Pavia and the Certosa day trip from Milan
A day trip to Pavia and the Certosa from Milan: the marble church and cloisters of the Certosa di Pavia in the morning, then the university's courtyards, Piazza della Vittoria, the Visconti Castle, St Augustine's tomb in San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, the cathedral, the Romanesque basilica of San Michele Maggiore and the Ponte Coperto over the Ticino. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Pavia and the Certosa in 1 day
Day 1
Certosa di Pavia
Monastery founded by the Visconti in 1396, with a richly carved marble church front, great cloister and monks' cells.
University of Pavia courtyards
Arcaded courtyards of one of Europe's oldest universities, lined with memorial plaques and statues of its scholars, open to walk through.
Piazza della Vittoria (Pavia)
Long medieval square at the heart of Pavia, lined with arcades and cafés, with the old Broletto town hall at one end.
Visconti Castle (Pavia)
Large square brick castle built by the Visconti in the fourteenth century, now home to the city's Civic Museums.
San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro
Romanesque basilica holding the marble tomb of St Augustine and the remains of the philosopher Boethius.
Pavia Cathedral
Renaissance cathedral begun in 1488, with one of the largest domes in Italy; Bramante worked on its design.
San Michele Maggiore, Pavia
Romanesque basilica of carved golden sandstone where medieval kings of Italy were crowned, among them Frederick Barbarossa.
Ponte Coperto
Covered bridge over the Ticino, rebuilt after the Second World War on the old model, with the classic view back to the old town.
Watch: Pavia and the Certosa
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
Trains from Milan reach Pavia in about 25-35 minutes; some stop at Certosa di Pavia station, a walk of about 20 minutes from the monastery. Between the Certosa and Pavia take a local bus, a taxi or a train back to Pavia; by car the two are about 15 minutes apart, and Milan is about 40 minutes away.
Staying in Milan? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Pavia and the Certosa
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons; summer on the Lombard plain is hot and humid, and winter often brings fog. The Certosa and the city are rarely crowded, so this is a good day out from Milan at any time of year, except on Mondays.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Pavia and the Certosa on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Pavia and the Certosa on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Pavia and the Certosa on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Pavia and the Certosa
- The Certosa is closed on Mondays (except holidays) and over lunchtime: arrive in the morning.
- The Visconti Castle's Civic Museums close one day a week and keep shorter hours on some days: check before you go.
- Cover shoulders and knees for the Certosa and Pavia's churches.
- Pavia's centre is flat and compact: from the station everything is a walk of a few minutes.
- End the day on the Ponte Coperto, the covered bridge over the Ticino, for the classic view of the old town.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Certosa di Pavia: Blackcat, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pavia Cathedral: FabioRomanoni, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ponte Coperto: Konki, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Michele Maggiore, Pavia: Groume, CC BY-SA 2.0
- San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro: G.dallorto, Attribution
- University of Pavia courtyards: Giovanni Dall'Orto, Attribution
- Visconti Castle (Pavia): Congolandia.g, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
