Isola and Porta Nuova

Isola and Porta Nuova sit side by side just north of the centre, and together they show how fast Milan has changed in the twenty-first century. Porta Nuova is a district of glass towers, raised plazas and parks built on former railway land, while Isola, the island, is an old working-class neighbourhood of low buildings, courtyards and independent shops. The contrast between them is striking, and walking from one to the other is one of our favourite ways to see contemporary Milan.

Piazza Gae Aulenti

The heart of Porta Nuova is Piazza Gae Aulenti, a circular raised plaza opened in 2012 and named after the Milanese architect and designer. It is ringed by shops and cafés, with shallow fountains that children run through in summer. Above it rises the UniCredit Tower, designed by César Pelli, which with its spire is the tallest building in Italy. In the evening, the tower's lights and the reflections in the glass give the square a modern glamour.

The Bosco Verticale

A few minutes north stands the Bosco Verticale, the vertical forest: two residential towers completed in 2014 to designs by Stefano Boeri. Their balconies hold hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and plants, which change colour through the seasons and attract birds and insects. The towers won international awards and have inspired similar buildings around the world. They are private homes, so we view them from the street and the surrounding park.

Biblioteca degli Alberi

Between the towers lies the Biblioteca degli Alberi, the library of trees, a public park opened in 2018. Designed by the Dutch studio Inside Outside, it combines lawns, circular groves of different tree species, flower meadows and paths that criss-cross the green space. It hosts events, outdoor classes and concerts, and on fine days it fills with office workers, families and dog walkers. Our parks and gardens guide covers it alongside the city's older parks.

Isola's streets

Crossing the railway bridge or the footbridges, we enter Isola. The neighbourhood got its name because it was cut off from the city by the railway lines, and it kept a strong local identity. Via Borsieri and Via Thaon di Revel are lined with cafés, wine bars, vintage shops and small restaurants. Street art covers some walls, and historic ringhiera houses, with long shared balconies, line the side streets. The church of Santa Maria alla Fontana, with its Renaissance cloister, recalls an older Milan.

Corso Como and Garibaldi

South of Gae Aulenti, Corso Como leads towards Porta Garibaldi station. It is known for its nightlife and for 10 Corso Como, the pioneering concept store and gallery. Corso Garibaldi continues towards Brera, so the walk can easily join the historic centre. Our Milan shopping guide covers the shops along the way.

Design week and events

During Milan Design Week in April, Isola and Porta Nuova host many exhibitions in showrooms, courtyards and temporary spaces, and the streets fill with visitors carrying maps of installations. The district's mix of corporate towers and creative small businesses makes it a natural stage. Outside that week, the area still hosts markets, concerts in the park and outdoor events in the warmer months, and the bars around Via Borsieri stay busy into the evening.

Our view

We give Isola and Porta Nuova a half-day: the towers and plaza in the morning light, a walk through the library of trees, lunch in Isola and an afternoon of browsing. Metro M2 and M5 stop at Garibaldi, M5 at Isola, and M3 at Repubblica and Gioia are close by. For more contemporary architecture, the CityLife towers are a short metro ride west, and the Monumentale is a short walk away for a striking contrast.