Milan · SELF-GUIDED TOURS
Good self-guided tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
See Milan’s Duomo, Navigli, San Siro, Brera, and more on four flexible open-top bus routes with multilingual audio commentary.
“Great way to see all the major sites, and then pick the ones that interest you and stay longer.”
Explore Milan’s Sforza Castle and museums with reserved entry, a multilingual audio app, and time to see Leonardo and Michelangelo.
“Great to pre-book the tickets, but more info needs to be added that u have to go to the agency by the fountain to pickup ur ticket first before entering. (A map picture would be great) Also castle is free to enter, this ticket gets u in all the museums tho & u can see da vinci ceiling paintings ! Worth it !”
Explore Milan’s Museum of the 900 with a smartphone audio guide, modern Italian art, Palazzo dell’Arengario, and Duomo views for $14.
Explore Brescia at your own pace with Matteo’s audio and text guide, Google Maps links, Roman ruins, cathedrals, museums, and local food tips.
“Te arregla el recorrido pero explica más bien poco de cada punto. Hay algunos puntos donde el audio es de 30 segundos! Creo que es muy mejorable”
Explore Como at your own pace with a local audio guide covering Roman walls, the cathedral, Villa Olmo, Brunate, and lake views.
“Impressionante! Deveria ter isso em todas as cidades. Vc faz no seu tempo, pega o caminho que quiser e ainda tem curiosidades! Sensacional.”
Explore Mantua at your own pace with audio and text guides covering Palazzo Te, Gonzaga palaces, churches, squares, and local food tips.
“Great guide to visit the main points of the city in a day! I highly recommend it for wanting such an experience!Auto-translated”
Review of Milan’s Natural History Museum with mobile audio guide, 40 stops, fossils, minerals, wildlife, gardens, price tips, and booking advice.
“No one was there to wait for us or gave us instructions even though we were told that we simply had to wait for the assistant with a yellow flag because she was late.. after half an hour we called again to ask for instructions and we were told to link to a dangerous website for the audio guide.. we obviously didn’t do it and so we scanned again a new link that lead us to the Natural History Museum in London!!! Absolutely ridiculous”
Solve clues across Milan’s historic center on a flexible Da Vinci puzzle quest with 10 challenges, no guide, and no data connection required.
“It was enjoyable to search for images, texts, materials in the city and to then learn the history. Even our teen enjoyed it.”
Explore Como by eBike on a self-guided route to its cathedral, Roman baths, Volta museums, basilicas, and Villa Olmo.
Review Sforza Castle in Milan, with fast-track entry, a smartphone audio guide, museum details, costs, timing, and practical tips.
“We were given a phone app with no other info. App was difficult to follow or understand with no suggestions or directions. We left after one very confusing hour and seeing very little. Complete waste of time and money.”
Explore Milan on a low-cost self-guided walk from Sforza Castle to La Scala, with audio, local tips, and Duomo guidance.
“I went to the information desk in the palace and they said, it is closed today! So I didn’t get to go to the tour”
Visit Milan’s Museo del Novecento with fast-track entry, a smartphone audio guide, and 400 modern artworks beside Piazza del Duomo.
“One of the highlights of our visit to Milan, beautiful building and extraordinary collection of modern art.”
Ride a Vespa around Lake Garda from Salò, taking ferries, mountain roads, lemon groves, Malcesine, and a reserved family lunch.
“While the staff was friendly, this was unfortunately a very disappointing experience and not what was advertised. We arrived ~30 minutes after the listed start time, but were told we would still have enough time for the full tour. From there, it was a disaster. The instruction on how to use the Vespa was extremely rushed, which already set the tone for the day. The first recommended stop came less than an hour in, after a short ferry ride. We weren’t ready to stop yet, but went along — only to find unfriendly service, where the server actually told us “no, you stay, don’t worry you won’t be late for…”
Ride a Vespa around Lake Garda with app navigation, ferry crossings, mountain views, village stops, and a reserved local lunch.
“I had an amazing time on a self-guided Vespa tour around Lake Garda! The freedom to explore at my own pace, combined with stunning lake views and charming villages, made it unforgettable. The Vespa was easy to handle, and the provided routes ensured I saw all the highlights. Highly recommended for a perfect mix of adventure and beauty!”
Ride a 125cc Vespa around Lake Garda, using an app-guided route with mountain views, ferry crossing, lunch stop, and roadside support.
“This was one of the best tours I’ve ever done—amazing views, a beautiful route, and a well-thought-out self-guided experience. Just a few things to keep in mind: the ride is long and 9 hours might feel short if you plan to stop at viewpoints or local spots; in May it was warm at the start but got quite chilly near the Alps, so take a jacket; the optional restaurant reservation offered in the app wasn’t really needed as there were plenty of free tables; Elvis was very friendly and waited patiently for me to collect the scooter; and although the self-guided format was great, I think having a live guide…”
Pick a roof, a refectory, a kitchen or a jetty.
