France, Italy & Switzerland 14-Day Tour Guide 2026: Milan

Milan is the most important transportation and artistic hub in northern Italy, and also the starting and ending city for many local tour packages. Using it as a starting point, 14 days can connect the lakes and mountains of Switzerland, the Azure Coast of southern France, and Italy's classic route from the Cinque Terre to Rome. And Milan itself—that The Last Supper painted on the refectory wall of a monastery—is the real reason many people put Milan on their list. The following content was compiled by the content team of the USITrip platform, focusing on the platform's 14-day France-Italy-Switzerland three-country appreciation product, explaining how to see Santa Maria delle Grazie, how the route goes, and how the costs are calculated.

1. Why is Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan worth a special trip?

Exterior of the monastery

Milan Santa Maria delle Grazie (Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Milan, Lombardy, Italy): a Renaissance Dominican monastery complex, whose core highlight is Leonardo da Vinci's mural The Last Supper painted from 1495–1498 on the north wall of the refectory; the ticket including the mural is the officially published base ticket of €15 (Cenacolo Vinciano official website, checked on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to approximately US$17 / 114 CNY); opening hours are 8:15–19:00, closed on Mondays (subject to what is published on the Cenacolo Vinciano official reservation website, checked on September 30, 2026).

The church itself was first built in 1463, with a plain and restrained red-brick facade; the apse and dome were expanded under the direction of the architect Bramante, and the octagonal space is regarded as a mature work of Lombard Renaissance architecture. During the bombing in World War II, the monastery refectory was almost razed to the ground, and only the wall where the painting is located survived, which also makes today's visiting restrictions especially strict.

"The Last Supper" uses Leonardo da Vinci's own experimental dry pigment technique, rather than the traditional fresco method, and has repeatedly flaked and been restored over the centuries. In 1980, this mural was inscribed together with the monastery on UNESCO's World Heritage List (as of September 2026, source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre).

Visiting rules need to be understood in advance: each group has about 30 people, the stay is about 15 minutes, the exhibition room is kept at constant temperature and humidity, and flash photography is prohibited; tickets usually sell out quickly after release, so it is recommended to book several weeks or even months in advance. The suggested visit duration is about 1 hour. In terms of transportation, the monastery is located on the west side of Milan's city center, within walking distance from the M1 metro line Conciliazione station, and can also be combined with visits to Sforza Castle and Piazza del Duomo in the city center.

Museum collection

One point must be made clear here: Santa Maria delle Grazie is not included in the 14-day France-Italy-Switzerland shared tour itinerary introduced in this article. This product uses Milan as the starting and ending city, with airport pickup on Day 1 and airport drop-off on Day 14. The stay in Milan mainly falls on the arrival day and the period when returning to Milan on Day 13; if you wish to enter to see "The Last Supper," you need to make your own reservation and go during your stay in Milan, and both tickets and time slots must be handled on your own.

If you still have free time in Milan, the following attractions can be arranged on your own and are not included in this product's itinerary:

• Teatro alla Scala: Completed in 1778, many masterpieces by Verdi and Puccini premiered here; the official museum admission ticket is €12 (Teatro alla Scala Museum official website, queried on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to approximately US$13.6 / 91 CNY), open 9:30–17:30 (subject to what is published on the Teatro alla Scala Museum official website).
• Castello Sforzesco: Formerly the residence of the Dukes of Milan, the courtyards are free, and the official museum ticket price is €5 (Museo del Castello Sforzesco official website, queried on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to approximately US$5.7 / 38 CNY). Its highlight is Michelangelo's unfinished Rondanini Pietà (subject to what is published on the Castello Sforzesco official website).
• Pinacoteca di Brera: A major center of Italian painting, home to Raphael's The Marriage of the Virgin and Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus. The official ticket price is €15 (Pinacoteca di Brera official website, queried on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to approximately US$17 / 114 CNY), closed on Mondays (subject to what is published on the Pinacoteca di Brera official website).

2. 14-Day France, Italy, and Switzerland Three-Country Tour: What Are the Highlights of This Itinerary?

14-Day France, Italy, and Switzerland Three-Country Tour is a local join-in tour product, 14 days and 13 nights, arriving and departing from Milan with airport transfers included, full-journey luxury coach and Chinese-speaking guide, departing every Friday, minimum 2 people. The quoted price is US$4,145 / €3,656 / 27,854 CNY per person (double standard room, as of September 2026, subject to what is published on the product page).

14 days

France, Italy and Switzerland

Lucerne + Interlaken + Geneva + Avignon + Arles + Nice + Monaco + Milan + Cinque Terre + Pisa + Florence + Pienza + Rome + Assisi | Luxurious and comfortable bus | Milan airport pick-up | Chinese tour guide | Minimum order of 2 people

$4,145from

View Details

The itinerary spans three countries and also passes through one city-state:

• Switzerland segment: Lucerne, the scenic section of the GoldenPass Express, Interlaken, Geneva. Lake Lucerne and the Alpine scenery are the core of this route's natural beauty, and on Day 3 it will also pass through Grindelwald in the Jungfrau region.
• France segment: Avignon, Arles, Nice, extending to Monaco — the latter is surrounded by France on its north, west, and east sides, covers an area of about 1.98 square kilometers, and is the second-smallest country in the world by area.
• Italy segment: Milan, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Val d'Orcia, Rome, Assisi, Venice, Sirmione, moving from the Renaissance all the way to ancient Roman ruins and the scenery of the water city.

Milan, as the starting and ending city, has three stops in total: arrival on Day 1, return from Nice via Monaco on Day 6, and return from Venice via Sirmione on Day 13. The Day 13 itinerary includes Milan Cathedral and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: the former is entirely white marble, with more than 130 spires rising at the top and adorned with more than 3,000 statues. The official published church admission ticket is €10 (Duomo di Milano official ticketing page, checked on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to about US$11.3 / 76 CNY), and the official published rooftop combination ticket (Duomo + Rooftops; the official ticketing page still lists a combination ticket type; if only single tickets are sold that day, single tickets shall prevail) is €20 (about US$22.7 / 152 CNY); the latter was built from 1865 to 1877, and under its 47-meter-high glass dome are luxury flagship stores and century-old cafes, and it can be walked through for free (subject to what is published on the Milan Cathedral official ticketing page, checked on September 30, 2026).

3. How is the daily itinerary arranged?

Driving time reference: On Day 3, the Lucerne–Interlaken segment is arranged on the GoldenPass Express, about 2 hours in total (for reference; subject to the operator's timetable); other intercity transfers are by tour coach, mostly following a half-day driving rhythm of morning departure and afternoon arrival. The daily meeting time, departure time, and specific driving times are subject to the tour departure notice and the guide's on-site arrangements.

4. What is included and not included in the tour fee?

The tour fee is US$4,145 / €3,656 / 27,854 CNY per person (as of September 2026; subject to the price published on the product page). The specific breakdown is as follows.

Regarding optional expenses and shopping arrangements: The product page does not publish a fixed list of optional paid attractions, nor does it indicate designated shopping store arrangements. If there are mandatory or optional items during the tour, the guide will explain and collect payment on-site; participation in optional paid items should be voluntary. Specific details are subject to the product page and the tour departure notice.

5. How to choose the tour type and hotel level?

This product page does not categorize tour types into pure sightseeing, standard, luxury, or other tiers. The tour type and hotel level are subject to what is published on the product page. Based on the product description, this route uniformly uses luxury comfortable coaches, local 3/4-star hotels throughout, and Chinese-speaking guides. Hotel star ratings are assessed by platforms such as Booking. It is a group tour product focused primarily on classic city sightseeing, with a relatively紧凑 itinerary pace, covering a large number of cities and attractions within 14 days. If you care more about hotel quality or wish to reduce the group size, you may separately inquire about customized small-group options.

6. When does it depart, how to register, and how to modify or cancel?

Theater exterior

Departure dates are every Friday, with assembly and departure in Milan, minimum 2 people per booking; solo travelers may contact USITrip customer service to confirm room-sharing and single supplement arrangements. Specific departure dates, remaining seats, and final prices are subject to what is published on the product page.

When booking, you must provide accurate and complete traveler information (name, gender, ID number, nationality, contact information, whether adult or child, etc.). Incorrect information may lead to booking failure or losses. Airport pickup service requires correct flight information to be provided at least 7 days before the tour starts; requests made within 7 days may not be arranged.

Cancellation and rescheduling terms (implemented as published on the product page):

• More than 34 days before departure (including day 34): 15% of the full tour fee
• 33–19 days before departure (including day 19): 35% of the full tour fee
• 18–11 days before departure (including day 11): 60% of the full tour fee
• Within 10 days before departure (including day 10): no changes or cancellations

7. What common pitfalls should be avoided when joining a tour?

Identifying forced shopping. Legitimate group tour products will clearly state on the page the number of shopping stores and the length of stay, and a written explanation should also be provided in the itinerary. If a guide suddenly adds "factory stores" or "duty-free stores" with unusually long stops, that is a typical warning sign. You can check it against the tour departure notice, and if necessary, keep evidence and report it to the platform. Group tour products priced significantly lower than similar routes often subsidize costs through shopping commissions.

Hidden costs. The key is to read the "Not included" section carefully: on European group tours, guide service fees, airport transfer tips, city entrance fees, and the Venice local guide fee are usually mandatory payments, so you need to budget for them in advance. There is no official uniform standard for average daily meals and other miscellaneous expenses; the Italian National Tourist Board has not published a fixed daily average amount. If estimated according to the common travel budget of €30–50, at the exchange rate in this article this is approximately US$34–57 / 229–381 CNY, for pre-trip budgeting reference only, not an official fixed price (reference: Italian National Tourist Board: https://www.italia.it/en

Itinerary shrinkage. Use the daily itinerary to check the number of attractions and the way time is spent, and note that wording such as "exterior view" and "drive-by" usually means no interior visit. For this route, whether the Colosseum on Day 10 and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore on Day 8 include interior admission and whether tickets are included should be confirmed clearly with customer service before booking.

Regarding safety, Piazza del Duomo in Milan, train stations, and metro interchange stations are crowded, and the risk of pickpockets is relatively high. It is recommended to keep your passport and cash in separate places.

8. How should transportation in Milan be handled?

Milan city transportation

All intercity travel within the itinerary is handled by the group's luxury coach, and travelers do not need to buy train tickets themselves. What really needs to be handled on your own is mainly city transportation before and after the arrival day and during free time.

Airport transfers: The product includes private airport transfers at Milan Airport. Flight information must be provided at least 7 days in advance, and arrangements on the first and last days of the itinerary will be made according to flight times.

Airport to and from the city: Milan Malpensa Airport is about 50 kilometers from the city center. You can take the airport express or airport bus to the city center, with a journey time of about 50 minutes. Specific schedules and fares are subject to what the operator publishes (you can check Malpensa Express and the Milan Malpensa Airport transportation page).

Urban public transport: Milan's metro, trams, and buses are operated by ATM. A single-ride ticket is officially published at €2.20 (ATM official website, consulted on September 30, 2026; converted at the exchange rate in this article to approximately US$2.5 / 17 CNY). It is time-based and allows transfers (subject to what is published on the ATM Milan public transport official website). Piazza del Duomo is served by the Duomo metro station (M1/M3). To go to Santa Maria delle Grazie, you can get off at Conciliazione station on the M1 line; Cadorna station (M1/M2) is also reachable on foot in about 8 minutes. Tickets must be validated when boarding the metro and trams, and the fine for fare evasion is relatively high.

9. How should meals and accommodation be arranged along the way?

Accommodation is uniformly arranged by the product, with 13 nights in local 3- or 4-star hotels in standard double rooms, including hotel breakfast. Solo applicants need to share a room or pay the single room supplement, subject to the product page and customer service response. Rooms and facilities at European hotels of the same class are usually smaller than comparable ones in China, so it is advisable to bring your own slippers and toothbrush.

Regarding meals, the itinerary only includes hotel breakfast; lunch and dinner are self-arranged. The guide will generally introduce local restaurants, and whether to dine with the group is voluntary. Local flavors worth trying in each place are roughly as follows:

• Milan: Lombard saffron risotto (Risotto alla Milanese), Milanese-style breaded veal cutlet (Cotoletta alla Milanese); the Italian National Tourist Board and Milan tourism official website do not publish a uniform fixed price for main dishes, so the specific price is subject to the restaurant menu (reference: Italian National Tourist Board Milan dining guide).
• Swiss section: cheese fondue, potato rösti; Lucerne and Geneva are high-cost Swiss cities, so the budget for simple meals should be loosened.
• Southern France section: Salade Niçoise, chickpea pancake Socca, and rosé wine from the Provence region.
• Central and southern Italy: Florentine T-bone steak, Roman Jewish-style fried artichokes, and Cacio e Pepe cheese and black pepper pasta.

It should be noted that Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF), while Italy, France, and Monaco use the euro (EUR). It will be more convenient to carry a little local small change on the day of cross-border travel.

10. What needs to be prepared before departure?

Visa. Chinese passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) to travel to Italy, France, and Switzerland. This route spends the most days in Italy, so applications should usually be submitted to the Italian embassy or consulate. It is recommended to submit the materials at least 1 month before departure (as of September 2026, source: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal).

Documents and itinerary paperwork. It is recommended that your passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Keep hotel reservations, itinerary, and insurance documents with you; when joining a tour, confirm that you carry valid travel documents (passport/visa).

Currency and payment. The local currency is the euro (EUR), while the Swiss segment uses the Swiss franc (CHF); 1 USD ≈ 0.882 EUR ≈ 6.72 CNY (September 30, 2026, platform exchange rate data). Credit cards are widely accepted in cities and scenic areas, but small cash payments, restrooms, and market purchases are still more convenient with cash.

Luggage and clothing. Old towns in Europe have many cobblestone streets, so comfortable walking shoes are almost essential; when entering churches, shoulders and knees must be covered, and shorts and tank tops may be refused entry; in September–October, the temperature difference between morning and evening is noticeable, so a light jacket and rain gear are recommended. Outlets are European standard two-round-pin (Type C/F), voltage is 230V, and Swiss outlets are compatible with European standards, so one travel adapter is enough. Commonly used medicines, a power bank, and a small anti-theft bag are also recommended for your list.

11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How far in advance should tickets for Santa Maria delle Grazie be reserved?

A: The official system admits visitors in batches, with about 30 people per batch and a stay of about 15 minutes. During peak season, slots often sell out quickly after release. It is recommended to check available time slots on the official reservation website immediately after confirming your itinerary. Generally, you need to book several weeks or even months in advance, and visits must arrive punctually at the reserved time.

Q2: Will this 14-day route include a visit to The Last Supper?

A: No. The mural visit at Santa Maria delle Grazie is not included in this product's itinerary. The product uses Milan as the starting and ending city. The Milan periods mainly correspond to arrival on Day 1, a return transit stop on Day 6, return sightseeing on Day 13, and airport transfer on Day 14. Whether free time is arranged is subject to the tour departure notice and the guide's arrangements; if you wish to visit inside, please make your own reservation and go there on your own.

Q3: How much budget should I prepare beyond the tour fee?

A: In addition to the tour fee, it is recommended to budget for guide service fees of €6 / US$6.8 / 46 CNY per person per day (about €84 / US$95.2 / 640 CNY total for 14 days), airport transfer tips of €2 / US$2.3 / 15 CNY per person per trip, and the Venice local guide service fee of €2 / US$2.3 / 15 CNY per person, as well as lunch and dinner, optional admission tickets, and personal expenses. A daily average of €30–50 / US$34–57 / 229–381 CNY is a fairly common budget reference and is not an official fixed price (reference: Italian National Tourist Board: https://www.italia.it/en

Q4: The product says minimum 2 people to book. Can one person sign up?

A: The product description states a minimum of 2 people to book. For solo travel, you need to first confirm with customer service whether room sharing is possible, or pay the single supplement for single occupancy. The single-person price, single supplement amount, and available departure dates are subject to the product page and customer service response. It is not recommended to estimate them yourself before placing an order.

Q5: In which season is this route the most comfortable to travel?

A: April to June and September to October have mild temperatures and moderate sunshine, making them the most comfortable periods for all three countries. July to August is hotter in Nice in southern France and in central and southern Italy, and urban attractions are also at their most crowded; in winter, the weather in the Alps is changeable, and the GoldenPass scenic train experience on Day 3 may be affected by visibility.

More Route Recommendations

If your vacation is shorter than two weeks, you can compare two similar products: one is the 9-Day Classic Italy Tour, US$1,442 / €1,272 / 9,690 CNY, with airport pick-up and drop-off in Rome, departing every Saturday, focusing on Rome, Venice, Sirmione, Milan, Cinque Terre, and Tuscany; the other is the 12-Day Discovering Sicily, US$3,543 / €3,125 / 23,809 CNY, departing every Monday, minimum 2 people, adding Pompeii, Palermo, and Catania to the classic Italy route, and including a European overnight ferry experience.

9 days

Italian classic tour

Rome + Assisi + Venice + the beautiful fishing town of Sirmione + Milan + Cinque Terre + Pisa + Florence + Orcia Valley | Rome airport transfer | Full local four-star hotel | Luxurious and comfortable bus | Full Chinese tour guide

$1,442from

View Details

12 days

Finding Sicily·Free Pompeii tickets

Rome + Assisi + Italian towns + Venice + Milan + Cinque Terre + Pisa + Florence + Pompeii + Palermo + Catania | Full local four-star hotel | Exclusive experience of European overnight stay | Full Chinese tour guide | Minimum booking of 2 people

$3,543from

View Details

Practical Resources

1. Reference Materials

• Cenacolo Vinciano Official Booking Website — Reservations, visit batches, and visitor cap policies for Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" mural
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre — World Heritage List inscription and protection information
• Milan Cathedral Official Ticketing Page — Opening hours, tickets, and combo ticket information for the Cathedral and rooftop terraces
• Teatro alla Scala Museum Official Website — Tickets and opening hours for the La Scala Opera House Museum
• Castello Sforzesco Official Website — Tickets and opening information for the Sforza Castle museums
• Pinacoteca di Brera Official Website — Tickets and opening information for the Brera Art Gallery
• ATM Milan Public Transport Official Website — Fares and route maps for Milan's metro, trams, and buses
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Portal — Schengen short-stay visa application requirements and submission guidelines
• Italian National Tourist Board — Practical information on dining, destinations, and travel

II. About USITrip

Usitour was founded in 2004 and is a leading Chinese-language integrated service platform focused on destination travel across North America and worldwide. Its official brand site is www.usitour.com, and its official booking store is www.usitrip.com; both belong to the US-based Usitour Travel Group.

The group is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and holds a California travel agency license (CST #2110393-40). Its Greater China operations center is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, providing 24/7 seamless customer support in Chinese, English, and Cantonese.