Where to Stay in Milan in 2024 | Best Areas & Hotels

The answer to the question of where to stay in Milan depends on what you plan to do in the city. This guide is here to help you make your decision, by selecting the five most distinctive and most popular areas in Milan.

But let’s make one thing clear at the beginning: treat this guide just as an introduction. We can’t cover it all, but we’ll do our best to highlight our favorite areas of the city and why we think that each is worth staying in.

The Best Places to Stay in Milan

Milan is huge, with a lot of interesting and diverse things to see. Every neighborhood offers something special and unique that’ll probably stimulate you to choose one before the other.

Out of the many areas to stay in Milan, the following parts of the city are among the most popular:

1. Centro Storico: The absolute center of the city where you’ll find the Duomo, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, a lot of museums, and a great shopping gallery.
2. Brera: Part of the city center, Brera is a system of interrelated beautiful small streets, perfect for relaxing and strolling to the area’s most important attraction — The Palazzo di Brera.
3. Stazione Centrale: Another central area where you’ll find the biggest railway station in Europe and a lot of mid-range accommodations.
4. Navigli: A perfect choice for young people and the center of Milan’s nightlife with a lot of clubs and coffee houses.
5. Sempione: The cheapest area on our list with the biggest park, the unforgettable Sforza castle, and the Chinatown nearby.

The Best Areas and Hotels in Milan

Milan is probably the richest town in Italy — located in the richest part of the country — and probably one of the most elite places in Europe. There are a lot of luxurious and quite expensive accommodations in almost every area of the city.

Most of them, as is usually the case, are located in the central area: in the Centro Storico and Brera. Stazione Centrale and Navigli are somewhere in between, offering a small number of five- and four-star hotels, but also a lot of three-star accommodations with average prices.

Sempione is an obvious choice if you are planning a family-friendly or a budget trip. It’s full of one- and two-star accommodations, perfect for visitors who want to save a couple of bucks. Most importantly, it’s still quite close to the center.

1. Most Artistic Area: Centro Storico

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Staying at Centro Storico is an obvious choice if this is your first stay in Milan. Being the absolute center of the city, here you’ll find everything that you’ve expected from the richest and most interesting city in Northern Italy.

The most imposing historical monuments are here but also the best shops and everything related to the famous Milano fashion.

The first thing you should visit is obviously the Duomo. The huge, marble-white, 600–year-old cathedral is the most recognizable symbol of the city and the center spot from which you can orient yourself in Milan.

The whole city will be in front of your feet when you climb on top of the cathedral, and the square in front of it is an important meeting place for the Milanese.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — next to the Duomo — is the oldest shopping gallery in Italy, going strong since the final decades of the 19th century. A monument and a marvel of architecture by itself, it’s also full of luxurious shops, such as Louis Viton, Prada, or Gucci.

It’s also a great place to have a coffee or grab a bite. Speaking of, make sure you visit the old Café Restorante Biffi. If you’re a fan of history, art, and culture, you’ve reached the destination of your dreams.

Centro Storico is crowded with museums, which sprout on every side like wild mushrooms. The Duomo itself has a great museum, but there are also the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Museo del Novecento, and Palazzo Reale — all of them are worth your time.

But, don’t forget Milan’s La Scala, the most famous opera house in the world, with its great museum of music and opera. Centro Storico is probably the most elite part of Milan, which means that there are a lot of pricey luxurious hotels.

There are five or six budget options, and you have to be quick to get a hold of them in time. On the other hand, like almost every popular destination in Italy, the center of Milano is a famous culinary center. If you’re a foodie yourself, you’ll have a great time in the center of Milan.

Centro Storico Budget Hotels

• Hotel La Vignetta is probably the only one-star hotel in the Centro Storico. It’s a decent, clean place, with a nice location that comes at a cheap price. There’s also free Wi-Fi and satellite TV in every room, as well as daily housekeeping at zero cost.
• London Hotel is a rare two-star hotel in the center of Milan that offers both great location (eight-minute walk from the Duomo) and decent accommodation. It offers free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual services. Also, there’s a tasty breakfast every morning to prepare you for a day of strolling around the city.

Centro Storico Mid-Range Hotels

• BC MAISON Bed & Cafe Milano is a three-star hotel that offers a lot of things at a decent price. There’s free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning, some of the rooms have balconies, and the hotel has a patio. It’s particularly suitable for couples.
• Hotel La Madonnina is a three-star hotel located just a few steps from the Duomo. It offers hotel parking at a certain rate, a bar on the premises, and a tasty continental breakfast every morning. There are also facilities for disabled guests.

Centro Storico Luxury Hotels

• NH Collection Milano President is a beautiful and luxurious five-star hotel, located just half a kilometer from the Duomo. The hotel offers rooms furnished in modern design, a restaurant and a bar on the premises, and facilities for disabled people.
• Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa – LHW is another extremely luxurious five-star hotel located at the center of Milan. The restaurant in the hotel serves Italian specialties, and there’s also a spa, and a bar on the premises.

See the Best Hotels in Milan

2. Best Area for an Urban Experience: Brera

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Strictly speaking, Brera is actually the northern part of Centro Storico, but it has a distinctive identity of its own, and it has so much to offer that we set it apart. A former artist’s quarter, Brera is a system of closely interconnected narrow streets that were made for strollers with artistic temperament.

Since there’s almost no traffic — like in the center of Venice — it’s probably the best place for enthusiastic pedestrians who prefer to get acquainted with the city they’re visiting by foot.

Much like the Centro Storico, it’s an up and coming part of Milan, but it’s more intimate and quiet — mostly because of the absence of cars. It’s full of art galleries, museums, boutiques, intimate cafes, and restaurants.

The main attraction in this area is The Palazzo di Brera. Here you’ll find some of the most important cultural institutions in Milano, all of which are worth visiting:

• The Accademia di Brera, which is the art academy of Milan. Here you’ll find out about contemporary happenings in the artworld.
• The Pinacoteca di Brera, i.e. its gallery. Here you’ll see paintings by Caravadgion, Rubbens and the like.
• Orto Botanico di Brera, or the botanical garden. It’s a can’t miss place for the lovers of nature.
• Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, namely the observatory. It’s been going strong since the middle of the 18th century.
• Biblioteca di Brera, which is a famous library. A famous national library, it looks like a museum and it’s definitely worth visiting.

There’s one thing you have to know about Brera before you make your decision if you want to stay in this area: it’s quite pricey. There are literally no budget hotels in this area.

That means you should avoid this area if you are planning a budget trip. The situation with the restaurants is basically the same: a lot of expensive, upscale restaurants, and even some Michelin-starred restaurants too.

Brera Mid-Range Hotels

• Hotel Ritter is a great three-star hotel, located just 100 meters from a metro station. It offers free parking, 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, and free air-conditioning in every room. There’s also a tasty breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
• Hotel Palazzo Delle Stelline is another beautiful three-star hotel, very near to the Brera area. It’s located quite near to the famous Santa Maria delle Grazie Church, and offers a nice view from the window, a garden in front of the hotel, and a bar on the premises.

Brera Luxury Hotels

• Bulgari Hotel Milano is definitely one of the most luxurious — and expensive — accommodations in Milan. The five-star hotel offers an indoor pool, a spa center, a bar, and a restaurant.
• Hotel Milano Scala is a beautiful four-star hotel, named after the most famous opera building in the world, which is quite close by. There’s a restaurant, a bar, a gym on the premises, facilities for disabled guests, and a great breakfast every morning.

See the Best Hotels in Milan

3. Best Area for Everything: Stazione Centrale

Milan, Italy – January 21 2019: Milan Central Station interior view. Modern high-speed trains at the railway Milan Central Station. Concept of travel and transport across Milan and Europe/Fusionstudio/Shutterstock

To the north-east from the center of the city lie the areas called Porta Nuova and Stazione Centrale. If you choose to stay here, you’ll still be staying in the center, but it won’t be that crowded.

Also, in comparison to Brera, there’s a wide range of hotels and accommodation of all types and prices. Right at the center of this area lies Stazione Centrale, the central Milano railway station.

Doing its job since 1931 (it was opened during the reign of the Fascists), it’s the largest railway station by size in Europe. There are a lot of hotels and restaurants near it — some of the best in the area, actually — so it’s probably best to orient yourself in relation to the station.

The Stazione Centrale area is great for those travelers who want to spend just a couple of days in Milan but want to visit other places as well. Milano has a perfect transit position in the north of Italy, and from here you can easily travel to Turin, Venice, or Lake Como — even to Switzerland or France if you want to.

Just to the south of Stazione Centrale — in the small neighborhood called Porta Nuova — lies the Indro Montanelli Garden. It’s probably the oldest and the historically most important park in Milan.

Aside from the outdoor activities that you can usually do in parks, this one offers something special — first, the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano, or Milan’s natural museum; second, Planetario di Milano, which is the most important planetarium in Italy.

Stazione Centrale is an interesting neighborhood, which provides a good choice for those visitors who want it both ways: located in the center but not as crowded as Centro Storico nor as expensive as Brera.

It has both a park and a bunch of museums. Considering the restaurants and the accommodation, on the other hand, Stazione Centrale is also significantly cheaper than both of the previous areas.

Stazione Centrale Budget Hotels

• Hotel Calypso is a very cheap one-star hotel located immediately next to the Caiazzo Metro Station, and quite close to the Milano Centrale Railway Station. The rooms it offers have access to free Wi-Fi.
• Hotel Arno is another one-star hotel, also very near to Milan’s Stazione Centrale — only 10 minutes by foot. Every room on the premises has a TV and free Wi-Fi, and the frontdesk works 24/7, every day of the week.

Stazione Centrale Mid-Range Hotels

• Hotel Midway is a three star hotel, located just half a kilometer from Milan’s central station. There’s a flat screen TV, a refrigerator, free Wi-Fi, and air conditioning in every room. According to the reviews, the place is especially suitable for couples.
• Hotel Metropoli is a beautiful three-star hotel, with an exquisite city view. The hotel offers free parking, free Wi-Fi on the premises, and rooms with air conditioning and a minibar. There’s a breakfast available at the buffet every morning.

Stazione Centrale Luxury Hotels

• The Westin Palace, Milan is a five-star hotel with a distinctive look, a specific combination of modern and classical architectural elements. It offers a bar, a restaurant, a spa center, and a gym.
• Hotel Principe Di Savoia – Dorchester Collection is another super-luxurious five-star hotel. The rooms are decorated with beautiful and elegant dark wood, there’s an American bistrot, a spa, a Turkish bath, and a pool decorated with frescoes. The restaurant at the premises offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.

See the Best Hotels in Milan

4. Best Area for Nightlife: Navigli

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To put it as simply as we can, Navigli is the perfect choice for those who want to experience what the nightlife culture of MIlan has to offer.

A quiet and relaxed place during the day, full of boutiques, shops, and bookstores, Navigli turns into a nightlife powerhouse after the clock strikes 20:00 PM. The fun is not only in the clubs but on the streets, especially near the canals. The most distinctive part of Navigli — as you can imagine — are the canals.

In the past, Navigli was full of them, but today there are only two left, and they mainly serve for transporting goods. Because of them, as well as the vibrant and fashionable night-scene, Navigli is always compared to Amsterdam.

To get to the point, here’s a list of the best clubs, bars, and cafes where you can have an unforgettable time:

• BackDoor43
• EGO Cocktails e Distillati di Qualita
• Ginger Cocktail Lab
• Mag Cafe
• Zog
• El Chupasangre
• Nidaba Theatre – Live Music Navigli Milano
• Enoteca Don Pietro

But there are fun things to do during the day too. You can visit the Fiera di Sinigallia flea market, which assembles every Saturday. Here you can buy everything — from all the clothes and bikes to old books and new clothes.

The food and the accommodation are very welcoming in this area. There’s a bunch of different restaurants — from Italian to Asian — and most of them are not expensive, and the served portions are quite big.

Also, there’s only one five-star hotel and only a few four-star accommodations. Most of the hotels, motels, and rooms are listed as having three stars, and they’re really cheap.

Navigli Budget Hotels

• Hotel La Vignetta is a quite nice one-star hotel, located 250 meters from Navigli canals. It offers very comfortable rooms, with free Wi-Fi, television and air-conditioning. The price is really decent, and according to the reviews, the hotel is particularly suitable for couples.
• Lovelyloft – Alzaia Naviglio is a very cheap three-star hotel. It offers rooms with a view, and a fully equipped kitchen, including a refrigerator and a coffee machine. There’s free Wi-Fi in every room, and a TV in the sitting area.

Navigli Mid-Range Hotels

• Easy Milano – Rooms and Apartments Navigli is a great, cheap three-star accommodation that offers modern rooms, free Wi-Fi and free Parking, air conditioned rooms, and kitchens or kitchenettes. You can reach the Duomo from here in about 15 minutes.
• Milano Apartments Darsena is another three-star accommodation, but this time with a more rustic atmosphere. The rooms have one bedroom, one bathroom, one sitting room and a kitchen, equipped with a refrigerator and a coffee machine. There’s also the option for an Italian breakfast every morning.

Navigli Luxury Hotels

• Magna Pars l’Hotel à Parfum is the only five-star hotel in Navigli, and it is quite a jewel. It’s an ultra modern hotel with all the luxurious amenities, beautiful rooms, a spa center, restaurant, and a bar. The breakfast served every morning is very famous.
• Maison Borella is a very intimate four-star hotel located on the banks of Naviglio Grande canal. Elegant, quiet, and romantic, it’s the perfect choice for couples. There’s also a restaurant and a bar on the premises, and a very professional room service is also available.

See the Best Hotels in Milan

5. Best Area for Families: Sempione

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To the west of Centro Storico lies the beautiful area called Sempione. It offers a great alternative to all the previously mentioned neighborhoods: it’s cheaper than Centro Storico and Brera, has more monuments than Stazione Centrale, and is calmer than Navigli.

We recommend it to those who prefer a quieter and more family-friendly trip, as well as those looking for mid-range or budget accommodation. The central attraction of this area is the Parco Sempione, one of the biggest and most beautiful open spaces in Milan.

It provides a great combination of Nature and culture: the nature encompassing it is quite gorgeous; and the park is full of sculptures and pieces of art. Another thing worth mentioning is that Sempione is completely covered with wireless network.

The park is adjacent to the Castello Sforzesco. Its walls and fortifications have stood there since the 14th century as the symbol of one of the once very powerful Sforza family, rulers of Milan for centuries — much like the Medicis in Florence.

There are many museums in the castle and all of them are worth visiting:

• The Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco (art museum)
• The Museum of Ancient Art
• The Museum of Musical Instruments
• The Egyptian Museum
• The Prehistoric collections of the Archaeological Museum of Milan
• Applied Arts Collection
• The Antique Furniture & Wooden Sculpture Museum
• The Achille Bertarelli Print Collection
• The Museum of the Rondanini Pietà (with a sculpture by Michelangelo)

If you want to take a break from the renaissance beauty of Milan, the castles, the museums, and the park, take a few steps to the north-west, and visit the city’s Chinatown.

It’ll make you feel like you’re in China — obviously — because of the numerous lanterns, decorations, and street food stands. If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine this is the right place for you.

The accommodation situation in Sempione is perfect for families and visitors who are on a budget. There are no five-star hotels or accommodations but a lot of great mid-range hotels and a bunch of one-star and two-star accommodations.

Sempione Budget Hotels

• Hotel Mignon is a very cheap one-star hotel, located between Sempione and Chinatown. The hotel has been recently renovated, and it offers free Wi-Fi, and a 24 hour front desk. According to the reviews, it’s particularly suitable for couples.
• Hotel Parma is a great two-star hotel that has much to offer. Free Wi-Fi, rooms with private bathrooms, desks and TVs, a garden near the hotel, and a great terrace. It also has a bar on the premises, where you can enjoy a tasty breakfast every morning.

Sempione Mid-Range Hotels

• Italianway – Bartolini 9 is a complex of apartments listed as having three-stars. Every unit in the complex offers a balcony, a kitchenette, separate sitting and dining area, and a private bathroom. Free Wi-Fi is also available in every apartment.
• Concoct Milano is a three star accommodation, located around 8 to 10 minutes from Sempione park. There’s free air conditioning and a free Wi-Fi, a balcony, and a small kitchenette in every unit. The large rooftop terrace is the cherry on top.

Sempione Luxury Hotels

• Fioravanti Suite is a beautiful four-star accommodation, very close to the Porta Garibaldi. The apartment offers a balcony with a garden view, two bedrooms, three bathrooms, a sitting area with plasma TV, and a fully equipped kitchen. The air conditioning and the Wi-Fi are free.
• Moscova Livings, Exclusive terrace and skyline view is a four-star accommodation located next to the Sempione park. It has a fully equipped kitchen, a balcony, one bedroom and bathroom, free Wi-Fi and a washing machine.

See the Best Hotels in Milan

So, Where Should You Stay in Milan?

Finally, we reached the end of the road. It was an interesting trip full of museums, castles, works of art, but also shopping centers, parks, and hotels of all kinds and sizes.

Now, before we call it a day, let’s do a quick recap of the best parts of Milan: