I’m moving to Milan, where should I live?

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Lots of people write into Milanostyle.com asking questions BEFORE they even get here. Questions like:
“I’m moving to Milan, where should I live?  Is Milan a good place to live? How do I find an apartment in Milan?”

Finding an apartment to rent or finding a job are the top concerns for anyone wanting to move to Milan.

If you are wondering where to live in Milan, then you are in the right place. I have selected some of the best neighborhoods for living in Milan.

Bosco Vericale is found in the newly developed area known as Isola / Canva Pro

I’m moving to Milan, where should I live?

Well, my suggestions and the best areas to live in Milan (and my personal favorite areas of town) for a young professional moving to Milan would be:

City center / Duomo:  living in the city center has its pros and cons. For example, public transportation is extremely accessible, if you work in the center you can go on foot, and restaurants, museums and all the sights are close by. However, it does get busy with tourists, outdoor events and concerts in the summer will disturb your sleep, and you will need a generous budget for rent.

Brera/Solferino: prices are outrageous but if it is short term, it will be very memorable to have lived in the center of town. There are also some of the old canals and winding cobblestone roads.

Porta Romana: near enough to the center and far enough removed to not be so chaotic. Anywhere between metro stops Crocetta and Pt. Ramana is a great location.

Magenta/Vincenzo Monti: is very central, and very charming and close to the Parco Sempione, – great if you have a dog or like playing Frisbee/jogging on the weekends.

Some of the best places to live in Milan are located outside the city center.

Corso Sempione: No metro stops bu very accessible by tram line 1 that goes right into the center. The area is very residential and quiet on the weekends. There is also alot of greenery around. Rental prices will be higher closest to Arco della Pace (Parco Sempione).

Città Studi: a bit off the center, but it is an affordable area- near the university. The buildings are typical block apartments usually but there is allot of green and park areas. You will need a scooter, transportation is a bummer from that area.

Milan neighborhood- Naviglio , the canal district / Canva Pro

Milan neighborhood- Naviglio , the canal district

Naviglio: the old canals and cobble stone streets are very charming. There is a lively cafè and pub culture, especially in the summer. The buildings are usually called ‘ringhiera’ characterized by long balconies connecting each apartment. The weekend markets could prove to be a burden or a blessing- depending on what you think of Sunday markets.

Usef

City Life neighborhood – Via Luciano Berio, Milan / Canva Pro

To get a feel for Milan, tourist guides can give you an idea of what neighborhoods are popular. You may want to keep in mind busy that busy tourist areas like Brera or Piazza Duomo will be flooded with people on warm summer days when the tourists are out. Traffic might be tense in areas where there is a stadium or expo center.
Living near a metro stop is ideal. To get an idea for living in Italy, narratives like Living in Italy by Stef Smulder are fun and practical at the same time.

City Life: designed to be a modern and sustainable urban project, City Life was built on the old city fair grounds and is now a residential, commercial and business district located a short distance from the old city center and covers an area of 36.6 hectares (90 acres). Skyscrapers and modern buildings were designed by esteemed architects such as Zaha Hadid, Arata Isozaki and Daniel Libeskind. As it was a central meeting point for the Fairgrounds, it is well serviced by public transportation.

Porta Nuova/Isola: This too is a newly rebuilt area. Porta Nuova literally meaning “New Gate” is one of the main business districts of Milan.  Named after the well-preserved Neoclassic gate built in 1810 on this site, it is now one of Italy’s most high-tech and international districts, containing the country’s tallest skyscraper: the Unicredit Tower.  The area known as Isola is just north of the Garibaldi train station. This is where the famous building “Bosco Verticale”, The Vertical Forest is located. 900 trees and over 2,000 plants decorate its facades. It’s a new, young area and has good public transportation especially for intercity train travel from the Garibaldi train station.

All of these areas are quite easy to get to Linate airport for national traveling and easy to get to Cadorna station for the Malpensa express.

If you want to live in Suburbia, there are areas like:

Arese, Milano 2, Milano 3, and San Felice, that all offer apartment complexes. Some are closed communities. You will need a car.

Live in another city and commute to Milan:

Monza  – 10 minutes train commute

Varese – 54 minute train commute

Live on Lake Como and commute to Milan:

Lecco, Lake Como /photo ITM Images

Lecco – 40 minute train commute

Como -36 minute train commute

You may also be interested in:

Renting an Apartment in Milan: What to Know

Find out what Milan commuters say about their experiences

   
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