One of the questions we get most is “When is it good to visit Milan?” so here is the list of the very best things going on. Remember to check out our calendar for the exact dates, as they can vary a bit from year to year.
Milano Design Week/Fuorisalone – one week in spring, it used to be April but Covid has shaken things a bit up (check out our events calendar to see when it is happening this year). A week with very lively cosmopolitan atmosphere and cocktail parties, where Milan is turned upside-doown in occasion of the Salone del Mobile furniture fair, In the ciyt you get the up-and-coming designers’ bid on what the future will look like.In the same period as Milano Design Week we also have Milano Art Week and Miart going on., it is an incredible month for contemporary and modern art and design..
Piano City – 3 days during the penultimate weekend of May. There is piano music everywhere with lots of fantastic free concerts in the city’s parks, squares and several of Milan’s beautiful courtyards. The concerts go on 24 hours a day and the city teems with life and people.
Scala Filarmonici plays a free concerts on Piazza Duomo – the second Sunday of June with a speciel guest perfomance – this is a speciel and magical evening where thousands og Milanese of all ages fill up Piazza Duomo for a very speciel night.
Estate Sforzesca – from the beginning of June to the end of August there is entertainment almost every night in the central courtyard of Castello Sforzesco of theater, dance or music, a wonderful way to spend the summer evenings with the locals. Bear in mind that July and August are the hottest months in Milan and when we say hot we means sweltering; temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius and they don’t go down much at night
TRI.P. at Triennale di Milano – an experrimental music festival in June/July with some of contemporary music’s most exciting names.
MITO September Music – a festival which every year focuses on a theme and offers performances in both Milan and Turin for 20 days in the beginning of September.
JazzMi – Milano jazz festival the first two weeks of November november. Some of the world’s finest jazz musicians come to Milan to play..
Artigiani in Fiera – Enormous Christmas market at Milan’s fair during the first week of December, actually the atmosphere in Milan during the month of December is wonderful with lots of ice skating rinks and Christmas markets. Read more about them hereand here.
Opening Night at La Scala theater– the new season at Teatro della Scala starts with an opera on December 7th remember that if you want to experience this very speciel night, you have to book your tickets a long time in advance. You canfind the links in our events calendar.
Milan Fashion Week – February and September, the city is hectic during this week with cocktail parties and many other things.
Sales in Milan – July/August and January/February for the exact dates check our shopping guide.
Milan has many hotels and other types of accomodation 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:Expedia and booking.com
Casa degli Atellani
A truly unique apartment If you’re up to trying something very exclusive (which is much cheaper than you think), rent an apartment by Leonardo da Vinci’s vinyard in Casa degli Atellani witha view over Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Leonardo’s “Last Supper” is situated. For booking and information go to Atellani Apartments.
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 – please beware that you must update and accept Airbnb’s conditions on your phone app or the website on your computer in order to get access.
Bed and Breakfasts. There are many options for you if you want to stay in A Bed and Breakfast in Milan. The latest arrival is Rock’n’Roll Home in Via Gluck near the central station (find on map) with only 4 rooms available. \ Find your bed and breakfast at bedandbreakfast.eu
Stay at a hostel. There are 3 amazing hostels in the center of Milan; Queen Hostelnear San Babila at 9, Viale Regina Margherita (find on map) book here Ostello Bello near Duomo at 4, Via Medici (find on map) Ostello Bello Grande just by the central station Stazione Centrale at 33, Via Roberto Lepetit (find on map),book here COMBO Milano in the Navigli area at 83, Ripa doi Porta Ticinese (find on map) You can also book via Booking.com remember to book well in advance no matter where you book though.
Stay in the countryside. The Agritourism Cascina Madonnina is located in beautiful surroundings outside Milan at 17, Via Arluno in Pregnana Milanese (find pn map) 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.
City Tax
Visitors (over the age of 18) to Milan have to pay a city tax – or tourist tax as it is also known – as well as the price of the accomodation and which differs according to the tyoe of accomodation you have chosen:
1 star hotels – €2 per person per night
2 star hotels – €3 per person per night
3 star hotels – €4 per person per night
4 and 5 star hotels -€5 per person per night
All holiday appartments and houses, B&Bs – €3 per person per night
Youth hostels and camp sites – €2 per person per night
A classic sightseeing tour on your first day here can actually be a really good way to get a feeling of the city and of which things are in the same area. Here we have a list of the best tours Milan has to offer.
Hop-on Hop-off tours.
With thedouble-deckers you can buy tickets for either 24 or 48 holurs (repspectively €22 and €25) with departure from Piazza Castello (find on map)
In Milan you can also do your sightseeing from a tram, TraMilano, a charming and different way to vist the tourist attractions. This costs €15 and departs from Milan’s central station (find on map) near the Zara shop, check the link above for more precise details.
If you have the MilanoCard you get a 15% discount on tickets.
Segway tours.
See Milan from a segway in small groups with 8 participants, choose between the day tripof 3 hours. or the night tripof 2.5 hours. Both trips are €75 and start on the ´corner of Via dei Chiostri and Via Ancona (find on map) there is a 30 minute orientation before the trip begins.
Tours on the canals (April-September).
You can go on a boat trip back and forth on the Milanese navigli and see the city from a different perspective – Milan is no Copenhagen, Venice or Amsterdam though. You can book tickets in advance here: Call Center +39029094242 every day 10 am-6 pm or by email Monday-Friday info@navigareinlombardia.it
The evening tour of the canals costs €10 and is 40 minutes long with departures at 9 pm – 9.50 pm -10.40 pm. You must purchase the tickets at the point of departure but you can book here:,Call Center +39029094242 every day bewtween 10 am and 6 pm or with an email to info@navigareinlombardia.it
If you’d like an aperitivo while sailing through the navigli the the Happy Boat tour is what you’re looking for,it’s on every Friday and Saturday at 7.30 p.m. and costs €22 cocktail and buffet included in the price. You can book tickets here: Autostradale Viaggi – Milano 2, Passaggio Duomo (find on map) 1, P.zza Castello (find on map). Tel. +390230089900 email – info@autostrdaleviaggi.it
Rickshaw tours with VELOLEO
An untraditional and green way to visit the city is by rickshaw or bike taxi, they organize both shopping- and city trips and prices €25-45 for 1/2 and 1 hour respectively. The trips start from both Piazza Castello, Piazza Duomo and Piazza San Babila. You can also book online and personalize your trip here.
The view from the roof of Duomo is breathtaking especially on clear days, where you can see the Alps t’s a really good idea to reserve tickets in advance so you can skip the line. Book here.
If you’re in Milan for 72 hours or less, you should consider getting a MilanoCard. Read more here.
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.
See Milan from a different perspective with bike tour rentals. You can also rent a bike for the entire time you spend here or use one of the many electrical scooters.
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.
You can also rent bikes at Baco bicycle store at 52,Via Solari, for information cal +390235994089.
There are also other guided tours of Milan in bicycle in English. Here are the 3 most popular ones:
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.
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
Operator 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.
Its name is Mobike and features orange and black bicycles and the new orange and white e-bikes you have probably seen around the city, The price is €0.30 for every half hour.
Helbiz
Primarily known for their electric scooters but the y know also offer bicycle sharing. Go to download here.
Electric scooters.
After a long break electric scooters are now back on the streets in Milan, watch out for yourself out there in traffic, you can not go over 20 km per hour, and where there are bicycle paths you have to go on them, otherwise you have to ride in the street to the right in the same direction as traffic (!),the scooters are only allowed in the centre of the city. Find the links for the app downloads here.
Why carry around a guide book when you can have all you need on your smartphone (which, of course, is indispensable).
Milan Tourism has published a comprehensive list of apps made especially for visitors. Here are the most important ones:
Milan Travel Guide 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 iPhone | Android)
VisitMilano A great app for visiting Milan with information on Public transport, exhibitions, concerts etc, a little simpler than Guida Milano above (Download for iPhone | Android)
Spotted by Locals. This app has more than 70 city guides – including the one for Milan – and tells you what is worth seeing in the opinion of the people who live in Milan (also check out their blog here). Lots of great features.
(Download for Android | iPhone)
Electrical scooters are a popular way to get around in Milan, watch out for yourself out there in traffic, you can not go over 20 km per hour, and where there are bicycle paths you have to go on them, otherwise you have to ride in the street to the right in the same direction as traffic (!) you are not allowed to ride on sidewalks, the scooters are only allowed in the centre of the city. Here are the apps you can download for Milan:
Dott – your ride, your way
Download til Android | iPhone)
Circ – electrical scooter sharing
(Download for Android | iPhone)
Bird Electrical scooters
(Download for Android | iPhone)
Lime – Your ride anytime.
ALSO e-bikes Download for Android | iPhone)
Voi Scooters: Get Magic Wheels (Download for Android | iPhone)
ShareNow The new carsharing service, previously Car2Go and Drivenow Languages: Italian, English (Download for Android | iPhone )
Enjoy. The car sharing company for Italy’s biggest oil and petrol company ENI. The cars are all FIAT 500. (Download for Android | iPhone)
Share’ngo Little yellow electric cars for car sharing. (Download for Android | iPhone)
Free2move.
Car sharing aggregator. (Download for Android | iPhone)
Urbi. Car sharing aggregator. (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)
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 for Android | iPhone)
Uber The world’s most famous ride sharing service is legal in Milan and works fine so if you cannot get a taxi or you have to wait too long this is a good alternative. (Download Android | iPhone)
Mobike A dock-free bike sharing service, where you can find a bicycle near you. The price is €0,30 for every half hour. (Download Android | iPhone)
Movi by Mobike Mobike has now also launched a white and orange e-bike, watch where you park it if you don’t want fines. Read more about that here. (Download for Android | iPhone)
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.
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.
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.
During the summer the great outdoor swimming pool Villa Olmo, 20 minutes walk from the train station, is open every day from 9 am-7.30 pm, tickets are €8.50 for the whole day and €5.50 for the afternoon for adults and €4.50 (full day) €3.50 (afternoon) for children. You have to book online and sadly the page is only in Italian (!) but follow the “prenota” button and insert the date you want to go here and then click prosegui (continue). You can also rent sun beds (lettini) and beach umbrellas (ombrelloni).
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 1 hour away by train from Milan. You can go from the stations of Stazione Centrale 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.
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 – note that there is an additional admission’s fee (€10-14 per person) to see the sights.
Stresa is quite close to Milan and can be reached from both the Central Station and the Garibaldi station, the trip takes about 90 minutes.
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.
Lodiis 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, Piazza Mercato (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.
One of our favourite things is to have a great 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).
We would love to hear from you so if you feel like sharing your opinion about the brunch places on our list or know a place you’d like to recommend then use our form here.
LùBar €€ (brunch a la carte) 16, Via Palestro (find on map) +390283527769 – book at l’east 2 days in advance for the weekend. It more a lunch place but you can light dishes + cappuccino, coffee and orange juice. 8 am-midnight Tuesdays-Sundays
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.
ATMosfera €€€ A very unusual combination of Brunch and sight-seeing on one of Milan’s historical trams. The duration is of 2.30 hours. Leaves from 2, Piazza Castello (find on map).
Saturdays and Sundays 11.30 am-2 pm
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 click on the red Guarda il Menu button next to your course, on the next page click on “prenota il corso” at the top of the page (book) and then the rat of the instructions are in English, 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.
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 the internationally acclaimed buildings “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.
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 €€€, Giacomo Arengario €€ on top of Museo del Novecento (find on map) with an amazing view of Piazza Duomo. and Piz, 34, Via Torino (find n map) genuine Neapolitan pizza €,
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 Saturday of every month close to Porta Venzia/Corso Buenos Aires in Via Spallanzari (find on map).
“Fiera di Sinigaglia”: 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 from crafts, new, vintage and second-hand clothes to vinyl records.
“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)
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.
Isola area:
Another good area to have an aperitivo together with the Milanese in is the very cosy 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)
If you want a gourmet experience, then try out these amazing places at reasonable prices. We have also selected the best vegan restaurants in Milan – look for VEGAN in the list.
We would love to hear from you so if you feel like sharing your opinion about the restaurants on our list or know a place you’d like to recommend then use our form here.
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). Phone +390239663561 great pizza but come early, you cannot make reservations here. €
Carminio, 3, Via del Carmine (find on map) Phone +390272022992. Known for the menu which changes from day to day depending on the best fresh ingredients of the moment. €€/€€€
Temakinho which boasts three of the hottest restaurants in Milan right now. One is in 53, Corso Garibaldi(find on map). Phone +390272016158 €/€€
Risoelatte 6, Via Manfredo Camperio (find on map) Phone +390239831040. Charming little restaurant furnished in the style of the sixties, homemade cooking. €€
El Tombon de San Marc, a wonderful restaurant with traditional Lombard cuisine, you need to book a tbale here for both lunch and dinner 20, Via San Marco (find on map), Phone +39026599507. €/€
Trattoria Masuelli San Marco 80, Viale Umbria (find on map) Phone +390255184138 , this place is a real gem with northern Italian cuisine at its very best and an incredible atmosphere. €€
Antica Foccacceria San Francesco 15, Via San Paolo (find on map) Phone +3902875411, genuine Sicilian Food in the heart of Milan. €/€€
Langosteria Café, 4, Galleria del Corso (find on map) Phone +390276018167 excellent seafood and service €€€
EXIT Milano, 2, Piazza Erculea (find on map) Phone :+390235999080 elegant, delicious gourmet food and lovely place, food is served all day until midnight €€/€€€
Piz, 34, Via Torino (find on map) Phone +390286453482. 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, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (find on map) Phone +3902876774. 1-star Michelin restaurant. €€€
Parco Sempione area.
Terrazza Triennale 6, Viale Emilio Alemagna (find on map) Phone +390236644340 possibly the most amazing view in Milan and incredible food. €€/€€€
Antica Pizzeria Leone, 9, Via Carlo Ravizza (find on map) Phone+390248001829, good Nepolitan pizza. €
Pizza Lievità, 11, Via Carlo Ravizza (find on map) Phone +390284561374. good Neapolitan pizza. €
There is an excellent restarant near this area, it requires you to take the metro from the DeAngeli station and get off at Primaticcio and then walk about 5 minutes but it really is one of Milan’s gastronomical gems and has 2 Michelin stars called IL Luogo di Aimo e Nadia at 6, Via Privata Raimondo Cuccoli (find on map) Phone +3902416886. €€€
Navigli area.
Trattoria Toscana, 58, Corso di Porta Tuicinese (find on map) €/€€ phone +390222224813 relaxed atmosphere and big garden, great for summer
Antica Osteria Del Mare 105, Via Cardinal Ascanio Sforza (find on map) Phone +390289546534. Seafood €€
Temakinho, 37, Ripa di Porta Ticinese (find on map) Phone+39028356134, at the moment one of the hottest restaurants in Milan especially for lunch. €/€€
Al Coniglio Bianco, 12, Alzaia Naviglio Grande (find on map)Phone +390258100910 .Typical local food from Lombardy. €/€€
Antica Foccacceria San Francesco 15, Via San Paolo (find on map) Phone +3902875411, genuine Sicilian food in the heart of Milan €/€€
Il Caffè della Pusterla, 22, Via Edmondo de Amicis (find on map) Phone +390283633659. 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) Phone +39022664147. An unusual combination of Sicilian and Chinese cuisine €€
If you’re with your children in Milan then buy 3 day’s access to the civic museums for just €12 an adult (under-18s don’t pay). You can get it online or, easier, at the ticket sale at the first museum you visit. There are lunch ideas mentioned after every museum.
Rent a different bike for the kids at the park. In the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli (find on map) and Parco Sempione (find on map)you can rent the beautiful originale 3-wheel take bike Alternative Byki from 1959,it costs €5 for 20 minutes.
Museo nazionale scienza e tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci. The Leonardo Da Vinci museum is a must for children from age 6 and up. There is enoughentertainment to last you several hours on a rainy day.
The most diversely talented person ever to have lived is painter, inventor etc. Leonardo da Vinci, and Italy’s national technical museum, located in Milan, is also his official museum. It combines the chance to actually try out some of his inventions with the more traditional exhibitions.
Ideas for lunch. Eat some pizza or foccacia on the square in front of the musum, Buy it here: Panificio Sant’Ambrogio, 3, Via San Vittore (find on map) Ristoro Monterosso, 11, Via San Vittore (find on map)
Museo di Storia naturale – Dinosaurs and other monsters
Museo di Storia Naturale is yet a perfect place for children from age 6 if they like dinosaur skeletons and everything to do with wild beasts.
It’s located in a great park with a wooden jungle gym and a really cozy outdoor café, BAR BIANCO where you can get coffee, ice cream, frozen yogurt, soft drinks and lunch. The park also houses a genuine old-fashioned merry-go-round, a little train and bumper cars for very young kids.
Milan Cathedral (Duomo)
The city cathedral is very impressive on the outside and rather gloomy on the inside. You should spend your time visiting the roof which has an extraordinary view of the whole city and when the weather is clear you can see the Alps in the background. Either take the elevator up or get a fun experience walking all the way up the crooked old stone staircase
You can go get lunch at either Luini (find on map) or Mama Burger (find on map) – both good cheap lunch places.
Castello Sforzesco
The city’s impressive medieval castle Castello Sforzesco where you can choose to just walk right through the beautiful courtyards to the Sempione park, which contains playgrounds and ample lawns where you can have your sandwiches, you can eat at Bar Bianco (find on map) or try the incredibly vast choice of sandwiches at the kiosk on Piazza Castello left of the fountain when coming from Piazza Cairoli.
On the other side of the park you find the entrance to the design museum Triennale di Milano.
But you could also visit the inside of the castle, where there are various art museums, displaying historical weapons, paintings, musical instruments and furniture. Especially the weapons tend to appeal to kids.
Take a trip on the tram.
It’s really kind of awesome and cheap entertainment at €2 for adults (it’s a regular ticket for public transport and children under 14 don’ pay. Milan has old, very elegant trams that were built between 1928 and 1932. Remember to purchase the ticket before you get on the tram. You can get them at newsstands (edicole) and some bars.
If you are up to it, you can now get bikesharing bikes for kids at the weekend. Read about the new BikeMi Junior here.
If you are here between the months of June and September there are public swimmingpools in Milan. Read more here.
Check also our post on classic sightseeing here. Milan offers canal tours and double-deckers.
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