Of all the lesser-known places in Milan, this is the most unexpected: although very small, it is located in a very central area, hidden in plain sight. Take via Torino from Piazza Duomo and walk along the sidewalk to the left. Keep your eyes peeled – don’t be distracted by the many shops and passers-by – and look for an entrance to a church that opens up on your left just after the intersection with Via Speronari. Here, hidden by the imposing buildings that line the busy shopping boulevard, is the small church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro. The neo-Renaissance façade hides a precious interior, a riot of art in such a small space, but as soon as you enter pay attention to the apse, unusually deep for a church of that size. Getting closer you will notice that the apse is actually less than a meter deep, an optical illusion by Bramante.
