Sforza Castle Museums Tickets with Digital Audio Guide Milan

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Duration3 hours
Open onTuesday to Sunday
Meeting pointThe ticket office at Piazza Castello 1, in front of the castle

Sforza Castle Museums Tickets with Digital Audio Guide Milan

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Overview

Sforza Castle is Milan's great fortress-palace, and this ticket gives you reserved entry to its museums together with an app-based digital audio guide for the castle and for the city. You collect your entry tickets at the meeting desk in front of the castle on Piazza Castello, then explore courtyards, towers and galleries at your own speed, including Michelangelo's last sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà. It is a self-guided visit of about three hours with no live guide and no hotel pickup, and it suits history lovers, art fans and first-time visitors to Milan.

Highlights

Reserved entry to the Sforza Castle museums, so you skip the ticket queue
App-based digital audio guide for the castle, plus commentary on Milan
Michelangelo's unfinished Rondanini Pietà, his last sculpture
Fourteenth- and fifteenth-century fortress courtyards, towers and walls
Art, furniture, musical instruments and archaeology collections in the castle museums
Multilingual audio commentary in English, Chinese, German, French, Italian and Spanish

Full Description

Sforza Castle and Piazza Castello

Sforza Castle rises at the end of Via Dante, facing Piazza Castello, and is one of Milan's best-loved landmarks. It began in the fourteenth century as a Visconti fortress and was rebuilt from around 1450 by Francesco Sforza, becoming one of the largest citadels in Europe. If you are wondering how to get to Sforza Castle, it is a short walk from the Duomo along Via Dante, or take the metro to Cairoli or Cadorna.

Your ticket covers the castle museums, and the huge courtyards, including the Piazza d'Armi, are open to wander through as part of the visit. The castle grounds open onto Sempione Park, a natural continuation of the visit.

The castle museums and Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà

The castle museums bring together several collections: ancient art, sculpture, furniture, paintings, musical instruments and an archaeological section. The most famous piece is Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà, the last sculpture he worked on before his death, left deliberately rough and moving.

Other rooms show works by Renaissance artists and objects connected to the Sforza court, where Leonardo da Vinci worked for years. The audio guide helps you choose what to look at, so you do not have to see all of it. A Sforza Castle museums ticket is a good choice if you want more than a look from the outside.

Your digital audio guide for the castle and Milan

The audio guide is delivered through an app on your own phone, so you need to download it before you arrive and bring headphones and a charged smartphone. It covers the castle and the city, with suggested walking routes, so you can use it before and after your visit as well.

Commentary is available in English, Chinese, German, French, Italian and Spanish. This is not the audio guide offered inside the museum itself. It is a self-guided tour, so there is no live guide, and you set your own speed, which many visitors prefer.

Planning your visit: opening hours and meeting point

The castle museums are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30, with the last ticket sold at 16:30 and the last admission at 17:00. They are closed on Mondays and on 25 December, 1 January and 1 May, and opening hours change by season, so check the slots in the booking panel. The best time to visit is a weekday morning.

Collect your entry tickets at the meeting desk in front of the castle on Piazza Castello before going in. Allow around three hours in total, including the exchange, the courtyards and the museums. Wear comfortable shoes, as the courtyards are cobbled and the museums have several floors.

Itinerary

Download the audio guide appInstall the app and the audio tour on your phone before you arrive, and bring headphones.
Meet at Piazza CastelloGo to the meeting desk in front of the castle to collect your entry tickets.
Courtyards and fortressWalk through the gate, the Piazza d'Armi and the courtyards while you listen to the guide.
Castle museumsSee the Rondanini Pietà, the art collections and the museum rooms, about 90 minutes.
Sempione Park and city walkContinue into the park or follow the suggested walking route back to the centre.

What's included

Reserved entry to Sforza Castle
Digital audio guide through an app (English, Chinese, German, French, Italian and Spanish)
Digital audio guide for the city of Milan
Assistance at the meeting point

Not included

Mobile device
Headphones
Live guide

Is this right for you?

Great for

Families with children — a child price for ages 0–17
History and culture lovers
A half-day plan — about 3 hours

Not suitable for

Travellers without a smartphone or headphones, as the audio guide runs on your own device
Visitors who want a live guide, as this is a self-guided ticket
Anyone travelling on a Monday, when the castle museums are closed

Meeting point

There is no hotel pickup. Meet at the desk in front of Sforza Castle on Piazza Castello in Milan, where you collect your entry tickets and receive assistance with the audio guide. The exact spot is shown in your voucher. It is a ten-minute walk from the Duomo along Via Dante, or close to Cairoli metro station.

Important information

Download the app and the audio tour before you arrive; this is not the audio guide offered inside the museum
Bring headphones and a charged smartphone
The castle museums are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30, with last admission at 17:00
They are closed on Mondays and on 25 December, 1 January and 1 May
Collect your entry tickets at the meeting desk before you go in
The audio tour depends on the castle's opening days and hours
Opening hours change by season; check the slots in the booking panel

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.

How much does the Sforza Castle museums ticket cost?

The price depends on the option you choose and on the age category. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for each option, for adults and for children, so you can compare before you book.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. This is a reserved entry ticket with an audio guide. You meet at the desk in front of the castle on Piazza Castello, about ten minutes on foot from the Duomo.

How long does the visit take?

Allow about three hours in total, including collecting your tickets, walking through the courtyards and visiting the museums.

Is Sforza Castle suitable for children?

Yes for children who like history, towers and courtyards. The audio guide is designed for adults, but the open spaces and Sempione Park behind the castle are easy for families.

What should I wear or bring?

Comfortable shoes, headphones and a charged phone with the audio app downloaded. Bring your voucher too.

Can I book for today or tomorrow?

Yes, as long as there is still availability. Pick your date in the booking panel and it will show which dates and time slots are open. The castle museums are closed on Mondays, so choose another day.

Is a live guide included?

No. The ticket includes a digital audio guide through an app, so you tour on your own. A live guide is not included.

What are the Sforza Castle museums opening hours?

The museums are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30, with last admission at 17:00. They are closed on Mondays and on some public holidays, and hours change by season.

What is Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà?

It is the last sculpture Michelangelo worked on, left unfinished at his death. It is displayed in the castle museums and is a highlight of the visit.

Is Sforza Castle worth visiting?

Yes. It combines a huge fortress, important artworks and a beautiful setting, and it is close to Sempione Park, the Arco della Pace and the Branca Tower.