Shopping in Milan

Milan is one of Europe's great shopping cities, and not only for luxury fashion. Beyond the famous boutiques of the Quadrilatero, the city has long high streets, historic department stores, concept stores, design shops, independent boutiques and markets. The pleasure lies in moving between them and seeing how each district has its own style. We think of shopping here as a way to explore neighbourhoods, and we plan routes that combine shops with cafés, architecture and a museum or two.

Around the Duomo

The centre is the natural starting point. Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the pedestrian street running from the Duomo towards San Babila, is lined with international high-street brands and flagship stores. Beside the cathedral stands La Rinascente, Milan's best-known department store, founded in the nineteenth century and named by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. Its top floor has a food hall and terrace with close views of the cathedral spires. The Galleria next door holds historic shops and some of the most elegant frontages in the city.

The luxury quarter

The Quadrilatero della Moda, around Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, is where the great fashion houses keep their flagships. Window shopping here is part of the Milan experience, even without buying, and the district holds museums and historic cafés as well; our fashion district guide walks through it.

Corso Buenos Aires

Northeast of Porta Venezia, Corso Buenos Aires is one of the longest shopping streets in Europe, with hundreds of shops along its straight, wide pavements. It focuses on mid-range fashion, shoes, sportswear and everyday shopping, and it is busy with Milanese families at weekends. Metro M1 runs beneath it, with stations at Porta Venezia, Lima and Loreto.

Brera and Corso Como

Brera's lanes are home to independent boutiques, jewellers, perfumers and design shops, often in small spaces with careful displays. To the north, Corso Como leads towards Porta Garibaldi and Porta Nuova. At number 10, 10 Corso Como, opened in 1990 by the gallerist Carla Sozzani, pioneered the concept store, mixing fashion, design, books, art and a café around a planted courtyard. It remains a reference point for visitors interested in design.

Design and homeware

Milan is the capital of Italian design, and its furniture and lighting showrooms reward anyone interested in interiors. Many are clustered around Via Durini, Corso Monforte and the streets near San Babila, where Italian brands display chairs, lamps and kitchens in elegant spaces. The Triennale design shop sells books and objects connected to its collection.

Markets and vintage

For second-hand clothing, antiques and bargains, Milan's markets are a world away from the boutiques. The monthly antiques market along the Naviglio Grande, the weekly Fiera di Senigallia and vintage shops in the Navigli and Isola districts are covered in our markets and vintage guide.

Food to take home

Some of the most useful souvenirs are edible. Panettone from a good pastry shop travels well in its box, and delicatessens around the centre sell risotto rice, saffron, cheeses such as gorgonzola and taleggio, and bottles of Campari and Lombard wines from Franciacorta and the Oltrepò Pavese. The food floors of department stores and the covered markets make it easy to compare. Our panettone guide explains what to look for in a well-made loaf.

Our view

We choose one shopping area per half-day and combine it with nearby sights: Corso Vittorio Emanuele with the Duomo, Montenapoleone with Palazzo Morando, Brera with the Pinacoteca, Corso Como with Porta Nuova. Shops in central Milan generally stay open through the day, while some small boutiques close for a long lunch. Sales take place in January and July. Visitors from outside the European Union can claim tax refunds in many shops; staff explain the process at the till.