Discover your neighbourhood: Centro Storico Milan

Considering living in the city centre of Milan? Here's more about Centro Storico’s infrastructure, things to do and accommodation options.

Angelina

5 minute read

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Updated on 6 Aug 2024

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Living

The Centro Storico (translates as ‘Old Town’) is the historic centre of Milan. This area was once surrounded by mediaeval city walls and today it’s the most visited location of the city. Tourists flock here for the abundance of entertainment options and to immerse themselves in the history and culture of Milan.

The centre of Milan is a heaven for those who love shopping, art and sightseeing. But is it the right place for you to live? To help you make the right choice, we’ll walk you through:

• infrastructure,
• things to do,
• and finding accommodation in Centro Storico

So you’ll know all this neighbourhood has to offer and what you should consider when you search apartment rentals in Milan.

The Centro Storico is very compact in size, so you’ll find everything you need within a walking distance.

Need to do groceries? The neighbourhood offers supermarkets like Pam and Carrefour basically on every corner. You’ll also find a couple of green grocers, butcher shops and fishmongers on the fringes of the historical centre.

Planning to work in one of the other neighbourhoods of Milan? No problem at all! You’re in for an easy commute.

As in pretty much every corner of Milan, you can access a variety of public transportation options in the historical centre. Tram and bus stops are plentiful, and you’re within arm's reach to M1 and M3 metro lines.

The one thing to note however is that the centre isn’t as easily accessible by car. The streets here are narrow and it can be difficult to find a parking spot. Moreover, the whole area is a restricted zone (ZTL). That means that you have to buy an entrance ticket to access the zone during specified times.

ZLT is active on:

• Monday - Wednesday; Friday (7:30 am - 7:30 pm)
• Thursday (7:30 am - 6:00 pm)

The good news is that as a resident you’d have 40 free entrances a year. Once you’ve used those, you’d pay only €2 for a ticket instead of the regular price (€ 5).

Keep in mind that you also need to activate your ticket no later than at midnight of the day you entered the ZTL. The easiest way to do so is online

You can buy and/or activate the ticket at tobacconists, newsstands, some parking metres and garages as well as ATMs of Banca Intesa San Paolo (automatically activated upon purchasing).

You can also avoid the hassle and choose to park right outside the limited traffic zone.

Take a dive in Milan’s culture

As you already know, Centro Storico in Milan is where you find most of the main attractions of the city. Let’s start with the obvious; Piazza del Duomo. No doubt, it’s the top destination as it houses the magnificent Duomo Cathedral - the most important landmark of Milan.

One fun fact about Milanis that, the Duomo Cathedral is the world’s fifth-largest church which took no less than 500 years to build.

To the right of the Duomo's facade, you’ll see the Royal Palace which once seated the government in the Italian city of Milan. Today, it’s home to international art exhibitions, displaying the works of the likes of Picasso and Monet.

To the other side of Duomo lies the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It’s often nicknamed il salotto di Milano (Milan's living room), due to its significance as a common meeting and dining place of Milan.

There you’ll find a wealth of luxury retailers selling haute couture, books, jewellery, and art. Shops of the leading brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci saturate the arcade along with the oldest bars and restaurants in Milan. And in the fifth and sixth floors, you’ll find Osservatorio Fondazione Prada, a contemporary exhibition space developed in collaboration with Fondazione Prada.

Another shopping heaven is just 7 minutes away. It’s the shopping district Quadrilatero della Moda where you can browse high-end boutiques like Balenciaga and Off-White. And in-between the expensive stores is the most prestigious Italian fashion school - Marangoni Fashion Institute.

To the south of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II sits one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world; Teatro alla Scala.

And just a short walk away is Milan’s historic library, The Biblioteca Ambrosiana with its own art gallery housing works of Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci.

If you’re there, make sure to also check out the masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, the church of Sant'Ambrogio which is only 4 minutes away.

Discover food in Centro Storico

Even though Milan’s city centre is teeming with tourist traps and expensive low-value places, you’ll surely find one or two hidden gems.

One of the first must do’s in Milan is tasting a panzerotto in the legendary family-owned eatery Luini. It’s basically a fried savoury dough pouch, filled with mozzarella and tomato. It’s touristy but not a trap - we promise!

Whether it’s breakfast or lunchtime, Princi Bakery’s got you covered. They offer some of the most delicious baked goods in town ranging from croissants and chocolate buns to amazing focaccias.

Another place you shouldn’t miss is Tiello. They serve original Neapolitan cuzzetielli - a bread crust stuffed with juicy deliciousness. Come grab one during lunch!

From yummy burgers to classic Italian cuisine & seafood specials, Nerino Dieci Trattoria surely won’t disappoint you. Perfect for dinner alone or with a date!

Explore the nightlife in Centro Storico

For aperitif and an after-dinner cocktail, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from in the Milan city centre.

One of Milanese classics is Camparino located in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele I. Since the far 1915, this bar has been serving iconic aperitivo, attracting curious visitors and Milanese regulars alike. Both food and drinks are worth dying for!

Or you can sip Aperol Spritz while enjoying a magnificent view of Milan in Riccione Terrazza12.

You’ll also find many bars and restaurants scattered around Duomo. So, just walk around and explore!

Finally, after you’ve had enough cocktails, you can confidently take the subway to one of Milan’ best nightclubs!

Enjoy your night out!

Centro Storico is a tricky location to look for accommodation. But when you find your ideal home, it’ll all be worth it!

Without a doubt, your most important considerations should be your wallet and your night rest.

On that note, keep in mind that just like any city centre, Milan’s Centro Storico is buzzing with tourists, many of which will stay in the bars until late at night. So, it's best to avoid the noisy squares when looking for a house here.

If you have a generous budget in mind you’ll have your pick of one of the luxurious homes on top floors, away from disturbances.

That way you’d be able to truly savour everything Centro Storico has to offer. And surely, living at the foot of Milan’s historic landmarks will blow you away!

If you’re a student and your living budget is somewhat tight, you can still find affordable rooms for rent in Milan in one of the renovated houses in the Milan centre. And if you’re lucky you can find a cosy quiet street, just around the corner from all the action!

But let’s take a better look at what you can expat from the rental prices in the Centro Storico of Milan:

And don’t get too scared by the high average prices. Even though this area boasts a lot of expensive homes, you’ll likely be able to find something below the average!

To sum it up, living in Centro Storico in Milan has its pros and cons, compared to other neighbourhoods of Milan.

You’ll surely benefit from having plenty of public transportation and entertainment options at your disposal. Restaurants, museums, shopping - everything is a mere step away from you. Grand landmarks like Duomo and Teatro alla Scala will become your casual backdrop!

On the other hand, it’s hard to find peace and quiet in the streets filled with tourists. So, to be able to isolate yourself from the noise, you should be ready to spend a generous sum. But it does mean that you’ll be living in an upmarket house with all the perks of the central location!

So it’s up to you now. Do you think you’ll find your new dream house in Milan’s Centro Storico?