Travel Itinerary: A Stylish Family Day at Serravalle Designer Outlet

How to Shop Serravalle Outlet with Kids and Teens, Without Spending the Entire Day Negotiating

Every parent knows the quiet negotiation behind a family shopping day: one more store for a snack, five more minutes of patience for gelato later, good behavior in exchange for a pizza dinner. At Serravalle Designer Outlet, the trick is not forcing everyone to follow like ducks in a row, but planning small wins for each person — parents, teens and younger children included. Here's how to doing outlet shopping in Milan with the whole family.

A family shopping trip can go one of two ways; a) everyone comes home with something they love, lunch was good, nobody was rushed and even the children had fun. Or b) three hours in, somebody is hungry, somebody else is bored and Dad is standing outside a changing room holding six bags and rolling his eyes.

At Serravalle Designer Outlet, the secret is not trying to keep the entire family together all day.

Shopping at Serravalle

Located just sixty minutes from Milan and with more than 230 boutiques, restaurants, cafés and dedicated family areas, Serravalle is large enough for everyone to have a different agenda.

Our strategy is simple: shop together in the morning, have a family lunch, then divide and conquer. Here's how we'd plan it:

Pre-planning

The night before or over an early morning breakfast, meet up with your group to look over the outlet center map. Print or save the Serravalle map, or download the Serravalle Designer Outlet app with the layout and store descriptions. Each family member can call dibs on which stores they “have to” see. It’s also a good time to set ground rules on spending budgets, free time for teens and perhaps choosing the restaurant to meet at for lunch.

Morning

10:00 — Arrive early and explore together

The shops open at 10am, and with children in tow, this is one occasion when arriving early really does pay off.

Before beginning, give everyone a mission and set the golden rule: everyone gets a stop.

 Mom might have Prada or Celine on her list. Dad may be looking for Italian shoes at Sergio Rossi. The teenager needs to go to Vans for sneakers, and the younger child can’t wait to go to the Haribo candy store. Adapt to each family member’s needs.

Start around Serravalle's central shopping area and make the first part of the morning a family circuit rather than splitting up immediately. The idea is not to visit every boutique, but to give everybody a little ownership of the itinerary.

Serravalle's current designer mix includes Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Moncler, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saint Laurent, Zegna, Tod's and many more, alongside casual and sportswear brands.

10:15 — Something for Mom

Start with one of the designer boutiques.

Hit some of the more popular brands early, before the center becomes busier. Prada, Celine, Valentino and Balenciaga are all in the main plaza and easy to popin and out of for a quick browse.  If you love Gucci, or Saint Laurent go there first as on some days, there are long waits just to get into the boutique.

But keep it focused: this is a browse through one or two boutiques, not the beginning of a three-hour luxury-shopping expedition.

10:45 — Something for Dad

Then switch priorities.

Perhaps Zegna or BOSS for tailoring and outerwear, Tod's for shoes, or something more relaxed at Polo Ralph Lauren.

It is a small change, but moving between people's shopping lists makes the morning feel like a family outing rather than everybody accompanying one designated shopper.

11:15 — Now the kids get their turn

This is where the old-fashioned idea that designer outlet shopping is primarily for adults will surprise you.

Kids Around carries children's fashion, footwear and accessories for ages 0–16, including designer labels such as BOSS, Chloé, Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenzo Kids, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. You can also find specialist shops for children including Il Gufo, Monnalisa, Chicco and Brave Kid.

For a younger child, outlet shopping can be viewed as practical and strategic. Think about the year ahead: will she need a party dress at some point? How about a nice shirt for the holidays, or new boots for this winter? Because kids grow so quickly, buying one size up can also make sense for next spring.

Look for the things where outlet shopping makes sense: a good winter coat, shoes, knitwear, occasion clothes or something beautifully made that you might hesitate to buy at full designer price.

And give the child a choice too. Even choosing between two sweatshirts can buy a surprising amount of enthusiasm and patience for the rest of the day.

12:00 — Teen time

Don't make teenagers wait until the very end of the day.

Do reconnaissance sweep before lunch.

Serravalle has a particularly strong selection for teens: Nike, New Balance, Vans, Converse, adidas and Puma for sneakers; The North Face, K-Way, Napapijri, Timberland and Stone Island for outerwear; and Levi's, Diesel, Off-White, Calvin Klein, Tommy Jeans and Polo Ralph Lauren for everyday pieces. The current store directory confirms a broad mix of sportswear, denim, streetwear and designer labels.

They do not necessarily have to shop yet. Let them spot the stores they want to return to in the afternoon. Now they have their own itinerary.

Afternoon

12:45 — Lunch together

It’s time to stop, regroup and refresh. Don’t wait until 2 pm when everybody is already exhausted. It’s a good time to put the bags down, order lunch, compare purchases and next steps.

Serravalle has everything from quick cafes to sit-down restaurants, with current options including Obicà, Wagamama, God Save The Food, Bomaki, Farinella, La Piadineria, and Eatly. For typical, regional cuisine without leaving the outlet, go to Le Dolci Terre restaurant.

After dessert, set the afternoon plan.

By lunchtime, everyone should have seen at least one store that matters to them. The afternoon is when the itinerary becomes more flexible: teens can follow their shortlist, younger children can play and parents can return to the boutiques that deserve a second look.

14:00 — Divide and conquer

This is when Serravalle becomes particularly useful for families. Rather than insisting that four people with completely different interests continue moving around together, split up in the afternoon.

For older teens, a little independent shopping is part of the pleasure. Agree on boundaries, a meeting point and a time to return, according to their age and how comfortable you are with them exploring independently. This will also make Serravalle feel rather more like a fashion destination and less like a parental shopping expedition.

Their shortlist might look something like:

Nike → New Balance → Vans/Converse → Levi's or Diesel → The North Face/Stone Island

They can compare sneakers, look for a jacket, try on jeans and investigate accessories without Mom and Dad hovering over every decision. Most of these shops are located close to one another and not far from the Baby Park and Play land.

The little one's itinerary: it’s all about fun

Meanwhile, the youngest members of the family get something better, Play Land. Serravalle's family area includes a dedicated an outdoor play area, which includes a playground, baby park and water park.

Play Land is a free family play area.

Flora's Baby Park is a supervised mini club where qualified staff coordinate children's activities, allowing parents to leave a child with staff and explore. Flora's is open on weekends from September 13^th from 11am–7pm, accepts children aged 2–8 and costs €5 per child per hour. Book in advance here.

For older children who want more action, Lele's Aqua Park is designed for ages 3–17, although an adult must accompany them. Admission is free for the first 30 minutes. After that, the admission fee is €5.00 per hour, per person, for each child and each adult. Lele’s is open in spring and summer (closes Sept 13^th).  Bring your own swimsuit or purchase one on site. Book in advance here.

14:15 — And Mom and Dad? Coffee.

This may be the best half-hour of the entire itinerary. Teen dispatched, small child happily occupied at Flora's, nobody pulling on your sweater saying, “But I just want to see …”

Rather than immediately racing back into another boutique, Mom and Dad can simply sit back, relax and have a coffee together.

Serravalle currently has Ralph's Coffee, Starbucks and Cioccolati Italiani, among its café choices.

Family-friendly shopping should include something special for the parents too.

15:00 — Parents' Power Hour

After a caffeine jolt, it’s time to head for the finish line and shop efficiently.

Return to the boutiques that you browsed during the morning. Perhaps Mom saw a bag she wants to reconsider. Dad wants to try on the jacket again. Or both would rather look at accessories, sunglasses or shoes.

Insider Tip: Take advantage of the Hands-Free Shopping serviceavailable at Serravalle, allowing purchases to be collected rather than carried around the center all day. With a family, this is a valuable logistical strategy. Have all purchases sent to the visitor center under your name,  you can collect them at the end of the day and easily bring them back to the car or shuttle bus.  

Late Afternoon/Evening

16:00 — Meet up and final approvals

Collect the younger children from Flora's and meet again at the agreed point. Inevitably there will be something that requires parental approval, a second opinion or, more likely, a credit card.

16:15 — The final edit

Do not attempt another complete circuit of Serravalle.

This last run through is to check your wishlist, make a decision about that handbag, help your teenager choose the blue or red sneakers, or buy the children's coat you put aside earlier.

This is also a good time for smaller purchases that don't require much concentration: sunglasses, accessories, beauty, chocolates or a gift.

17:00 — Gelato, chocolate or one last coffee

A successful family shopping day deserves a finish line.

Something sweet from Lindt, a coffee, or a snack works far better than squeezing in “just one more shop.”

By the end of the day, the goal is not to have seen every boutique at Serravalle. The goal is that everyone has had a turn: parents have revisited the shops they cared about, the teenager has had some independence, the younger child has played, and the family has stayed together without spending the whole day negotiating and bickering.

That is what makes Serravalle work as a family day trip from Milan: with a simple plan, you can shop well, give each person something to enjoy, and finish with a gelato, a coffee or a final purchase instead of a family argument. It is still a designer outlet, but with the right itinerary, it can also be a surprisingly relaxed day out for kids, teens and parents.

Getting to Serravalle Designer Outlet from Milan

Serravalle Designer Outlet is an easy day trip from Milan. By car, take the A7 towards Genoa. Allow around 60–90 minutes depending on traffic. Daily shuttle buses also leave from Milano Centrale and Largo Cairoli, while train-and-bus connections are available via Trenitalia combined Train + Bus ticket.

Click here for current transport options and directions to Serravalle Designer Outlet.

Serravalle Designer Outlet
Via della Moda 1
Serravalle Scrivia 15069
Tel.  +39 0143 609000

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