The city of Milan, the capital of Italian fashion, is famous all over the world as a center of high fashion and world-renowned designers. The style is strongly felt in the streets of the European city, when every passerby looks like a model, photographer or fashion designer. Despite the grandiose and prestigious image, the variety is very wide, and you can find a lot of things in Milan at cheap prices as well as great bargains, you just have to know where to look. Here are some of the most recommended places for a shopping trip in the city.
Quadrilatero d’Oro – “The Golden Rectangle”
A central area that is home to some of the most famous Italian designers in the world such as Gucci, Prada and Versace. Also, there are quite a few big names of international brands in the area such as Ralph Lauren, Dior and Hermès. Four large streets: Manzoni, della Spiga, Sant’Andrea and via Montenapoleone create a rectangular area full of temptations to empty your wallet. Even if your budget doesn’t allow you to shop locally, you can Enjoy viewing the luxurious shop windows and the chic atmosphere in the area.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
In Piazza del Duomo there is an impressive and large building with mosaic floors, glass ceilings and spacious businesses with high ceilings. The special building serves as an elegant and exclusive shopping center. Beyond shopping, you can also fall asleep watching the impressive architecture and sip coffee or a cocktail in style, in one of the local cafes.
Naviglio Grande
One of the most colorful areas in the city of Milan. There are many shops and there is also a large antique market located on the banks of a canal. The market takes place every last Sunday of the month and contains about 400 stalls that will sell you almost anything, from vintage furniture, art objects to simple souvenirs. If you are tired of wandering around the stalls, you can pamper yourself in one of the restaurants or the many cafes sitting on the street opposite.
Il Salvagente
A well-known outlet store in Milan, where you can find fashion items from the greatest Italian and international designers. During sales, the discounts are huge discounts (50% or more), but remember that these are expensive brands, so the starting price is very high. For lovers of high fashion, this is a store that must be visited during a trip to Milan.
Address: Via Fratelli Bronzetti 16.
Guendj
Highly recommended and affordable store. In this store you can find a huge selection of jackets and coats made of fur, wool and different types of leather, of all styles and types. There is also a good selection of quality leather boots and bags.
Address: Ripa di Porta Ticinese 47.
Corso Buenos Aires & Via Torino
A strip of lively streets packed with basic brand stores that we all know such as Zara, Pandora, Foot Locker, H&M and more. The shopping area starts at Milan’s central train station and ends in the Centro Strico area, where prices start to climb. You may not find fine Italian goods there, but you can buy clothes at affordable prices as well as enjoy impressive Italian architecture.
East Market
A cool flea market that takes place once a month, on the third Sunday of every month. There you can buy anything you need or don’t need, from books, shoes and clothes to second hand items and special collectibles.
Address: Via Mecenate 84.
La Rinascente
The bastion of Italian luxury stores. There you can find a variety of designer fashion stores: clothing, footwear, cosmetics, housewares, etc. All this in a modern and huge complex of about 20 dunams. In case you get tired of shopping, there are also bars and gourmet restaurants that are worth a visit.
Address: Via Santa Radegonda 10.
Peck
An impressive boutique store for Italian food products. The store has a wide range of products, from bottles of luxury champagne for thousands of euros to a jar of locally produced jam for 8 euros. The display and the beautiful packaging will undoubtedly make you want to buy gifts for loved ones.
Address: Via Spadari 9.
Bivio Milano
A chain of 3 designer fashion stores offering second hand items. For lovers of high fashion who are short on cash, this is heaven, as you can find here the best Italian clothing and accessories at extremely low prices. The store at Via Lambro 12 has items for both women and men, the store at Via Mora 4 is for women only and further down the same street, in building number 14, there is another store for men only.
Francesco Maglia Umbrellas
A special and long-standing store that offers a selection of handmade and even custom-made umbrellas. This is a family store that has been operating since 1854 and is considered a pilgrimage site in the city. For those who like to invest, this can definitely be a unique souvenir from a trip to Milan and an umbrella that will last for years.
Address: Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 194.
AC Milan, FC Inter
A pair of large stores for fans of Italian football. Depending on the name, each one sells clothes, hats, decorative items and other souvenirs of two of the leading football teams in Europe. The goods here are of course much more expensive than similar things you can find in the local markets, but for fans of the thing it is definitely a recommended experience.
Address: Aperto 7 giorni su 7.
