Shopping · Milan · Italy
Shopping in Milan
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Paolobon140, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Milan is Italy's shopping capital, from couture flagships in the Quadrilatero della Moda to department stores, design showrooms and vintage shops. Sales usually start in early January and early July. Best souvenirs: Panettone, Leather goods and Design objects.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Panettone
Where to shop
Quadrilatero della Moda
Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and nearby streets hold flagship stores of the great Italian and international fashion houses.
Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the Galleria
Pedestrian shopping between the Duomo and San Babila, plus the Rinascente department store with a rooftop food hall facing the cathedral.
Corso Buenos Aires
One of Europe's longest shopping streets, with mid-range chains and local shops.
Brera and Corso Garibaldi
Independent boutiques, design shops and concept stores.
Markets
Mercatone dell'Antiquariato
A large antiques and vintage market along the Naviglio Grande, usually on the last Sunday of the month.
Fiera di Senigallia
A Saturday flea market at the Darsena with vintage clothes, crafts and second-hand goods.
Oh Bej! Oh Bej!
A traditional market around the Sforza Castle held for Sant'Ambrogio in early December.
What to buy
Panettone
Boxed panettone from a historic pasticceria makes a classic gift, especially at Christmas.
Leather goods
Bags, wallets and gloves from Italian artisans and fashion houses.
Design objects
Homeware and lighting from Milanese design brands, sold in showrooms and the Triennale shop.
Campari and vermouth
Milan-born bitters and Italian vermouths for making aperitivo at home.
Italian stationery
Notebooks, leather journals and pens from long-established Milanese stationers.
Streets and markets worth a wander
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Architecture · Centro Storico
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Opened in the 1870s, this cross-shaped shopping arcade with a glass-and-iron dome links Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Mondeghili, Panettone, Negroni sbagliato and Campari spritz and aperitivo. Osterie and wine bars with traditional menus. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Centro Storico | $$$$ | The Duomo, the Galleria, La Scala and the main shopping streets |
| Brera | $$$$ | Cobbled artists' quarter of galleries, boutiques and candlelit restaurants |
| Navigli | $$ | Canal-side bars, vintage shops and the monthly antiques market |
| Isola and Porta Nuova | $$$ | Glass towers of Porta Nuova beside the old working-class Isola district |
| Porta Venezia | $$ | Liberty-style buildings, public gardens and the city's LGBTQ+ quarter |
| Stazione Centrale | $$ | Business-hotel district around the monumental central station |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. A cover charge is often included, so tipping is optional. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated.
- Say 'Buongiorno' or 'Buonasera' when entering shops and restaurants.
- Validate tickets or tap your card at metro gates both entering and, on some lines, exiting.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January and August; the busiest months are April.
- January: Winter sales (usually from early January)
- July: Summer sales (usually from early July)
- November: Christmas lights and markets begin (late November)
- December: La Scala season opening and the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! market (7 December, Sant'Ambrogio)
- December: Christmas market around Piazza del Duomo (usually December)
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, luxury and families
Centro Storico
The Duomo, the Galleria, La Scala and the main shopping streets
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Milan?
Panettone, Leather goods, Design objects and Campari and vermouth.
+Where is the best shopping in Milan?
Quadrilatero della Moda: Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and nearby streets hold flagship stores of the great Italian and international fashion houses.
+What are the best markets in Milan?
Mercatone dell'Antiquariato, Fiera di Senigallia and Oh Bej! Oh Bej!.