Shopping in Milan
One of the activities you can do in Milan is shopping. The city is known for its shopping areas and outlets, and during the sales periods, the stores become very crowded.
Sales Season in Milan
In Italy, the sales periods (both winter and summer) are set by law and vary from one region to another. Milan is located in the Lombardy region, and the sales period will be similar for all towns in this area.
In the winter of 2026, the sales season in Milan lasts for 60 days, from January 3rd to March 3rd. Stores are required to display, next to each product, the original price and the discount percentage, and the discounted items must be displayed separately from those sold at regular prices.
If your trip's purpose is (also) to go shopping, then plan your city break in Milan so that it coincides with the winter or summer sales.
Where to Shop in Milan?
In Milan, there are several areas known for shopping. From the luxury stores in the Quadrilatero della Moda to the streets around the Duomo and the outlets outside the city, there are options for all tastes and budgets.
Quadrilatero della moda
The Quadrilatero della Moda is Milan's most famous shopping district. Its name, meaning "The Fashion Quadrilateral", refers to the area framed by four streets: Via Monte Napoleone, Via Manzoni, Corso Venezia, and Via della Spiga. Along them - and other elegant streets within, like Via Santo Spirito, Via Borgospesso, Via del Gesù, and Via Bagutta - you'll find a concentration of iconic luxury boutiques offering fashion, watches, jewelry, and designer furniture.
The term "quadrilateral" has historical roots, dating back to the Middle Ages. It originally described the area enclosed between the Roman walls and the Seveso River (now flowing beneath the city streets), once known as Contrada di Sant'Andrea. During the Austrian rule and, later on, during the French rule, aristocratic palaces began to line these streets. By the late 19th century, the district - especially Via Monte Napoleone - was evolving into a prestigious area, home to wealthy families, with workshops and stores of renowned brands being inaugurated.
Today, Via Monte Napoleone - affectionately nicknamed "Montenapo" by locals - is considered one of the world's most exclusive shopping streets. In 2024, it even claimed the top spot in the Main Streets Across the World ranking, overtaking New York's legendary Fifth Avenue.
Even if you're not interested in luxury shopping, we still recommend taking a stroll through this area, as the elegant Quadrilatero della Moda is considered one of Milan's tourist attractions. Fashion plays such an important role here that the city is known as the "Capital of Fashion". Twice a year, Milan hosts the Milan Fashion Week, an internationally significant event - aside from Milan, "Fashion Week" is held only in Paris, London, and New York.
Admire the luxury shop windows, see the latest fashion trends, and spot the sports cars parked in front of designer boutiques. If you want to dive deeper into the world of fashion, you can visit the Costume, Moda, Immagine Collection ("Costume, Fashion, Image") for free, located in Palazzo Morando at 6 Via Sant'Andrea (also see the article about free places to visit in Milan).
During your walk, don't forget to admire the charming buildings lining the streets - some of them once housed important figures. For example, the building at 1 Via Monte Napoleone (rebuilt after the war) was the first palace bought by composer Giuseppe Verdi (who later sold it and moved to the nearby Grand Hotel et de Milan, on Via Manzoni). Also on Via Monte Napoleone, in the neoclassical palace at No. 2, Carlo Porta, the greatest Milanese poet, lived in 1816 and hosted a famous literary salon there.
For a sweet treat, stop by 8 Via Monte Napoleone, where you'll find the famous and historic Pasticceria Cova (for more details, also see the article about what to eat in Milan).
In the palace at 14 Via Monte Napoleone (also rebuilt after the war), the French writer Stendhal was once a guest, and in 1830, the famous soprano Giuditta Pasta lived there. (Did you know that some say the name of the Sicilian dish pasta alla Norma comes from a combination of the singer's name and the opera "Norma" by composer Vincenzo Bellini, which Giuditta Pasta premiered at La Scala in Milan?)
At 12 Via Manzoni, you’ll find the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, home to an important art collection that includes paintings by Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Bellini, Andrea Mantegna, Botticelli, Canaletto, and Tiepolo, among others.
At 5 Via del Gesù stands Casa Bagatti-Valsecchi, a 19th-century noble residence, renovated by its owners in the style of the 16th century.
Another museum awaits you at 55 Corso Venezia, where you'll find the Natural History Museum - a perfect stop if you're visiting Milan with children.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The second most famous place for luxury shopping in Milan is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Situated right next to the Duomo, the gallery has served this purpose since it was built in the second half of the 19th century. Today, it is considered the oldest shopping mall in Italy. Luxurious stores, historic restaurants and bars, as well as bookstores, line the elegant spaces of the gallery, with their names written in golden letters on a black background.
La Rinascente Milano Store
Next to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, beneath the arcades leading to Piazza del Duomo, is the headquarters of the La Rinascente store in Milan. You may be familiar with it from other Italian cities (it also has locations in Rome, Turin, Florence, Monza, as well as in Sicily - Palermo and Catania, or Sardinia - Cagliari). However, Milan is the city where it was founded, back in 1865. At that time, the Bocconi brothers opened the first Italian store for ready-made clothing with fixed prices. After several name and location changes, the store moved to Piazza del Duomo, and in 1917, it was acquired by a new owner. It was then that the name La Rinascente (rinascita meaning "rebirth") was coined by Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunzio.
The shopping center spans ten floors, where you'll find clothing, jewellery, accessories, cosmetics, design products, a grocery market, and a food hall with restaurants. From the panoramic terrace on the seventh floor, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Duomo's spires.
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II connects Piazza del Duomo with Piazza San Babila, linked by the red M1 metro line (also see the article about the metro in Milan). It is one of the pedestrian areas where both tourists and locals head for a walk and for shopping. Under its arcades, you'll find a variety of stores from popular international brands, ranging from more expensive to more affordable.
At the end towards Piazza San Babila stands the Basilica di San Carlo al Corso, built in 1847 in a neoclassical style on the site of the old Santa Maria dei Servi church, which also gave the street its old name (Corsia dei Servi). If you decide to visit, be sure to admire the dome, whose architecture is inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.
Via Torino
Also starting from Piazza del Duomo, but in a direction opposite to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, is Via Torino, another shopping street for all budgets. Along via Torino, you'll find clothing stores (including affordable brands), jewellery and perfume shops, cosmetics, and footwear.
If you decide go shopping on Via Torino, make sure to stop by and visit the Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro. The church is famous for the optical illusion used by the architect Bramante, originally from Umbria. Because the space available was limited, he created a "false" apse using perspective. The depth, which appears to be 9.7 meters to visitors, is only 97 centimeters...
Corso Buenos Aires
Another street in Milan known for shopping for all budgets is Corso Buenos Aires. The street starts at Porta Venezia and continues all the way to Piazzale Loreto. At 1.6 km, it is one of the longest shopping streets in Europe.
Initially, the street was called Corso Loreto, named after the nearby Santa Maria di Loreto church. The name was changed for the 1906 World Expo to honor the first two countries that expressed interest in participating in the event: Argentina and Peru. The two squares along the boulevard are also named Piazza Argentina and Piazza Lima.
East Market Milano
I’ve already told you that Milan offers shopping experiences for all tastes. Well, if you’re passionate about vintage, you might be interested in learning more about East Market. It’s a large market dedicated to lovers of vintage and second-hand clothing, antiques, vinyl records, and other collectibles. The event takes place once a month (usually on the penultimate Sunday) in a renovated former airplane factory near Linate Airport. East Market has been organized since 2014, with around 300 vendors and over 10,000 visitors at each edition. During your shopping break, you can grab a quick snack or a drink at the food market area.
Outlets near Milan
Milan is also known for the outlets in the city or nearby. The surrounding outlets are true shopping centers, featuring many stores of major brands, but at more affordable prices. Inside the outlets, you'll also find restaurants and bars, so the time spent shopping will fly by without you even noticing.
Some outlets are easily accessible by public transportation (like the Fox Town Outlet, located in Switzerland, at the border with Italy). For others (such as Serravalle Designer Outlet, one of the largest shopping centers in Europe, or Fidenza Village), you can use shuttle bus services (use the code CIAO5 for a 5% discount) that take you directly to your destination and bring you back to Milan in the afternoon or evening.
Use the CIAO5 code before completing your reservation on Tiqets and you will have a 5% discount.
For outlets like Vicolungo Style Outlet or Franciacorta Village, which are harder to reach by public transport from Milan, you will need a car.
Finally, there are outlets like Scalo Milano Outlet & More, for which transportation from and back to Milan is free.
Use the CIAO5 code before completing your reservation on Tiqets and you will have a 5% discount.
