- Insider tip no. 15: weekly open air markets in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 9: Milan bike tour rentals and bike sharing
- BikeMI – try out Milan’s city bikes for both grown-ups and kids
- Insider tip no. 2: good apps for your trip to Milan.
- Go on day trips from Milan.
- Insider tip no. 14: brunch in Milan.
- Quick guide: hotels, apartments and other places to stay in Milan.
- Take a cooking course in Milan with the Italians.
- Milan in one day – the best shopping route with a shot of culture (Brera)
- Flea Markets in Milan: Go hunting among Italian knickknacks and antiques.
- Insider tip no. 5: aperitivo in Milan.
- Good restaurants in Milan,
- Appsolutelymilano’s Instagram hashtags.
- Milan with children
- Insider tip no. 8: 360° view over Milan.
- Milan by night,
- Public transport – from the airport and round in Milan.
- Art and museums in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 3: cheap coffee, ice coffee and hot chocolate in Milan.
- ATMosfera – dinner on the tram.
- Insider tip no. 12: classic sightseeing in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 4: open WiFi Milano and public chargers for your smart devices.
- Gallery tickets for La Scala and a visit to Casa Verdi.
- New York Times: Milan is the city to visit in 2015 (and still is).
- Insider tip no. 1: beauty in Milan.
- When in Milan drink locally, DOCG wines from Lombardy.
- Shopping guide: the 6 areas in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 10: outlets near Milan.
- Buisness services in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 6: Christmas markets 2017, the L’Artigiano in Fiera fair and other Christmas events in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 7: New Year’s 2017 in Milan.
- Insider tip no. 11: do you need to get cooled down?
- Insider tip no. 13: Ferragosto (August 15th) 2017 in Milan.
Insider tip no. 15: Weekly open air markets in Milan.
A very characteristic local experience in Milan is visiting the big open air markets with fruit, vegetables. cheese, fish, charcuteri and good bargains in shoes and clothes, there are several every day except on Sundays. There’s life, commotion, genuine Italian atmosphere and competitive prices. We have chosen the most central ones for you.
Monday.
Brera, Via San Marco (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm.
Via Kramer (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Tuesday.
Viale Papiniano (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Wednesday.
Via Borsi (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm.
Thursday.
Brera, Via San Marco (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Via Cesariano (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Friday.
Via Crema/Via Piacenza (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Via Pagano (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Saturday.
Bastioni di Porta Nuova (find on map), 7.30 am-2 pm
Viale Papiniano (find on map), 7.30 am-6 pm
Insider tip no. 9: Milan bike tour rentals and bike sharing.
See Milan from a different perspective with bike tour rentals. You can also rent a bike for the entire time you spend here.
We have already spoken of the city’s Bike sharing system BikeMI elsewhere but if you’d like to have your “own” bike during your stay you can rent it at the historical bike shop Rossignoli which you find here:
71, Corso Garibaldi.(find on map)
open Monday 2.30-7 pm
Tuesday-Saurday 9 am.-12.30 pm/2.30 -7 pm
40, Via Solari (find on map)
open Monday 3.-7.30 pm
Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-12.30 p.m./3-7.30 pm
Saturday 9-12.30 p.m.
Cost
1 day €12
2 days €24
3 days €34
4 days €43
5 days €52
6 days €59
1 week €65
Deposit €100,00
Rossignoli also organize tours of the city on bicycle in Italian and English and to book and get information call +3902804960 some days in advance.
Mobike (on the left in the photo) and OFO.
2 operators in the dockless or free flow bike sharing service, also called Uber for bicycles, have arrived in Milan, you need to download the apps for the services in order to begin to use it. Find the links for the app download here.
The first one is Mobike, the orange and black bicycles you have probably seen around the city, The price is €0.30 for every half hour.
The second is OFO with the characteristic yellow bicycles that technically are of a slightly better quality and at the moment they are free of charge probably until the beginning of October where the price will be revealed.
BikeMi – try out Milan’s city bikes for both grown-ups and kids.
BikeMi is a bike sharing service a bit like Boris-bikes in London. It’s a great feature in public transport, but beware Italian traffic habits.
BikeMi is part of the public transport system, you must register at ATM 
(Milan’s municipal transport agency) and to do that you need to have a valid credit card (so they have security for the bike and possible damages) read about the legal and practical issues here. You can get a card for either 1 week, it’s €6, or for a single day, €2,50.
For general information see here
Cycling Italian Style
Cycling in Milan is a risky business. Milan is a car city, and cyclists are not respected as equals in the traffic.
So remember to signal your intentions in the traffic clearly, so the drivers have time to give you space. Take it easy and don’t insist too much.
Two important tips: Keep an extra eye on the tram rails (believe you us; it is the voice of experience telling you this) and remember that the cobble stones get extra slippery when it rains.
Short trips are the cheapest
BikeMi is meant to be used for short trips and it becomes proportionally more expensive the longer you use them If you change bicycles frequently the trips can end up being totally free of charge. If you forget to deliver the bike within 24 hours, there’s a stiff fee.
- 0 – ½ hour: €0,00
- ½ – 2 hours: €0,50 every half hour.
- 2 – 24 hours: €2,00 every started hour
- Over 24 hours: €150 fee
Summer operating hours.
April 1st-November 2nd the service will run
Sunday-Thursday 7 am.-2 a.m.
Friday and Saturday the service will operate 24 hrs a day.
Junior BikeMi.
The municipality of Milan has now added a bicycle service for kids aged 6-10, you’ll find the junior bikes near some of Milan’s parks Parco Sempione/Piazza Castello (find on map), Giardini pubblici Indro Montenelli (find on map), Parco delle Basiliche (find on map),Parco Don Giussani (find on map) and Parco Ravizza (find on map) the bicycles are available between 7 a.m.-1 p.m. and helmets are mandatory. Read more here.
MoBike.and OFO.
2 bike sharing services Mobike (orange bikes) og OFO (gule bikes) – also known as Uber for bikes – have come to Milan as an alternative to the municipal bicycles. It is a dockless or free flow system where you need to download their apps in order to set up an account and then find the bike nearest your position Mobike charges €0.30 for every half hour and OFO is free to use until the beginning of October when they are going to reveal the charge. Find the links for the app downloads here.
Insider tip no. 2; good apps for your trip to Milan.
Who wants to carry round a guide book if you can have it all on your smartphone (which, on the other hand, is indispensable).
Milan Tourism has published a comprehensive list of apps made especially for visitors. Here are the most important ones:
Guida Milano
A classic city-guide full of all the normal tourist attractions and it links text and maps.
Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Chinese
(Download for Android | iPhone)
Duomo di Milano
The official app for the museum “Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano” so you can be your own guide.
(Download for Android | iPhone)
VisitMilano
A great app for visiting Milan with information on Public transport, exhibitions, concerts etc, a little simpler than Guida Milano above
(Download for Android ! iPhone)
Car2Go
the popular international car sharing service is also present in Milan.
(Download til Android | iPhone)
DriveNow
The new car sharing service is now also in Milan.
Languages: English, German and Italian
(Download til Android | iPhone)
Milano Gay Life
All the bars, restaurants, clubs, shops and special events for the LGBT visitors.
Languages: English and Italian.
(Download for Android | iPhone)
ATM Milano Official App
This is a great app for public transport, it tells you which bus and metro stops are near you, you can plan your trips and you can also use it to find the BikeMi hubs (See the article on public transport).
(Download for Android | iPhone)
ATM City Tour Milano.
The app for the sightseeing services provided by the city´s public trasnport agency ATM. It gives your the departure times for the trams and doubledecker buses.
(Download for Android | iPhone)
MyTaxi
If you need to call for a taxi and don’t speak Italian the easiest thing is to use the official app myTaxi.
(Download Android | iPhone)
Uber
The worldùs msot famous ride sharing service is legal in Milan and works fine so if you cannot get a taxi or you have to wait too ling this is a good alternative.
(Download Android | iPhone)
Mobike
A bike sharing service, where you can find a bicycle near you. The price is €0,30 for every half hour.
(Download Android | iPhone)
OFO
A bike sharing service, where you can find a bicycle near you. At the moment free of charge, in October the price will be revealed.
(Download Android | iPhone)
Insider tip no. 15: orange wine
Orange wine is going to be all the rage this autumn so what is it and which Italian labels produce them?
They are the new rosé but rosé wine gets its colour from the skins of black grapes left to macerate for some time and then removed, so the wine doesn’t become red, whereas orange wines are made from white grapes and the macerating of the skins give them their spectacular colour, it is not a new process but a very old tradition indigenous to the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. They are perfect with raw fish, meat and venison.
It may be hard to find in the wine bars right now but we assure you it is going to be a lot easier this autumn.
Here is list of the producers in Italy:
Orange wine.
- Abbazia San Giorgio
Costadilà
Draga-Miklus
Dario Prinčič
Gravner
Il Carpino
La Castellada
Paraschos
Porta del Vento
Ronco Severo
Sassotondo
Go on day trips from Milan.
The Milanese love going on day trips outside the gates of the city as they say and there are lots of wonderful places nearby. Here is the Insider Guide to the greatest places
Como.
50 km north of Milan is Como by the beautiful Lake Como surrounded by mountains.It takes about 1 hour from Cadorna station to Como lake and a return ticket is a little under €10. It’s a cosy and very beautiful small town with antique town walls and a great shopping area in the historical center and actually also the place where our personal love affair with Italy began many years ago.
Como is famous for its silk and we recommend you visit the outlet Diffusione Seta located at 8-11, Piazza Cavour (find on map).
When we were there last we had lunch at the super neat
Ristorante Sociale, 6, Via Rodari (find on map) – prices are reasonable and and the food is local and solid – but next time we are planning on trying out the much more sophisticated restaurant with all the great reviews
The Market Place, 21/A, Via Borsieri (find on map) – closed on Sundays.
Another fantastic thing to do here is to take the ferry from Como (just by Piazza Cavour) for e.g.Bellaggio or out to see the incredibly beautiful villas, located in the area. Here the app Navigazione Laghi is a really good tool – Download for Android | iPhone
You can go from Como with the funicular up to Brunate where on a clear day you get an amazing view of Lake Como and the Alps
There are several antique markets in Como:
On the first Sunday every month 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Piazza San Fedele (find on map)
On the second Wednesday every month (Except January and August) 8.30 a.m.-7 p.m. in Porto Torre, Viale Carlo Cattaneo (find on map)
On the last Saturday every month (except January and August) in Via Muratto og Piazza Ferretta (find on map)
On the third Sunday every month. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (except January and August) in Via Spallino (find on map)
Bergamo.
Then there is Bergamo, situated about, 45 minutes away by train from Milan. You can go from the stations of Stazione Centrale, Cadorna and Garibaldi
Bergamo is one of the few towns in Italy whose historical center is still located within the original town walls which have maintained their original aspect.
Bergamo is divided into two parts Bergamo Bassa (low Begamo) and Berrgamo Alta (high Begamo), Bergamo Alta is the historical part of the town which you can get to either by the city funicular or by taking the 45-minute hike up.
There are monasteries, historical buildings and an ancient botanical garden.
The wonderful Accademia Carrara museum is located in Bergamo Bassa.
There is an antique market in Begamo Alta on the thrid Sunday of every month (except August) on Piazza Vecchia (find on map)
Among the many lunch places in Bergamo:.
Hostaria del Relais San Lorenzo, 9, Piazza Mascerono (find on map)
Antica Hosteria del Vino Buono, 25, Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe (find on map)
Villagio Operaio Crespi d’Adda.
A villlage built by the Crespi family for the workers on their factory. It was very advanced for its time (late 1800s) with free education for the children of the employees, a free indoor swimming pool and the first village in Italy to have modern public lighting. In 1995 the village was entered nto the UNESCO World Heritage List. The directions on how to get there can be found here.
Isole Borromee and Stresa.
The Isolee Borromee (the Borromean Islands) are located in the Maggiore Lake and can be reached from Stresa by boat, they are lovely at all times of the year but are paricularly stunning during springtime, They are famous for their amazing palaces and gardens. There are three islands: Isola Bella with the Borromean Palace and gardens, Isola Superiore (Fishmerman’s Island) a tiny island with a beautiful fishing village and Isola Madre with a botanical garden and Palace.
Stresa is quite close to Milan and can be reached from both the Central Station and the Garibaldi station, the trip takes about an hour.
Stresa has a lot of great restaurants where you can have lunch, some examples:
Antica Stresa, 34, Piazza Cadorna (find on map).
Astoria, 21, Corso Umberto I (find on map)
But you can also eat on Fisherman’s Island (Isola Superiore), example
Belvedere, Via di Mezzo (find on map).
If you feel like pampering yourself go for a day to the San Pellegrino spa (terme) (find on map), you need a car to get up there. Prices and opening hours here. A small piece of advice; go on a weekday.
Lodi.
Lodi is another town that is very near Milan, it takes about 35 minutes with the train going to Bologna, and you can catch it from both Stazione Centrale and Cadorna. Lodi is a lovely little town whose interesting archtecture dates all the way back to 1160.
There is an antique market in Lodi on the first Sunday of every month (except January and August) 8 a.m.7 p.m. on Piazza Castello (find on map)
A couple of good places to have lunch in Lodi are:
Antica Trattoria il Gattino, 71, Corso Mazzini (find on map)
Il Pomodoro Pelato, 48, Via Cavour (find on map)
Vigevano.
And please don’t miss Vigevano in the province of Pavia. It takes about an hour to get there and we recommend taking the train from Porta Genova railway station (find on map)
Vigevano is an incredibly beautiful art town with an amazing renaissance square Piazza Ducale, considered one of Italy’s finest. There is also a castle, Vigevano’s own Castello Sforzesco which was transformed from a fortress to the residence of a prince in 1492-94 by Ludovio Sforza. Furthermore Vigevano is famous for making shoes and there is a shoe museum inside the Castello Sforzesco with no admission.
There’s an antique market in Vigevanoon the thrid Sunday of every month (except August) in the area between Piazza Piazza Martiri della Liberazione, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via S. Croce (find on map).
Good places to have lunch in Vigevano:
Cappuccetto Rosso Bistrot, 4, Via Carrobbio (find on map)
Cafe del Mar, 34, Via Leonardo da Vinci (find on map)
Wine and Food.
If you love wine and great food there are some areas we recommend you visit and you could spend the night in one of the many agrotourisms. Some great areas are Franciacorta, Asti and Langhe (where, among other towns, Alba is located).
There are many food and wine festivals in both Piedmont and Lombardia. These festivals are great for getting an insight into small communities and their seasonal products (wine, truffles, cheeses, chestnuts, mushrooms, pumpkins etc.)
Star-studded restaurants outside Milan.
If you came to Milan by car there are lots of great restaurants in Lombardy. We want to mention:
D’O Davide Oldani’s wonderful restaurant with 1 Michelin star, located in San Pietro all’Olmo, Cornaredo (find on map). Davide Oldani is the chef who invented the concept Pop Cuisine (Cucina Pop). Remember to book well in advance.
Cannavacciuolo Bistrot. 1, Piazza Martiri della Libertà in Novara (find on map) which belongs to Antonino Cannavacciulo, one of the new judges in the Italian edition of Masterchef.
Antonino Cannavacciuolo also runs the restaurant (with 2 Michelin stars) and hotel Villa Crespi at the beautiful Lago d’Orta.
You can find the Michelin guide’s other suggestions here.
Insider tip no. 14: brunch in Milan.
One of the best things during a holiday is brunch at the weekend. We have selected some of the best Milan has to offer divided by area. Prices are € – €15-20, €€ – 20-40, €€€ – 40-60. One of the peculiarities of brunch places in Milan is a rotation system so you won’t be able to hang out for the entire duration, it is necessary to book if you want to be sure to get a table (we have included their phone numbers).
Near Duomo
Ostello Bello €
4, Via Medici (find on map)
+390236582720
12.30 pm-3.30 pm Saturday and Sunday.
California Bakery €€
19, Via Larga (find on map)
+390239811750
11 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
God Save the Food €€
1, Piazza del Carmine (find on map)
+390222229440
12-4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Near Porta Venezia
Chateau Monfort €€€
1, Corso Comcordia (find on map)
+3902776761
12.30-3.30 pm every day.
California Bakery €€
44, Viale Premuda (find on map)
+390239811750
11 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Near Cinque Giornate.
Globe Rastaurant and Lounge Bar (on top of Coin department store, 8th floor) €€
1, Piazza Cinque Giornate (find on map)
+390255181969
12-4 pm Sunday.
Cocotte €
1, Via Benvenuto Cellini (find on map)
+390255189509
10 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Near Navigli
Le Biciclette €/€€
2, Via Giovanni Battista Torti (find on map)
+390258104325
12-4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
California bakery €€
4, Piazza Sant’Eustorigio (find on map)
+390239811750
11 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Near Tortona.
Hambistro €
13, Via Savona (find on map)
+390245487356
12.30-4 pm Sunday.
God Save the Food €€
34, Via Tortona (find on map)
+390289423806
12-4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Near Isola.
Frida €€
3, Via Antonio Pollaiuolo (find on map)
+3902680260
12-4 pm Sunday.
Café Gorille €€
20, Via Gaetano de Castillia (find on map)
+39026887627
11.30 am-3.30 pm Sunday.
Near Porta Nuova.
California Bakery €€
5, Corso Como (find on map)
+390239811750
11 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Da Otto €
8, Via Paolo Sarpi (find on map)
+390283417249
12.30-3 pm Sunday.
Radetzky €€
105, Corso Garibaldi (find on map)
+39026572645
8-1.30 am Monday to Thursday, 8-2 am Friday and Saturday and 10-1.30 am Sunday – great location and service.
Near Parco Sempione.
Triennale Design Caffè €€
6, Viale Emilio Alemagna (find on map)
+390223058245
10.30 am-3.30 pm Saturday and Sunday.
BhangraBar €
1, Corso Sempione (find on map)
+390234934469
12-3 pm Sunday.
Deseo €€
2, Corso Sempione (find on map)
+3902315164
12-4 pm Sunday.
Quick guide: hotels, apartments and other places to stay in Milan.
Milan is a metropolis with a great number of fairs and as a consequence many hotels at all price ranges.
Find the hotels others recommend.
Websites based on users’ own experiences, where you can read what they think . Ratings are based on what they thought was good and bad. Remember that you cannot be sure of the authenticity of the reviews, neither positive nor negative – so read it all with your critical radar on.
\ The most popular ones are:Tripadvisor and Yelp.
Find the cheapest and best hotels.
Then we’ve got websites that compare prices and find the best deals for the period when you visit. Remember to check out our shopping guide to find the area you’d rather stay in.
\ The best in the this category are: Trivago, Kayak and hotels.com
Live a little more privately
If you are out for an alternative experience, you can either get a room in an apartment or rent an entire apartment. This will give you a completely different experience of Milan.
\ You must absolutely check out: Airbnb
Stay at a hostel.
There are 2 amazing hostels in the center of Milan; Ostello Bello near Duomo at 4, Via Medici (find on map) and Ostello Bello Grande just by the central station Stazione Centrale at 33, Via Roberto Lepetit (find on map),book here, remember to do it well in advance!.
You can also book via Booking.com.
Stay in the countryside.
The Agritourism Cascina Madonnina is located in beautiful surroundings outside Milan but is still so close to the city that you can go there by metro at just €2,50. The perfect solution if you’re travelling with your children.
Take a cooking course in Milan with the Italians.
When you are abroad you want to get close to the locals.. So why not do a cooking course with the Italians?
When you’ve been traveling a lot you begin to look for experiences that get you closer to the local population, because who wants to sit at the hotel and have dinner when you could be out meeting people and getting some fun anecdotes to tell.
It may take some courage, but isn’t it the courageous decisions you never regret? So if you feel like a slightly different evening in the company of Italians, try a cooking course in Italian. Nothing beats “I learned how to make this sauce from a chef in Milan” when your friends come over.
You can choose the very personal experience with a course in English at a private home, Clara opens the doors to her home in the center of Milan for morning courses between September and June and on market days she takes you to the local open air food market to pick the fresh seasonal products for your cooking class.
Aurora holds both morning and evening classes with a professional chef and she lves by the yellow 
metro line 4 stops from Duomo. If you can’t make it to her courses (or for some reason don’t feel like participating) you can still come and have dinner with the paticipants.
Both Clara and Aurora put emphasis on the fact that their courses aren’t just about cooking but also about socializing.
Another possibilty is the cooking school Teatro7 (Find on map) where they teach in 
Italian but you can be certain that they will try anything with a combination of gestures and English to make you understand. And if Italians have bad English skills their gesturing is formidable.
You are guaranteed to have an entertaining evening and you will learn to make some great food. At Teatro7 you get the course including dinner from €75 to €150. Check out our Right now in Milan (in the menu) for courses.
Important instructions for booking a course online as the course calendar only exists in Italian: first close the pop-up window by clicking on the red CHIUDI in the upper right corner, then go to your course, here click on “acquista” (purchase) and then follow the instructions on the screen for paying by either credit card or paypal, if you don’t receive a confirmation via email within 24 hours, send an email to iscrizioni@teatro7.com – you won’t be able to attend if you don’t have the email. The course calendar is here.
Milan in one day – the best shopping route with a side of culture (Brera).
For those of you who are only in town for a short visit we have made a mini route where you get all the best Milan has to offer in terms of both shopping, food, architecture and culture. For our first express shopping route we have chosen the area from Piazza Gae Aulenti to Piazza della Scala, from the new and modern to the old and traditional.
- Start on Piazza Gae Aulenti; Milan’s newest area, where you should see “Bosco verticale (the vertical forest))
- On the piazza you find the famous Muji,
- Grom ice cream,
- Replay store with Italian denim and a nice bar where you can have your morning coffee,
- and Illy café – the world’s best espresso.
- Located under the square is the supermarket Esselunga if you want to shop for specialties.
- From there continue down Corso Como and check out the famous design store and art gallery at no. 10 – good place for lunch.
- at the end of Corso Como turn left and check out High Tech with all you can desire for your home and on the square (Piazza XXV Aprile) is food temple Eataly
- Continue into the Brera area (Via Solferino, Via San Marco and Corso Garibaldi) which is the old artistic neighbourhood of Milan with lots of quirky and chic stores and galleries.
- If you’re here on either a Monday or a Thursday it is worth your while to visit the open air market in Via San Marco.
- Visit the Pinacoteca di Brera for a shot of culture.
- The area is rich on places for lunch and a great aperitivo
- Continue down to Piazza della Scala with Milan’s famous Scala theater.
If you still have energy and time to spare you are now directly behind Piazza Duomo just walk thorugh the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele which links Piazza della Scala and Piazza Duomo and you have Milan’s cathedral right in front of you.
Now you are probably starving and you are close to several good restaurants e.g. Langosteria Cafè,4, Galleria del Corso (find on map) excellent seafood €€€, Piz, 34, Via Torino (find n map) genuine Neapolitan pizza €, I 12 Gatti,11/12, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the corner of Piazza della Scala (find on map) with a fantasic terrace on the top of Milan €€ and Mama Burger,18, Via Agnello (find on map) good quality burgers €.
Enjoy your perfect day in Milan!
Flea markets in Milan: go hunting among Italian knickknacks and antiques.
In Milan there are flea markets every Sunday and besides them there are little markets in the city both on weekdays and at weekends. Here you can find those unique objects you won’t find anywhere else.
The flea market in the Navigli area every last Sunday of the month
If you like antiques, flea market bargains or vintage there are various possibilities in Milan and surroundings.We have chosen the best ones and comment on them.
The flea markets in the surroundings of the city are easier to get to if you’ve got a car. Here you can really find many unique Italian things for your home at very good prices – remember to haggle!
It’s a good idea to be polite and cheeky when haggling. Italians love negotiating!
If you are tired of having the same IKEA objects at home as everybody else, then take advantage of your trip to Milan to find some unique pieces.
You’ll find everything you find at a normal flea market: Jewellery, toys, hats, chandeliers,vases, lamps, mirrors, cupboards, furniture, vintage – at all price levels.
- “Mercatino di Brera” (find on map) the third Sunday of every month from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.this market is located in one of the most beautiful areas in Milan and you should expect pricy objects.
- “Artigianato e Collezionismo” every second, third and fourth Tuesday + every first Sunday of every month from 8 am to 7 pm in front of Pinacoteca di Brera in Via Brera (find on map).
- “Mercatino del antiquariato” in the Navigli area, one of the city’s most interesting markets. the last Sunday of every month 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (find on map)
- “Mostra mercato di antiquariato” in Piazza Diaz (find on map) on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Thursdays + 3rd Sunday of every month from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. – just behind Piazza Duomo.
- “Little Market” products of craftmanship and collectors’ items, in Piazza Sant’Eustorgio (find on map) every 1st Friday and Saturday of every month.
- “Mercatino” vintage and collectors’ items every 2nd and 4th Friday and the last Sauturday of every month close to Porta Venzia/Corso Buenos Aires in Via Spallanzari (find on map).
- “Fiera di Senigaglia”: in the Navigli area, every Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.in Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map) along the wharf. Here you find everything Indian, South American and African craftwork, new and second-hand clothes, old furniture, perfumes, candles, books, comics, records, videos and DVDs.
- “Festivalpark”: Every Saturday and Sunday at. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., here you find clothes, shoes, watches, toys, kitchenware, bicycles etc. This market is in Via Sacile (find on map) near Milan’s wholesale vegetable market.
Brera flea market
Flea markets in the outskirts of Milan.
First Sunday of the month
Corsico on Via Togliatti (find on map)
Time: 7 a.m.-5 p.m
Second Sunday of the month
Buccinasco on Via Emilia (find on map)
Time: 7 a.m.-5 p.m
Third Sunday of the month
Corsico on Via Togliatti (find on map)
Time: 7 a.m.-5 p.m
Every third Sunday of the month at the flea market in Corsico, there’s a flea market for children. Here you can find games, books, clothes and lots of other stuff..
Time: 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Fourth Sunday of the month
San Donato Milanese Snam parking place on via Emilia (find on map)
Time: 7 a.m.-5 p.m
Fifth Sunday of the month;
San Donato Milanese Snam parking place on via Emilia (find on map)
Time: 7 a.m.-5 p.m
Insider tip no. 5: aperitivo in Milan.
In most countries we go directly to the restaurant and have a drink while we study the menu. In Milan you start with an aperitivo.
The aperitivo is an appetizer: a glass of wine or a cocktail with snacks, that you have before going out for dinner – at around 6-8 p.m..
Over the last couple of years the Milanese aperitivo, or as they call it happy hour, has evolved from being a quick cocktail into becoming an event that sometimes stretches over the entire night and the snacks have become a buffet, that doesn’t wake your appetite but stills your hunger.’
Via Tortona/Via Savona area:
Via Tortona /Via Savona (find on map) is an area with many cool brunch/lunch places and small boutiques and in the evening it’s a great place to have an aperitivo.
Gogol & Company 101, Via Savona (find on map) is a charming bookstore/art gallery/café/bar with a great aperitivo in unusual surroundings.Opening hours Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Outside the beaten track but relatively close to MUDEC and Corso Vercelli:
Tagiura ristorante, 5,Via Tagiura (find on map) – not extremely central but an absolute must for aperitivo and lunch.
That’s Vapore, 3, Via Michelangelo Buonarotti (find on map) #DifferentlyInteresting.
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Isola area:
Another good area to have an aperitivo together with the Milanese in is the super cozy Isola area (find on map). The best street is Via P. Borsieri (find on map) where the legendary jazz place Blue Note is too.
Here you also find super cool and beautiful Café Gorille, 20, Via Gaetano de Castillia (find on map) which is rich on atmosphere.
Navigli area:
The Navigli area is also rich on aperitivo places such as Manhattan Navigli at 13, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map).
Mag café at 43, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map).
Porta Romana Area:
Swami Cafë (find on map) – near Porta Romana, 12, Viale Montenero.
Lacerba Cocktail bar, 4, Via Orti (find on map) in the Porta Romana area. This place is fast becoming one of the favourites with the choosy Milanese.
Brera area:
God save the food, 1, Piazza del Carmine (find on map) high quality buffet and cocktails right in the center of Milan in Brera.
Terrazza di Maison Moschino, Hotel Moschino,(find on map) it is a little pricier than most places (10-15€). It’s on 12, Viale Monte Grappa , super chic and very fashion.
Radetzky €€
105, Corso Garibaldi (find on map)
8-1.30 am Monday to Thursday, 8-2 am Friday and Saturday and 10-1.30 am Sunday, not the cheapest place in Milan but great location and service.
On your way back from a shopping tour Tramè is a great place to have an aperitivo, in the middle of Brera and very lively (find on map) you may already know the place from a lunch! You won’t get any snacks here, just an excellent drink but you can try some of their delicious sandwiches with it, but you have to buy those on the side..
Porta Vittoria area:
That’s Vapore 5, Corso di Porta Vittoria (find on map).
Corso Buenos Aires area.
MINT Garden café, 12, Via Felice Casati (find on map) a very cool place to have your aperitivo near Corso Buenos Aires.
Pandenus,15, Via Alessandro Tadino (find on mapt) has great cocktails, a fantastic buffet and a super cozy atmosphere.
Nottingham Forest, 1, Viale Piave (find on map) it has made it to the prestigious list of 50 Great Bars of the World published by the English Class Magazine. Very international crowd and their cocktails are pure molecular science.
Bar Basso, 39, Via Plinio (find on map) One of Milan’s historical cocktailbars, Inventors of the drink Negroni Sbagliato. Close to shopping area Corso Buenos Aires.
Mimmo
In the same area you’ll find Settimo Senso, 19, Viale Abruzzi (find on map) – Good and cheap, super service!
And then there is Mimmo very close to Porta Venezia at 34, Via Sirtori (find on map)
Good restaurants in Milan.
If you want a gourmet experience, then use the Michelin guide and these amazing alternatives at reasonable prices. We have also selcted the best vegan restaurants in Milan – look for VEGAN in the list.
If you do choose to dine at a restaurant with Michelin stars (1-2) you should expect to spend around €130 per person.
Italian restaurants generally have very high standards and one thing Italians are really into, is quality food. So it’s a good idea to follow the locals around lunch and dinner time.
Food is one of the most important aspects of life in this country; Italians discuss what they’ll have for dinner while they’re having lunch, So if a restaurant has a lot of Italian guests you are sure to eat well.
Besides the names you can find in the Michelin guide we recommend the following places. The price levels are varied – € 20-30, €€ 30-50, €€€ >50 – but note that it isn’t necessary to spend a fortune to eat well.
Langosteria Café 4, Galleria del Corso (find on map) right in the center of the city
Brera.
- Pizzeria Sibilla, 14, Via Mercato (find on map) great pizza but come early, you cannot make reservations here. €
- Timè 5, Via San Marco (find on map) €/€€
- Bebel’S 38, Via San Marco (find on map) €/€€
- Emilia e Carlo 8, Via Sacchi (find on map) €€€
- Fioraio Bianchi Caffè 7. Via Montebello (find on map) €€/€€€
- Fiori Oscuri 3, Via Fiori Oscuri . (find on map) €€/€€€
- Il Pescetto 9, Via Volta (find on map) €/€€
- Temakinho which boasts three of the hottest restaurants in Milan right now. One is in 53, Corso Garibaldi (find on map) €/€€
- VEGAN Universo Vegano, 14, Via Solferino (find on map). €
Garibaldi area
- Alice Piazza XXV Aprile (in Eataly) (find on map) 1 star Michelin restaurant. €€€
- Il Liberty, 6, Viale Monte Grappa (find on map) €€/€€€
- Pizzeria di Porta Garibaldi, 6, Corso Como (find on map) €
- VEGAN Soulgreen, Piazza Principessa Clotilde corner of Via Vespucci (find on map) €€
Montenapoleone area.
- Bice 12, Via Borgospesso (find on map) €€€
Porta Romana area.
- Trattoria Masuelli San Marco 80, Viale Umbria (find on map) €€
- Lacerba 4, Via Orti (find on map) Seafood. €€
- Isa e Vane, 1, Via Perugino (find on map) Deli and wine bar (Saturday and Sunday brunch), they have a wonderful courtyard. €€
- La Cantinetta, 19, Via Ripamonti (find on map) Meat, typical Tuscan food. €€
Duomo/Missori/Cordusio.
- Giacomo Bistrot, 5, Via Pasquale Sottocorno (find on map) €€
- Trattoria Milanese 11, Via Santa Marta (find on map) €€
- Alla Collina Pistoiese 1, Via Amadei (find on map) €€/€€€
- Hostaria Borromei 4, Via Borromei (find on map) €€
- A Santa Lucia 3, Via San Pietro All’Orto (find on mapt) €€
- Acqua Pazza 3, Via San Michele al Carso (find on map) €€€
- San Tomaso 5, Via San Tomaso (find on map) €
- I 12 Gatti 11/12, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (corner 1, Piazza della Scala) (find on map), located on top of the Galleria with an amazing view it’s a must-see. €/€€
- Antica Foccacceria San Francesco 15, Via San Paolo (find on map) genuine Sicilian Food in the heart of Milan. €/€€
- Langosteria Café, 4, Galleria del Corso (find on map) excellent seafood and service €€€
- Piz, 34, Via Torino (find on map) Milan’s best Neapolitan Pizza, the menu only features 3 kinds of pizzas but they are absolutely worth the wait. Be prepared for a line but it moves quickly €
- Cracco, 4, Via Victor Hugo (find on map) 2 star Michelin restaurant. €€€
Parco Sempione area.
- Terrazza Triennale 6, Viale Emilio Alemagna (find on map) possibly the most amazing view in Milan and incredible food. €€/€€€
Isola area.
- Ratanà 28, Via de Castilla (find on map) €€
- Testina 19, Via Abbadesse (find on map).Typical Milanese cuisine on a high level €/€
Chinatown area (Via Paolo Sarpi)
- Ottimofiore, 26, Via Bramante (find on map) real Sicilian food €/€€
- VEGAN Osteria al 55, 55, Via Messina (find on map) €€
Via Savona/Tortona area.
- Langosteria 10, Via Savona (find on map) €€€
- Langosteria Bistrot,2, Via Privata Bobbio (find on map) €€€
DeAngeli area.
- Essenza Ristorante, 34, Via Marghera (find on map) Up-and-coming gourmet restaurant.€€€
- Antica Pizzeria Leone, 9, Via Carlo Ravizza (find on map) good Nepolitan pizza. €
- Pizza Lievità, 11, Via Carlo Ravizza (find on map) good Neapolitan pizza. €
Navigli area.
- Certe Notti 16, Via Giovanni Enrico Pestalozzi (find on map) the specialty of the house is “Gnocco Fritto” (appetizer) €/€€
- Al Pont De Ferr 55, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map) €€€
- Antica Osteria Del Mare 105, Via Cardinal Ascanio Sforza (find on map) Seafood €€
- Temakinho, 37, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map) at the moment one of the hottest restaurants in Milan especially for lunch. €/€€
- Al Coniglio Bianco, 12, Alzaia Naviglio Grande (find on map) Typical local food from Lombardy. €/€€
- VEGAN Universo Vegano, 49, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map). €
Sant’Ambrogio area.
- Carbonaia Mare Via San Vittore (corner of Via Carducci). (find on map) Seafood €€€
- Bar Magenta, 13, Via Carducci (very close to Leonardo da Vincis vineyard and “The last Supper”) (find on map) €
- Antica Foccacceria San Francesco 15, Via San Paolo (find on map) genuine Sicilian food in the heart of Milan €/€€
- Caffè della Pusterla, 22, Via Edmondo de Amicis (find on map) A typical Milanese place, where you can get anything from breakfast to dinner. Fantastic atmosphere. €/€€
Porta Venezia area
- Mandarin 2, 22A, Via Garofalo (find on map) An unusual combination of Sicilian and Chinese cuisine €€
- Rosy e Gabriele 26, Via Giuseppe Sirtori (find on map) €€
- Mimmo, 34, Via Sirtori ( find on map) €€/€€€
- VEGAN Joia, 18, Via Panfilo Castaldi (find on map) 1 star Michelin Restaurant,. €€€
- VEGAN Mantra Raw,21, Via Panfilo Castaldi (find på kort) €/€€
- VEGAN Alhambra, 17, Via San Gregorio (find on map).€
- Albufera, 15, Via Lecco (find on map) Tapas and paellas €/€€
Piazza Cinque Giornate area
- L’sola dei sapori, 10, Via Anfosso (find on map) Excellent Seafood. €€
- La Taverna, 3, Via Francesco Anzani (find on map) Real Neapolitan Pizza, wonderful €/€€
- Pizza Lievità, 17, Via Sottocorno (find on map) Good Neapolitan pizza. €
Our most important tip concerning good restaurants: Always book a table!
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