World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Milan  - Shopping
Shopping

Milan is a temple of high fashion, home of Armani and Versace, and naturally sure to delight the high priests and priestesses of style. The so-called Golden Triangle of fashion, formed by Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant'Andrea and Via della Spiga north of the Cathedral, is top of the list. Names such as Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni, Prada, Trussardi, Versace and Valentino read like a veritable ABC of Italian chic. Those lacking the supreme self-confidence to enter inside such hallowed ground as Gianni Versace's four floors of couture on Via Montenapoleone 2 should stick to window-shopping paradise on Via della Spiga where traffic is banned.

For the top names in furniture and design, streets to the north, close to the Golden Triangle in Corso Matteoti, Via Durini and Via Manzoni, are best, although pricey. Alternatively, the district around the Brera is a good bet - once the haunt of artists who have now been priced out by the exclusive boutiques and art galleries. The pedestrian Via Fiori Chiari is a particularly pleasant spot for browsing galleries, with a number of good cafés. The area is also popular with antique dealers especially on the third Saturday of each month (not August), when stalls set up in the road. Antique fairs are also popular at the weekends around the Grande Naviglio (web site: www.navigliogrande.it), along the banks of the canal.

Dropping down south of the Cathedral towards the University area and the Porta Ticinese, prices fall as high fashion makes way for casual and sporting fashions. Distinctly less sophisticated but still trendy, the area between the Porta Ticinese and the Universita Statale is popular with students. Via Torino, leading southwest from Piazza del Duomo is a good place to pick up fashion items for children and the young.

Outside the historic centre, fashion outlets can move into even bigger premises, with the result that Corso Buenos Aires (north), Corso Vercelli (west) and Corso XXII Marzo (east) are runners up for fashion shopping.

Clothes, hats, luggage, shoes, accessories and sports fashions are generally high quality and good value in Milan, although not cheap. Stockhouse, Via Montegani 7 (tel: (02) 89 51 39 51) is a good discount store; others can be found on the Corriere della Sera's web site (www.viviMilano.com), where the shopping pages detail outlets and bargains (spacci e occasioni).

For the ultimate shopping experience, English-speaking consultants can be booked from Travel Media Consulting, at L150,000 for two hours (tel: (02) 58 31 26 96), to guide and help carry purchases.

Winter sales start second week of January and summer sales second week of July. Most shops open 0930-1300 and 1530-1900, although the bigger stores stay open all day. Most shops close on Sunday and reopen on Monday afternoon, except food stores, which do reopen on Monday morning but close again for the afternoon. Sales tax varies between 12 and 14%, depending on the value of goods purchased.

For those who prefer the bustle of street markets, Viale Papiniano (Metro San Agostino) is open all day Saturday, while Via Zivetti (Metro Centrale FS) is open on Wednesday mornings. The Flea Market, Fiera di Senigallia, takes place along the Darsena basin on Saturdays between 0830 and 1700. The flower market sets up on Sunday mornings in Piazetta Reale (March-June and September-December).



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