Milan vs Rome: Fashion capital or ancient city?
Milan is fashion + design: Duomo + Galleria Vittorio Emanuele + Quadrilatero della Moda. Rome is 2000 years of ancient history: Colosseum, the Vatican, Trastevere trattorias.
Plan your trip to Milan: flight, hotel and total price in one go
Updated: 6 October 2026 · compiled by the CheapTrips editors
Choose Milan for fashion, design and the Duomo. Choose Rome for the Colosseum and 2000 years of history. Flights from the Netherlands take about 1 hour 45 to Milan and about 2 hours 30 to Rome. On price, are similarly priced. For a first visit most travellers pick Rome.
Milan
Milan is Italy's fashion and design capital: Da Vinci's Last Supper, the giant Duomo, Quadrilatero della Moda for luxury shopping and the best aperitivo culture.
Flight from NL: €70 return
View Milan →Rome
Rome is an open-air museum: 2000 years of history in every street, with Roman ruins, baroque squares and the best pasta carbonara in the world.
Flight from NL: €80 return
View Rome →Milan vs Rome at a glance
| Milan | Rome | |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight from NL | €70 return | €80 return |
| Flight time from Schiphol | about 1 hour 45 | about 2 hours 30 |
| Coast / beach | No | No |
| Museums | Good | World-class |
| Nightlife | Decent | Decent |
| Winter weather | Cold | Mild |
| Best months | April, May, June, September, October | April, May, June, September, October |
| Ideal length | 2 days | 4 days |
| Price level | €€€ | €€€ |
Milan and Rome are both popular for a trip from the Netherlands, but they feel quite different. Milan is known for fashion, design and the Duomo, while Rome is about the Colosseum and 2000 years of history. On price, are similarly priced. Milan ideally needs 2 days, while you can see Rome well in 4 days.
The best months are April, May, June, September, October for Milan and April, May, June, September, October for Rome. Want to combine them: The high-speed train takes about 3 hours, faster and easier than flying. All prices below are indicative and based on return flights from Schiphol or Eindhoven outside the school holidays.
Best time to visit compared
Milan
April to June and September to October: 18-25 degrees. Avoid July/August (oppressively hot, many places closed). Fashion Week (February, September) is more expensive.
Rome
April, May and September-October are ideal, 20-25°C, manageable crowds. July and August are stiflingly hot (35°C+) and restaurants/museums are full of tourists. November and January are cheap but changeable.
Flights + transfer from the Netherlands
Milan
Directly from Schiphol to Milan Malpensa (MXP) in 1 hour 45 minutes. KLM, easyJet, Ryanair. Malpensa Express to center €13 in 50 minutes.
Rome
From Schiphol to Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) in 2 hours 30 minutes. KLM, ITA Airways, Vueling. To the centre: Leonardo Express €14 or bus €6.90. Locally: metro/bus €1.50 per ride, day ticket €7.
Costs compared
Milan
Hostels from €25, mid-range hotels €100 to 160, vacation rentals €110 per night. Food: panzerotto €4, aperitivo €10, dinner €25 to 40.
Rome
Hostels from €25, mid-range hotels €100-160, vacation rentals via Vrbo around €110 per night. Food: pizza already taglio €4, pasta-lunch €12-15, traditional dinner €25-35.
Rome or Milan: who chooses what?
| You want... | Milan | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| First trip to Italy | Best choice | |
| Fashion, design and shopping | Best choice | |
| Ancient history, ruins, religion | Best choice | |
| Aperitivo culture and nightlife | Navigli and Brera | Trastevere |
| Day trip to nature or coast | Lake Como (1 hour by train) | Naples, Pompeii (1h15) |
| Mild winter weather | Best choice (15 degrees) |
Choose Milan if you...
Want to see fashion, design and Da Vinci's Last Supper. The Navigli district comes alive in the evening with aperitivo along the canals. Two days is ideal, with Lake Como or Bergamo as an optional day trip.
Choose Rome if you...
Are visiting Italy for the first time. The Colosseum, Vatican, Trastevere and baroque squares are all within walking distance. Rome rewards a longer stay: three to four days fly by unnoticed.
Our verdict: Rome for your first visit, Milan for a specific reason
If you're going to Italy for the first time, Rome gives you more for your money: more iconic sights per kilometre, better pasta, better street atmosphere. Plan three to four days and you'll see the best of the city without rushing.
Milan is the better choice if fashion, design or La Scala are your real reason to go. Two days are enough, and the Navigli district makes the evenings special. From Milan you can reach Lake Como in an hour; from Rome, Pompeii in ninety minutes.
Want both cities? The high-speed train covers the 570 kilometres in three hours, sometimes for less than €19 one-way. A one-way ticket Milan inbound and Rome outbound is the most popular route from the Netherlands.
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See the individual travel guides with live prices from the Netherlands.