Milan: six trend-setting neighbourhoods

Art, gardens, architecture. But also sports and good food. Discover six neighbourhoods of Milan with us worthy of exploration. From NoLo, the new Milanese Tribeca, to Zona Tortona, chosen by Giorgio Armani for his “Silos” of wonders.

-

COVER Mudec.
Photo OskarDaRiz for Stahlbau

NOLO, THE LITTLE TRIBECA — NoLo (North of Loreto) is the neighbourhood of the moment: a multi-ethnic mix of creative young people, flavours and colours. To reach it, just go past Piazzale Loreto and continue towards the north-east. People go there to breathe an atmosphere like that at the Tribeca, in the midst of ceviche restaurants, North African butchers and happy hours in Piazza Morbegno. There are numerous art galleries. Do not miss the historic Parco Trotter. Or an evening at the Beltrade, a cult place for those who love independent cinema in the original language. Also worthy of a stop is the piazzale del Governo Provvisorio, surrounded by low and colourful art nouveau-style buildings, via Stazio, where you can find the Le Pulci Spettinate flea market and the cycle path along the Naviglio Martesana.
*Photo Progetto Alcova, J. Grima and V. Ciuffi*

PORTA ROMANA, FOR ALL TASTES — Whether you head for via Orti or via Montenero or Via Crema, at Porta Romana you can't go wrong with food. Among the addresses to put on the agenda is the Cascina Cuccagna in via Muratori with its menu that offers much for vegans, a kitchen garden for children and 100 “zero-mile” suppliers. For more sophisticated gastronauts we recommend the starred Eugenio Boer in the Santa Sofia district. Behind the neighbourhood, the Tower deserves a visit, at the top of the new building housing the headquarters of the Fondazione Prada, designed by Rem Koolhaas. Why? A spectacular and unusual view of Milan, a 100% Italian menu, a wall collection of artist’s plates created by John Baldessari, Thomas Demand, Nathalie Djurberg...
*Photo Ristorante La Torre*
*Delfino Sisto Legnani – Marco Cappelletti / Fondazione Prada*

PORTA NUOVA, A BOTANICAL LIBRARY — The star of the district is the Vertical Forest, winner of the Highrise Award for being “The most beautiful and innovative skyscraper in the world”. A few steps from the venues of Corso Como, Porta Nuova now also has a fine green lung to boast of: the Tree Library. The project is by the architect Petra Blaisse with the collaboration of Piet Oudolf, the architect of the New York High Line. There are 90,000 plants, of which 45,000 bulbs and 450 trees, all in the shadow of the new skyscrapers. Keeping care of the Park is the Fondazione Catella. In the same building at 28 Via Gaetano de Castillia, there is also Cesare Battisti’s famous Ratanà, where the ribs come manueber. That is, ‘on the bone’.
*Photo Bosco Verticale*
*Studio Boeri*

CITYLIFE, THE MODERN SKYLINE OF MILAN — Thanks to recent redevelopment, the largest in Europe, CityLife in the former Zona Fiera, has gained an international audience of architecture enthusiasts, who visit the skyscrapers of Zaha Adid, Arata Isozaki and Daniel Libeskind. But CityLife offers much more. Starting from the beautiful park housing 3,000 square metres of urban vegetable gardens. For those who have time there is the opportunity to participate in numerous initiatives, including workshops to study cultivation, flowers and care of the garden. For sports lovers there are the blue fields of the City Padel Milan. While shopping enthusiasts can head directly to the CityLife Shopping District. To a few, if this has passed them by, we recall that the Ferragnez also call this place home.

PORTA VENEZIA, WHERE SPORTS ARE IN THE OPEN AIR — Inaugurated in 1784 by the Habsburg administration, the gardens of Via Palestro, now Parco Montanelli, are the first city park set aside for leisure time. Since 1996 they have hosted Orticola, the Milanese ‘Chelsea Flower Show’. Some time ago, they were also equipped with a free fitness area that allows you to do some open air training in an area with trees planted over a century ago. Opposite the park there are two essential addresses for art lovers: the PAC and GAM Milano, both based in the eighteenth-century Villa Belgiojoso, designed by Leopoldo Pollack.
*Photo Andrea Cherchi*

TORTONA, ARTE, DESIGN E HAPPY HOUR — This was the heart of the first Fuori Salone of Milan Design Week. Now it continues to be a vibrant district thanks to the presence of new spaces dedicated to art and more. At 56 Via Tortona, the MUDEC - Museum of Cultures is worth a visit, with its rich calendar of exhibitions and the bistros run by the starred Cesare Battisti. Do not miss the Armani Silos designed by Tadao Ando, in via Bergognone. For younger visitors, we wish to mention the BASE Milano in the post-industrial spaces of the former Ansaldo: 12,000 square metres of laboratories, exhibitions, shows, conferences. And in the evening? Non-stop movida!
*Photo Armani Silos*

April 2025 Events in Lombardy

April brings the spring to Lombardy, with trips out of town, seasonal flavours, art initiatives, and sporting events

Lifestyle

Historic cafes and pastry shops in Milan

Lifestyle

By car in Lombardy

Tips and itineraries for getting to know the region by driving through it

Lifestyle

Great ideas for the new year

The new year is a time to be thinking about your well-being, about culture, new flavours and new scenery

Lifestyle

Zona tortona

The "Cinderella" of the city, turned from industrial area into queen of art, fashion, design and nightlife

Lifestyle

Bergamo: włoskie arcydzieło

To miasto, które ma podwójną wartość a jego terytorium jest bogate w przyrodę, sztukę i kulturę

Lifestyle

10 Good Reasons to Visit Cremona

Lifestyle

Historic and Quality Accommodations

2024 Lombardy Style Award

Lifestyle

September 2025 Events in Lombardy

September in Lombardy is all about food and wine, feasts and folklore: summer meets autumn in this most convivial month

Lifestyle

Milan, a city in color

Let's find out together how colorful Milan is

Lifestyle

AWARD: Lombardy Style. Beauty without borders

Lifestyle

Corso como

Where new trends take shape and Milan nightlife enlivens

Lifestyle

10 Good Reasons to Visit Mantua

Lifestyle

Around the world in Lombardy

Explore Lombardy’s regions like never before, discovering scenery with a remarkably exotic, international feel.

Lifestyle

Mantua and Sabbioneta itinerary

Relax and take some time to stroll through the streets and buildings of the World Heritage cities

Lifestyle

Theatre and music: online events

Spettacoli da seguire dal divano di casa

Lifestyle

Paolo sarpi a little bit of china in milan

Oriental atmospheres, Asian deliciousness in this suggestive corner of China in Milan

Lifestyle

Brera district

The artistic heart and the bohemian soul of the city

Lifestyle

10 Good reasons to visit Varese

Lifestyle

Masterpieces of cinema shot in Lombardy

The most beautiful natural landscapes and the urban cityscapes of Lombardy in the films of both Italian and foreign directors

Lifestyle