Where to stay in Milan in 2025 (by someone who lives there)

Best for: walks, culture and artsy vibes

Artsy, elegant and oh-so picturesque with its cobbled pavements and tiny alleyways, Brera is Milan’s most boho-chic neighbourhood. For centuries, it was home to intellectuals, painters, writers and philosophers – the Pinacoteca di Brera still stands today, and art galleries and designer workshops dot its pedestrian-only streets. Besides the Pinacoteca, the compact district is home to the Botanical Garden, the Academy of Fine Arts and some of Milan’s most beloved churches, including San Marco

Make sure to check out Pettinaroli for beautiful printed paper notebooks, high-end clothing store Massimo Alba and vintage furniture shop Robertaebasta. To eat, try pizza at Dry, Rovello 18 for Milanese classics, Associazione Salumi & Vini Naturali for natural wine and Bar Jamaica, one of Milan’s most iconic bars, first opened in 1911. 

Stay here: Hip and laidback Urban Hive, fancy Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa. 

Best for: future-forward Milan

With its skyscrapers and modern plaza, Porta Nuova is the contemporary face of Milan. The neighbourhood is a great example of urban transformation (the area started to be developed some 20 years ago) and, over time, has become a favourite among the Milanese for shopping, people watching and plain chilling – thanks, mostly, to its gorgeous public park, BAM Biblioteca degli Alberi, which features a neat landscape design. 

The iconic Bosco Verticale is here too, and right behind it you’ll find another alternative neighbourhood worth exploring: Isola. Once a working class district, this is one of Milan’s coolest areas, where buildings’ façades have turned into artists’ canvases, botteghe (traditional shops) still stand strong, and local is the watchword everyone goes by. Eat at uber-coveted Ratana or classic Osteria dal Verme, and go for a night cap at Botanical Club. 

Stay here: The sleek NH Collection Milano Porta Nuova is the perfect spot. 

Best for: old charm, nightlife and vintage finds 

Italy’s most famous city on water is of course Venice, so it often surprises visitors to discover that Milan has a few canals of its own: Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese, both of which were once used for the transport of goods and people. And a cool, eclectic neighbourhood has risen around them over the years – the Navigli district – where locals now flock for aperitivo, vintage shopping and more (don’t miss the antiques market held here every last Sunday of the month). 

Staying here is an excellent idea if you’re into variety: from Tenoha Ramen to Korean bistro Li-Sei Deli and the super Milanese Osteria dei Binari. But the bar scene is where it’s at; avoid the tourist traps and head to Rita, Cactus Joe and Trattoria della Gloria for a wine bar with small plates. Ready to explore? Start at Colonne di San Lorenzo, down Corso Ticinese, to Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio and the Darsena, the city’s old port and the perfect place from which to see the sun sink over the smooth water while sipping a Spritz – or, alternatively, hop on a canal cruise (some with aperitivo included). 

Stay: Former perfume factory Magna Pars Suites, which has been transformed into an all-suite hotel featuring a landscaped garden, fine-dining restaurant, wine cellar, trendy bar, gym and spa.

Best for: shopping, shopping and more shopping

You don’t actually want to stay right by the Duomo — as Milan’s main landmark, the gothic cathedral and the area around it get pretty busy (read: rammed with tourists), so much so that in-the-know Milanese stay away from it if they can. But if you’ve got some cash to spare, the nearby fashion quadrangle, Milan’s oh-so fancy fashion district, is your next best choice. Some of the city’s swankiests hotels are here, matched by some seriously splurge-worthy boutiques, old-school cafes – hello, Marchesi 1824 – and design galleries. 

Take your time walking down Via Montenapoleone and Via Spiga, the equivalents of London’s New Bond Street; marvel at the grandness of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Europe’s oldest shopping mall; and eat at white tablecloth locales like Caruso Nuovo Bistrot and La Locanda del Gatto Rosso. And if you’re after some culture, don’t miss Palazzo Reale, Museo del Novecento and Museo Poldi Pezzoli — all Milan’s musts for art-lovers. 

Stay: Portrait Milano, Four Seasons or for a more budget option, Ostello Bello. 

Best for: Food and culture

Elegant Porta Romana is one of Milan’s trendiest neighbourhoods. It develops  south of the 16th-century Porta Romana Arch located along the city’s former Spanish walls, and boasts sophisticated buildings, a wealth of excellent restaurants, and some of the best coffee shops in town. The Rem Koolhaas-designed Fondazione Prada, which always hosts interesting exhibitions, is nearby too. In other words: Stay here and you might never want to leave. 

Its airy, tree-lined streets are great for strolling, and the many food stops you’ll find along the way perfect to really get a taste of Milan’s eclectic food culture. Try Sidewalk Kitchens, a food collective made up of four kitchens, a specialty café and a natural wine shop where you order at different street counters and mingle with hip creative types, or Cascina Cuccagna, a former farmhouse turned restaurant, bar and community space. Still hungry? Snag a table at Trippa, possibly Milan’s best neo-trattoria; get the freshest bread at iconic Panificio Davide Longoni or indulge in elevated Greek cuisine at Vasiliki Kouzina. Make sure to check out Fontana Milano 1915 for leather goods. 

Stay here: Business style UNA Hotel Mediterraneo Milano or Hotel Five. 

Best for: nightlife, architecture and very nice walks

If you’re curious about where hip Milanese go out on a Saturday night, Porta Venezia is your answer. Part of the centro storico, this chichi neighbourhood in the city’s north-east side is filled with grand neoclassical buildings, beautiful parks that make it a great spot for families – check out the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli, home to the Natural History Museum – and, as mentioned, really good wine bars and restaurants to splurge at during the weekend. 

For the former, head to Osteria alla Concorrenza and Ultramarino, whose selection of bottles will happily keep you busy for hours. Food-wise, try Rost and Bites for contemporary dining, and Kanpai for really good, creative Japanese and expertly made cocktails to boot. Check out Corso Buenos Aires, a main shopping street, and the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, an 18th-century palace hosting European art. Indie and vintage stores abound in Porta Venezia, too, from Anna Bess Lab for cashmere everything to Bivio and East Market for second-hand fashion. 

Stay: Historical four-star Sheraton Diana Majestic or ultra luxury Casa Cipriani.