TWENTY-FOUR hours is not much time to learn a great deal about a new city, but it is long enough to have fun.

Milan is the most famous city in northern Italy, rightly renowned as an international fashion capital.

And yet there's more to the city than effortless Milanese cool, as the chic shops are joined by good restaurants and cafes and numerous must-see attractions. But don't waste time - follow this schedule.

9am

When you're in Italy you cannot start your day without an espresso! Life in Milan is quite frenetic and the right dose of coffee is necessary. Of course, as a tourist you can enjoy your breakfast with a cappuccino and a very nice croissant. The choice of amazing cafes in town is really wild. You can choose from historic cafes like Taveggia, which is famous for its croissants and drinks, or really new modern places like Pandenus, that offers not only croissants but also sandwiches and blended juices, embracing a more international concept.

The choice is up to you, but you need to hurry because there's a long day ahead of you!

9:45am

The "cultural" part of your day in Milan is about to begin. It can sound ordinary, but let's start the day by visiting Milan Cathedral - Duomo di Milano - the symbol of the city. The Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete and is the fifth largest cathedral in the world. Don't miss it. Once there, you can have a stroll in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, blending a historic setting and many brand shops. But attention fashionistas, you'll shop in the second part of the day! Before a little break, you should go to Castello Sforzesco, another symbol of the history of Milan, since it was once the residence of the dukes of Milan.

11:40am

Now you can have a little rest and have another espresso, as all Italians do in the middle of the morning. I suggest Café Trussardi because of its elegance and because of its location. It's in front of Piazza della Scala, where the famous theater is. So you can enjoy your caffeine fix while taking in the artistic ambience.

Noon

Revived after your break, go see Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" in the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. You really need to book in advance because it's always hugely popular. The church Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the most beautiful in the city. If you're not tired, then walk a little more and go to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio, home to the Sant'Ambrogio Basilica, one of the oldest and most representative churches in Milan.

1pm

It's lunchtime! Your stomach will no doubt be rumbling and you have plenty of choices. La Briciola, on Via Marsala, at the corner of Via Solferino, is a good choice, offering one of the tastiest dishes typical of Milan: risotto al salto - risotto with saffron stir-fried with butter. Amazing! After that, you'll probably still have room in your stomach, so try cotoletta, a typical meat dish. If dessert is too much, get your sugar quota from nibbling on the free candies and biscuits.

2:30pm

To digest all that lunch, what better than a nice stroll? Ideally suited for this is Brera, a really chic pedestrianized area of small lanes where you can find cute shops and cafes. And here you can also visit the Pinacoteca di Brera, the main public gallery for paintings in Milan and home to extensive modern and classic collections.

4:30pm

OK, enough culture for now - it's time for shopping! If Milan is the capital of fashion, then you need to know why. First of all, I suggest you go to new and very glamorous shopping mall Excelsior. It sells garments by up-and-coming designers, plus accessories and cool and refined gadgets. It's also got a Tiffany corner, complete with long queue.

Then just walk to the famous fashion quadrangle starting with Via Montenapoleone. Here you will see many famous and world-known brands but I would suggest you to go to two very nice multi-brand boutiques: Banner and Gio Moretti. They have great selections and staff eager to help you to find a look for every occasion. Their offerings are different but they're both amazing.

7:30pm

Once you finish your shopping and your long day sightseeing, it's time for real Italian aperitivo, a well-deserved refreshment before dining. Bulgari Hotel, at Privata Fratelli Gabba, is really exclusive but is in a great location. If you want something easier and faster, just go back to Brera and have a glass of wine at Ombra de Vin. Cozy and cute.

9pm

It's time for dinner. Milan offers so many good places that is really hard to choose. The exclusive restaurants are certainly the best, that's why I suggest you to go the Giacomo Bistro. The environment is really sophisticated and food excellent. The prices are a bit high but worth it. If you don't want to fork out too much, because you've spent your cash shopping, just go to Da Mimmo in the Dondup store, at Via Sirtori. It's new, the ambience is pretty nice and so is the food.

10:30pm

The day has been very long, dinner is over but the night is still very young! Milan, as one of the most international cities in Italy, offers many places to go after dinner. If you want to find and see a lot of young "Milanese" people, the right place to go is, once again, Brera. The Fashion Bar, at the Piazza San Marco's Church, is one of the most popular clubs to have cocktails and nice chats. It's open until 2am so you have plenty time to get into the party mood.

If you want a change from Brera, go to Living Bar, near Arco della Pace, where you can marvel at its beautiful arch, and the beautiful people sipping cocktails.

Midnight

You are not ready to go to bed? OK, let's go to Armani Prive on Via Manzon. This is a very exclusive club where you can have fun with your friends. The music is pretty nice, the ambience really chic. But if you don't want to face the indignation of being turned away because it's full, put your name on the list in advance. If you arrive there a bit late, it can be difficult to get in.

Armani Prive closes at 3am. The next step is up to you…

3am

If you are not completely partied out yet (though hard to believe!), you don't have to go home quite yet. Just keep on dancing, as Milan has so many clubs.

Two of the most popular are The Club next to Corso Garibaldi and Hollywood on Corso Como, with pumping music and packed dancefloors. To be honest, from a design point of view they're nothing special. These are really for 24-hour party people who love clubs and dancing until dawn.

5:30am

Your 24 hours are almost at an end. If you want to finish your day as real Milanese do and you feel a little bit hungry after your long night at the club, just take a taxi and head to the front of the Milan's court. Don't worry, you're not going to end up behind bars. But in front of the court you can get delicious sandwiches from Gabri.

You'll find it easily, because you'll see a lot of people standing there having their post-club sandwich.

And if you're too tired from all your clubbing exertions to choose which type of sandwich you want, just say "panino con la salamella" - it's a kind of sausage, but much, much better.

Your day in Milan is now over, but see how many things you can do in 24 hours?!

If you go

Where to stay

Hotel Principe di Savoia

This five-star hotel overlooking Piazza della Repubblica counts the likes of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hollywood star George Clooney among former guests. One of the Dorchester Collection, it offers the traditional hospitality of a good resort in an unapologetically urban setting. Immense thought has gone into the design which is evident in the details of the room. (Piazza della Repubblica 17)

Hotel Straf

This design hotel combines the extreme functionality of a minimalist high-tech style, blended with the warm atmosphere of the rooms. Some of the 64 rooms and suites have balconies with unbeatable views of the Milan Cathedral. (Via San Raffaele 3)