Shopping Around the Piazza del Duomo di Milano

Recently ranked by The New York Times as no.1 of the the 52 Places to Go in 2015,  Milan is full of historical sites, museums, good food and above all its famous for its arts and fashion.  As it prepares to host the big event of the year,  the EXPOMILANO 2015  which  starts in May until October,  the city is expecting millions of visitors from all over the world. Milan is getting ready to show its elegance and grandeur and as one of the most dynamic city of Italy.

The Piazza del Duomo is the heart of Milan. This is where you find the magnificent Gothic cathedral called “Il Duomo di Milano”. A rectangular plaza where everyone meets, Milanese for their coffees or cocktails and tourists exploring this elegant center of the world.  Around the plaza are restaurants and bars,  museums  and shopping districts. Milan is famous as one of the fashion capital of the world. And the best shops are just around the Piazza del Duomo. The very luxurious  Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga is just a 15 minute walk from the  plaza. The La Rinascente is just beside the cathedral. No need to get a taxi,  buses or trams.  You just need a pair of good walking shoes to go around shopping. Going to buy your first Gucci or Louis Vuitton bag  or souvenirs to bring back home?  Let me guide you …

This is the map of the Center of Milan.

I divided the main shopping streets into 2 zone, the Red and Yellow zone. The Red zone is what we call the “luxury area”. You will find both Italian and international designer’s boutiques and showrooms in Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Manzoni. This prestigious “Quadrilatero della Moda” is a favourite shopping place for the Japanese, Russian and Arab tourists.

The  Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is the most elegant mall i’ve ever seen. This is probabaly the next stop after you visit the cathedral. Its on the left side facing the Duomo. Built in the 1850s, the magnificent arc of the Galleria welcomes you to a splendid passageway  to the Scala Theater of Milan. You can start your shopping itinerary here, inside are historical caffes, bookshops, and boutiques of famous brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Versace.

The Yellow lined streets are the “middle price” zone.  Famous trendy shops like Benetton, H&M, Zara, ALCOTT, Mango, Bershka, Celio, Stradivarius are all lined up in these streets.  The La Rinascente is just beside the Duomo. It’s a 7 storey department store and has a wide collections of cosmetics, designer’s clothes and shoes, home furnishings and souvenirs. On the last floor, there’s a scenic bar and restaurant facing the marble spires of the cathedral, a sushi bar and a gastronomy market. If you’re shopping on a budget, Corso Vittorio  Emanuele II and Via Torino is the best place for you. You will also find here many affordable  “Made in Italy” stores where you can buy genuine leather shoes and bags. For tourists who have limited time to shop or limited budget, i hope this blog will help you save time, energy and money. Here are some pics of the shops i took recently. The windows are already dressed in Spring/Summer 2015 Fashion. Welcome to Milan and enjoy your shopping!