso Venezia et Via Palestro, 20121 (M1 Palestro)

    The public gardens of Porta Venezia: three playgrounds, natural history museum and planetarium inside the park, and the English-style Villa Reale garden, reserved for accompanied children under 12.

    Website Source

  • BAM, Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano

    Park

    Via Gaetano de Castillia 28, 20124 (M2 et M5 Garibaldi, M5 Isola)

    The cultural park at the foot of the Bosco Verticale: free children's workshops on booking, accessible kids' area, water games in summer, bocce courts and lawns for picnics.

    Website Source

  • Idroscalo

    Park

    Via Circonvallazione Segrate 29, Segrate (8 km du centre, près de Linate)

    The former seaplane basin turned into the Milanese's park: over twenty sports, beaches in summer, the free Villaggio del Bambino from age 3 with water games and picnic area; open 7:30am to 9pm, free entry.

    Website Source

  • Boscoincittà

    Park

    Via Novara 340, 20153 (bus 80, près du stade de San Siro)

    A 120-hectare forest in the city created by Italia Nostra: woods, streams, wetlands, 200 allotments, children's activities and volunteer Sundays; free entry, ten minutes from the Lycée Stendhal.

    Website Source

  • Parco Nord Milano

    Park

    Cascina Centro Parco, Via Clerici 150, Sesto San Giovanni (M5 Bignami)

    The big northern park, fifty years old in 2025: cycle paths, playgrounds, guided walks with volunteers, air-raid shelters to visit and an open-air theatre; reached by the M5.

    Website Source

  • Parco di Monza et Villa Reale

    Park

    Viale Mirabellino 2, Monza (train depuis Garibaldi ou Centrale, puis bus ou vélo)

    720 walled hectares since 1805, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe: bike rental, little train, farms, playgrounds, racetrack and the Villa Reale; a full day out twenty minutes from Milan.

    Website Source

Go further

Children's museums and civic museums

A children's museum in a baroque church, Italy's largest science museum, a castle whose courtyards are free every day and a planetarium: rainy days are never short of ideas.

Good to know

  • MUBA, the children's museum housed in the Rotonda della Besana, runs on timed, limited-number sessions by booking: play exhibitions and workshops by age group, from 12 months to 5 years up to 6 to 11, plus sessions for babies aged 4 to 12 months with their parents. Source
  • At the Leonardo da Vinci science museum, every weekend and public holiday, more than four interactive trails run every hour for children and their families, with theatrical animations; the Toti submarine is visited by booking. Source
  • The Castello Sforzesco courtyards can be visited free every day from 7am to 7:30pm; the castle museums (one ticket) are open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5:30pm and offer children's trails. Source
  • The natural history museum, the Comune's oldest, opens Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5:30pm with a programme of family activities; the neighbouring planetarium gives children's shows of about an hour, in the dark, recommended from age 6. Source

Addresses

  • Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci

    Museum

    Via San Vittore 21, 20123 (M2 Sant'Ambrogio)

    Italy's largest science museum: the Toti submarine, the Leonardo gallery, interactive i.lab workshops, trains and planes; family trails every weekend, booking advised.

    Website Source

  • MUBA, Museo dei Bambini Milano

    Museum

    Via Enrico Besana 12, 20122 (Rotonda della Besana, M3 Crocetta)

    The children's museum in the former Besana church: play exhibitions and workshops by age, from 12 months to 11 years, in 75-minute slots to book; garden in the cloister.

    Website Source

  • Castello Sforzesco

    Museum

    Piazza Castello, 20121 (M1 Cairoli)

    The Sforza castle: free courtyards every day, museums (Michelangelo's Pietà Rondanini, arms, instruments) Tuesday to Sunday, children's trails and Parco Sempione just behind.

    Website Source

  • Museo Civico di Storia Naturale

    Museum

    Corso Venezia 55, 20121 (Giardini Montanelli, M1 Palestro)

    Dinosaurs, dioramas and minerals in a nineteenth-century palace in the heart of the gardens: the favourite museum of 4 to 10-year-olds, with a family activity programme and an accessible trail.

    Website Source

  • Civico Planetario Ulrico Hoepli

    Museum

    Corso Venezia 57, 20121 (Giardini Montanelli)

    Milan's planetarium, run by the LOfficina association: interactive children's shows of about an hour, recommended from age 6, and four-session clubs with a gadget at the end.

    Website Source

  • Acquario Civico di Milano

    Museum

    Viale Gadio 2, 20121 (Parco Sempione, M2 Lanza)

    Small Art Nouveau aquarium on the edge of Parco Sempione: circular tanks and a transparent gallery that makes you look up, perfect for an hour with little ones.

    Website Source

  • Triennale Milano

    Museum

    Viale Alemagna 6, 20121 (Parco Sempione, M1 Cadorna)

    The design palace in the park: free entry and free activities, a permanent collection of 400 objects, family experiences and a garden; a ticket only for some exhibitions and shows.

    Website Source

  • Leonardo3 Museum

    Museum

    Piazza della Scala, entrée par la Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, 20121 (M1 et M3 Duomo)

    Leonardo da Vinci's world in working machine models and digital restorations of his paintings: interactive, right in the centre, ideal after visiting the Duomo.

    Website Source

Go further

Libraries and the French médiathèque

To keep up the children's French, the Institut français médiathèque at the Palazzo delle Stelline is the rallying point; for Italian, the municipal library network is free and welcomes little ones with story times and workshops.

Good to know

  • The Institut français Milano médiathèque holds over 10,000 books, magazines for adults and children, 1,620 films on DVD and a children's book room; on-site reading is free, borrowing requires the Carte Institut français, which also opens the Culturethèque digital library. Source
  • Médiathèque hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 2pm to 6pm, Thursday 2pm to 6:30pm, Friday 10am to 2pm, and some Saturday mornings from September to March, dates published on the website. Source
  • The Sistema Bibliotecario di Milano brings together the central Sormani library and the neighbourhood (rionali) libraries: free membership, children's sections, story times and workshops, inter-library loans and a digital library; during carnival they host costume parties for children. Source
  • To buy French books, the big central bookshops, Hoepli first with its foreign-language section over five floors, help out; for children's titles, the médiathèque and online orders remain the solution. Source

Addresses

  • Médiathèque de l'Institut français Milano

    Library

    Corso Magenta 63, 20123 (Palazzo delle Stelline, M1 et M2 Cadorna)

    The heart of French reading in Milan, on the ground floor of the Institut: children's room, new releases, comics, DVDs and press, Culturethèque for members, opposite Santa Maria delle Grazie.

    Website Source

  • Biblioteca Centrale Sormani

    Library

    Corso di Porta Vittoria 6, 20122 (M1 San Babila)

    The central library of the municipal network, in a palace in the centre: reading rooms, children's section and access to the catalogue of all Milan's libraries.

    Website Source

  • Biblioteche rionali de Milan

    Library

    The Comune's neighbourhood libraries, one per area, free membership: children's shelves, story hours and workshops, ideal for meeting other local parents and making Italian friends.

    Website Source

  • Libreria Hoepli

    Shop

    Via Ulrico Hoepli 5, 20121 (M1 et M3 Duomo)

    Milan's great historic bookshop over five floors, with a French-language section upstairs; orders possible.

    Website Source

Go further

Activities, clubs and workshops in French

The French-language offer revolves around the Institut français, with its children's courses and cinema, and the life of the Lycée Stendhal and Milan Accueil. On the Italian side, Milan spoils children: municipal pools, theatres for little ones and a Scala that opens its boxes to them.

Good to know

  • The Institut français Milano offers annual French courses for children (ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 11) and teenagers (11 to 13 and 14 to 16), workshops for 7 to 11-year-olds, DELF Prim preparation and a theatre course: invaluable for children in Italian schools. Source
  • CinéMagenta63, the Institut's cinema, screens French films in the original version with Italian subtitles, on Thursday evenings and some Saturday afternoons, with family animation films on the programme. Source
  • La Scala created 'Grandi spettacoli per piccoli e famiglie', operas and ballets from the repertoire cut to children's size, where under-18s enter at a symbolic price; 'Un palco in famiglia' reserves boxes for under-18s accompanied by adults. Source
  • Two theatres are dedicated to children: the Teatro Munari, kingdom of the Teatro del Buratto from birth, and the Colla family's puppet theatre, which has brought pieces of wood to life for a century, recommended from age 3. Source

Addresses

  • Institut français Milano, cours pour enfants et adolescents

    Activity

    Corso Magenta 63, 20123 (Palazzo delle Stelline, M1 et M2 Cadorna)

    Annual French courses from 4 to 16, workshops for 7 to 11-year-olds, DELF Prim and theatre; course office open on weekdays and Saturday mornings.

    Website Source

  • CinéMagenta63, Institut français Milano

    Activity

    Corso Magenta 63, 20123

    The Institut's cinema: French films in the original version with subtitles, screenings Thursdays at 7pm and some Saturdays at 4pm, animation films for families through the season.

    Website Source

  • Teatro alla Scala, Grandi spettacoli per piccoli e famiglie

    Activity

    Piazza della Scala, 20121 (M1 et M3 Duomo)

    Operas and ballets adapted for children in the world's most famous opera house, at a symbolic price for under-18s; family boxes with 'Un palco in famiglia' and a theatre museum to visit.

    Website Source

  • Teatro Munari, Teatro del Buratto

    Activity

    Via Giovanni Bovio 5, 20159 (Dergano, M3 Dergano)

    The theatre designed for children from age 0: shows by the Teatro del Buratto and guest artists, from the Tin Soldier to the White Whale; free stories and readings on the website.

    Website Source

  • Marionettes Colla, Atelier Carlo Colla e Figli

    Activity

    Via Montegani 35/1, 20141 (sud, M2 Abbiategrasso)

    Milan's century-old puppet company: shows recommended from age 3 at the Atelier Colla and, for the other branch of the family, at the Teatro Silvestrianum (Via Andrea Maffei 19).

    Website Source

  • Milanosport, piscines et centres sportifs municipaux

    Activity

    The Comune's pools and sports centres across the city: children's swimming courses from September, boxing and fitness, outdoor pools in summer; online enrolment, and fitness sessions for parents during the children's lesson.

    Website Source

  • PlayMore!

    Activity

    Via della Moscova 26, 20121 (M2 Moscova)

    Sports association running the Moscova centre since 2013: courses for children and teenagers, summer camps (PlayCamp and DayCamp), sport open to all with attention to vulnerable children.

    Website Source

Go further

Through the seasons and festivities

The Milanese year has its rituals: Sant'Ambrogio and La Scala's opening night on 7 December, the Christmas market around the Duomo, a carnival that lasts four days longer than elsewhere in Italy, Design Week in April and a summer when the city empties in mid-August.

Good to know

  • Winter: on 7 December, Sant'Ambrogio, the city's patron saint, is a public holiday in Milan and opens La Scala's season with the Prima, broadcast across the city by the Prima Diffusa; the Christmas market surrounds the Duomo from early December to 6 January, with Santa's house, the big tree on the square and ice rinks. Source
  • Carnival: Milan follows the Ambrosian rite and celebrates carnival four days later than the rest of Italy, until Fat Saturday; parades of children in costume in front of the Duomo, chiacchiere and tortelli, and children's parties in museums and libraries. Source
  • Spring: the Milano Marathon and its relay race on the first Sunday of April, Design Week and the Fuorisalone in mid-April with free installations in the Brera, Tortona and Isola districts, then the Festival delle bambine e dei bambini at the end of May. Source
  • Summer: the Milano Estate programme animates the city from June to September (open-air cinema, concerts, Estate Sforzesca in the castle courtyard), outdoor pools open, so do the BAM water games; around 15 August the city empties and many shops close. Source

Addresses

  • Marché de Noël de la Piazza del Duomo

    Activity

    Piazza del Duomo, 20122

    The wooden chalets around the cathedral from early December to 6 January, Santa's house, a life-size nativity scene and the big tree lit in early December.

    Website Source

  • Prima della Scala et Prima Diffusa

    Activity

    Teatro alla Scala et toute la ville, 7 décembre

    La Scala's opening night on Sant'Ambrogio's day, and its free broadcast in venues across the city: an introduction to opera for older children.

    Website Source

  • Carnevale Ambrosiano

    Activity

    Piazza del Duomo et tous les quartiers, fin février ou début mars

    The children's carnival par excellence: Milan celebrates until Fat Saturday, four days after Shrove Tuesday, with parades in front of the Duomo, parties in museums, libraries and the municipi, and the Meneghino mask.

    Website Source

  • Milano Marathon et Relay Marathon

    Activity

    Centre-ville, départ et arrivée près du Castello, 4 avril 2027

    The great running festival, 25th edition on 4 April 2027: marathon and four-person relay for parents, festival atmosphere for children along the course and charity fundraising.

    Website Source

  • Fuorisalone, Milano Design Week

    Activity

    Brera, Tortona, Isola et autres quartiers, du 12 au 18 avril 2027

    Design week takes over courtyards and streets: free installations, open gardens and workshops in the districts, best done with a pushchair early in the morning before the crowds.

    Website Source

  • Festival delle bambine e dei bambini

    Activity

    Toute la ville, fin mai

    The Comune's children's festival, a few days at the end of May: free workshops, shows and games in parks, museums and libraries.

    Website Source

  • Milano Estate

    Activity

    Cour du Castello Sforzesco et toute la ville, juin à septembre

    The city's summer programme: Estate Sforzesca in the castle courtyard, open-air cinema, concerts and family shows, often free or nearly so.

    Website Source

Go further

Trips under two hours away

Lakes under an hour by train, Bergamo and its upper town, Turin and its museums, the sea at Genoa, theme parks designed for little ones: the Milanese weekend never runs out of ideas, and children travel free by train with you across Lombardy.

Good to know

  • With Io viaggio in famiglia, children aged 4 to 13 travel free on Trenord regional trains in Lombardy with an adult family member holding a ticket (self-certification form or free card); under-4s are free everywhere. Trenord also sells Gite in treno packages to the lakes and theme parks. Source
  • Como is about 40 minutes by train from Cadorna, Stresa on Lake Maggiore an hour from Centrale, Bergamo 50 minutes, Turin an hour by high-speed train and Genoa an hour and forty minutes: leave early, Sunday evening trains are full.
  • Three theme parks within driving distance: Leolandia at Capriate, thirty minutes towards Bergamo, for the youngest; Gardaland on Lake Garda, with its Sea Life aquarium, for older ones; and the Parco della Preistoria at Rivolta d'Adda, where you walk beneath dinosaurs. Source

Addresses

  • Lac de Côme

    Como (train depuis Cadorna ou Centrale, environ 40 minutes)

    The Milanese's lake: boats to Bellagio and Varenna, the Como to Brunate funicular, swimming in summer and a 'Lago di Como con bambini' section on the official site to plan the day.

    Website Source

  • Lac Majeur et îles Borromées

    Stresa et Arona (train depuis Centrale, environ 1 heure)

    Stresa and its grand hotels, the Borromean islands by boat (Isola Bella's gardens, Isola Madre's peacocks, the fishermen's village), the Rocca d'Angera on the Lombard shore and the Mottarone cable car; family section on the official site.

    Website Source

  • Bergamo Città Alta

    Bergamo (train depuis Centrale ou Garibaldi, environ 50 minutes)

    The upper town perched behind its UNESCO-listed Venetian walls: funicular, Piazza Vecchia, a walk along the ramparts and polenta; a perfect half-day with children.

    Website Source

  • Leolandia

    Via Vittorio Veneto 52, Capriate San Gervasio (BG), environ 30 minutes en voiture

    The park for little ones: over fifty rides, Minitalia in miniature, Bluey, Masha and the Bear, PJ Masks and Bing; season from March to Epiphany, Halloween and Christmas included.

    Website Source

  • Gardaland

    Castelnuovo del Garda (VR), gare de Peschiera del Garda puis navette, environ 1 h 30

    Lake Garda's big theme park: Peppa Pig Land for little ones, Sea Life aquarium, Legoland Water Park in summer, season from April to Halloween then winter festivities; book online.

    Website Source

  • Parco della Preistoria

    Viale Ponte Vecchio 21, Rivolta d'Adda (CR), environ 40 minutes en voiture

    A hundred hectares of woods along the Adda with over fifty life-size reconstructions of dinosaurs and prehistoric humans, free-roaming animals, a maze and picnic areas: the cult outing for 3 to 8-year-olds.

    Website Source

  • Museo Egizio, Turin

    Via Accademia delle Scienze 6, Torino (train à grande vitesse depuis Centrale, environ 1 heure)

    Turin's great Egyptian museum, with mummies, sarcophagi and the tomb of Kha: Kids & Family trail, and a city of chocolate and museums to explore around it.

    Website Source

  • Acquario di Genova

    Ponte Spinola, Porto Antico, Genova (train depuis Centrale, environ 1 h 40)

    The big aquarium of the Porto Antico, open 365 days a year: dolphins, sharks, penguins, free for under-4s, and the Città dei Bambini e dei Ragazzi next door for a full day at the seaside.

    Website Source

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Milan will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 YesMilano, les parcs avec aire de jeux
  2. 2 YesMilano, les musées pour enfants
  3. 3 MUBA, Museo dei Bambini Milano
  4. 4 Castello Sforzesco, horaires et cours
  5. 5 Institut français Milano, la médiathèque
  6. 6 Teatro alla Scala, Grandi spettacoli per piccoli e famiglie
  7. 7 YesMilano, les événements à ne pas manquer en 2026
  8. 8 Trenord, billets enfants et Io viaggio in famiglia

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