Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

What it is, and what it costs

The Galleria is a street with a roof: a cross-shaped arcade by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni, running from Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala. There is no gate and no ticket for the arcade itself. If you are at the Duomo, the arch on the north side of the square is the way in, and it makes the natural walk from the cathedral to La Scala.

How it came to be

The first stone was laid in 1865 and the Galleria opened in stages. Sources disagree on the inauguration dates, and even the tourist board has two versions, so we leave those out. What is settled is Mengoni's own dates, 1829–1877. You may read that he died in 1870, but the city's Monumental Cemetery records 1877.

The Octagon, and what is on the floor

The centre of the cross is the Octagon, under the glass dome. Look at the floor: the mosaic shows the arms of the House of Savoy with those of the four capitals of the Kingdom of Italy, Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome.

The bull: how it works

Turin's arms carry a bull. The tradition is to set your heel on the bull's testicles and spin round three times for luck. You will find the spot by the hollow that generations of heels have worn into it.

Shop signs and what to expect inside

Every business in the Galleria must use gold lettering on a black background, which is why the arcade looks so uniform. Expect luxury brands and cafés at luxury prices.

The Pradasphere exhibition is listed by YesMilano as free, daily 10:00–20:00, with online booking strictly required, and includes the Passaggio Segreto under the Octagon. We could not read Prada's own page, so confirm it there first.

Highline: the walkway above the roof

Highline, also known as Highline Galleria and signed HIGHLINE Milano on its own site, is the panoramic walkway suspended over the Galleria. It is open again after years out of action: press reports put the reopening in February 2026, following a closure dating back to 2019. Older pages with former names and prices are out of date.

What a visit includes: the walkway, the glass lift, the exhibition in the Sala degli Orologi and the terrace on top of the entrance arch, which overlooks the Duomo. The Sala degli Orologi, the room behind the clock, used to be closed to the public; a few city pages still say so. Highline opens it. The exhibition Guardare fino al cielo opened there on 7 October 2026.

Where to go in: Galleria 11/12, in the atrium on the Piazza della Scala side, so at the far end from the cathedral. The route starts on the 6th floor.

When: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, last admission 17:30. Closed on Mondays.

Tickets:

You can buy on site during opening hours with no service fee, while tickets last; capacity is limited. Highline is also included in the All Inclusive version of the City Pass.

Rules that matter: there are stairs you cannot avoid, high heels and bulky items are not allowed, animals are not admitted, and part of the route is outdoors on a grated walkway. It is not a route for anyone with a fear of heights or a stroller.

Highline or the Duomo roof?

The Duomo terraces put you among the spires at up to 45 metres, on the building you came to see. Highline shows you the Galleria's glass roof from above and gives you the Duomo as a view. If you can only do one, choose the terraces, and note that they are open on Mondays when Highline is closed. If you have seen the roof already, Highline adds the angle you could not get from it. More places to look from are on our viewpoints page.

Before and after

• At Christmas, the city's brief calls for a luminous vault in the Octagon dome: see Christmas at the Duomo.
• Beyond La Scala, the walk carries on towards the Quadrilatero della Moda: YesMilano puts Via Montenapoleone at 0.60 km and the Quadrilatero at 0.74 km from the Galleria.
• Back at the square, Piazza del Duomo has the museums and viewpoints that the arcade lacks.