Many people know Milan as the city of monuments and museums, the Italian football capital and an “opera house” of Europe. Tourists all around the world aspire to visit the capital of Lombardy to enjoy the amazing “Last Supper” of Leonardo da Vinci, to hear the world’s opera stars in the La Scala Theatre, to admire the steeples of the Duomo Cathedral and stroll along the ancient walls of the Sforzesco Castle.
However, it’s not a secret that nowadays this is also one of the major centers both of Italian and world fashion. Last years Milan proudly carries the title of the city-trendsetter and the phrase “shopping in Milan” has strongly fixed on the lips of many people. This city offers incredible shopping opportunities with discounts and sales. Here you can find both brand stores of the most famous fashion houses and cheap, stylish clothes of the numerous local workshops. Regardless of what you need to buy – clothes, shoes or any other accessories – in Milan you’ll always get a huge choice.
So, do you want to learn how to make your shopping in Milan easy, pleasant and cheap?
Well, check out the next tips and get ready to enjoy your trip.
What is the best time for shopping in Milan?
Actually, any time of the year is good for shopping in Milan. But if you want to enjoy the best rates and save lots of money, you should set off to Milan during the summer and winter sales.
- Summer sales start in Milan at the beginning of July and continue until the end of August.
- Winter sales: from the beginning of January – until the end of February.
During these periods all kinds of shops in Milan including boutiques, shopping malls and outlets offer huge discounts of 30-80%.
How much money to take?
Probably, this is the most prevalent question of all shopping fans. So,
if you’re going to visit Milan not during the seasonal sales, you should have at least:
- 5000-6000€ to purchase a luxury collection of the current season (Prada, Armani, Dior) of 5-6 sets (pants, shirt, sweater, shoes and accessories) for 1 person;
- 2000-3000€ to buy 5-6 sets of clothes of the average price segment (Max Mara, Liu Jo, Stefanel);
- 1000-2000€ for shopping in the designer’s outlets (5-6 sets for 2 persons);
Keep in mind that during the winter and summer sales you can additionally save up 30-50%.
What is the most comfortable transport for shopping in Milan?
It’s not a secret that you’ll have to move a lot between the numerous Milan’s shops and malls. By the way, almost all popular outlets are located far from the city and it’s very inconvenient to reach them by subway, train or bus
In view of this, a rental car will be the most comfortable transport for shopping. Using a rental car you can quickly move from one place to another and keep your purchases inside the luggage boot.
Moreover, it’s very easy and affordable. You can make an advance reservation of cheap economy rental car at Malpensa Airport and pick up your vehicle in any place of Milan which is convenient for you.
Where to go for shopping in Milan?
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
This amazing passage, which connects Piazza del Duomo and the La Scala square, is the main trade sight in Milan. Here you can find numerous boutiques of such world’s luxury fashion brands like Gucci, Prada, Massimo Dutti, Armani, Louis Vuitton and others.
Of course, the prices in these boutiques are not cheap and you’ll have to prepare a lot of “Euros” for shopping here.
Address: Piazza del Duomo
GPS: 45.464724, 9.188805
Working hours: daily 10am-10pm
Corso Buenos Aires
Located near the Central Station, Corso Buenos Aires provides excellent shopping opportunity for those who like stylish clothing and reasonable rates. Most common brands presented here: Zara, Benetton, H&M, Max Mara, Luisa Spagnoli and Fiurucci.
Address: Corso Buenos Aires
GPS: 45.477499, 9.208005
Working hours: daily 10am-8pm
Via Torino
Via Torino is a “must visit” for the fans of sportswear or “casual” clothing. Here you’ll find such famous brand names as Bershka, Pull&Bear, Diesel, Miss Sixty and Gas. In addition, along the Via Torino there’s also a plenty of shops offering unique (and cheap) clothing of young Italian designers.
Address: Via Torino
GPS: 45.462401, 9.186561
Working hours: daily 10am-8pm
“Lipstick Vintage”
This amazing shop located at the Corso Garibaldi street is a great destination for those who prefer “vintage” clothing. On the 1st floor there’s a magnificent collection of clothes and accessories from Chanel, Valentino, Dolce&Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, Armani and many other famous brands. But on the 2nd floor you can also explore the historical clothing of the late XIX century. “Lipstick Vintage” is a very unusual shop and you should certainly visit it during your shopping tour in Milan.
Address: Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 79
GPS: 45.475819, 9.183665
Working hours: daily 9am-8pm
Serravalle Designer Outlet
Serravalle Outlet is one of the hugest outlets in Europe and consists of more than 160 shops. Located 108 kilometers from Milan it covers the area of 32,000 square meters and offers numerous collections of clothing, footwear, accessories for men, women and kids both from luxury and democratic brands: A.Testoni, Nautica, Alberta, GF Ferre, Fratelli Rossetti, Nike, Pal Zileri, Furla, Baldassari, Baldinini, Pinko and others. If necessary, you can buy cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and underwear here.
In the «Serravalle» the prices are usually 20-40% lower than in Milan’s boutiques and stores. So, this is a great opportunity for a pleasant shopping at the best prices.
Address: Via della Moda, 1 15069 Serravalle Scrivia Alessandria
GPS: 44.734413, 8.836880
Working hours: daily 10am-8pm
Well, this is only a small part of Milan’s shopping destinations, but we’ve tried to select the most popular of them. Thank you for attention and we hope your shopping will be the best!
Author Bio: Lily Berns tries to provide readers with useful travel info, especially about travelling by car. She likes to find special places for pleasant vacation in Italy.