Milan

Gateway: Duomo station serves the square on two Metro lines, but its exits emerge around a large pedestrian and traffic field. Brera is approached more usefully from the north side of the centre or from Lanza, depending on the final door. Follow the entrance printed on the cathedral or gallery booking; a façade, terrace lift and museum entrance are not interchangeable.

Sacrifice: A complete cathedral complex and a serious Brera collection visit both require security, standing and focused indoor time. Selecting one as the anchor gives up depth in the other, but preserves a meal, a coherent northbound walk and enough attention to understand the chosen interior.

Time: Allow six to eight hours for one substantial controlled interior, the historic-centre walk and a real break. A public-realm circuit without a major interior can fit three to four hours.

Gateway: The Cenacolo Vinciano has its own controlled visit instructions beside Santa Maria delle Grazie; entering the church is a separate act. Conciliazione and Cadorna serve different approaches, while Cairoli is useful near the Castello. Save the booked entrance and arrival requirement rather than navigating only to the church name.

Sacrifice: The Last Supper’s fixed slot cannot absorb a late airport or rail arrival, and the Castello is a multi-museum complex rather than one quick room. Giving one institution depth sacrifices breadth in the other but prevents the entire day from becoming a sequence of security lines.

Time: Allow five to seven hours for the fixed Cenacolo visit, the church precinct, a meal and one bounded Castello or park layer. The Last Supper itself should never be scheduled as a connection-day afterthought.

Gateway: Porta Garibaldi rail and Metro services the northern start, while Porta Genova is the practical Metro gateway for Naviglio Grande and the Darsena side. These are not adjacent districts. Use one confirmed ATM transfer and save the late return from the canal-side stop before settling into dinner.

Sacrifice: Porta Nuova, a meaningful design interior and an unhurried Navigli evening each require a different attention window. A split day works only by choosing one daytime anchor; adding every design quarter and canal branch turns the useful transfer into repeated cross-city travel.

Time: Allow a full afternoon and evening for one northern or design anchor plus the Navigli. A single district can fill three to four hours; all-day coverage of both should include a real rest and one transit crossing.