Milan. A Secret Guide

A Milan City Guide

byMassimo Dutti Paper

Milan always offers new reasons to return. From the cobbled streets of Brera to the contemporary skyline of Porta Nuova, this journey reveals different ways of experiencing the same city.

Start in the Centre

Brera — Classic Milan

Brera captures much of Milan’s identity. Cobbled streets, glimpses of courtyards behind elegant façades and historic buildings create an intimate, refined neighbourhood best explored on foot.

Atrium and bell towers of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio — Massimo Dutti Milan

Ornate window of a palazzo in Brera, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

Façade with climbing roses in bloom on Via Fiori Chiari — Massimo Dutti Milan

Piazza San Marco inscription above an arch, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

Spires of Milan Cathedral at dusk — Massimo Dutti Milan

Historic orange tram on a cobbled street in central Milan — Massimo Dutti Milan

Lamps and ornaments of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — Massimo Dutti Milan

Façade of Milan Cathedral with seagulls, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

To see

^{( 01 )}Via Brera — a street that perfectly captures the neighbourhood’s intimate scale and historic character.

^{( 02 )}Via Fiori Chiari and Via Fiori Oscuri — cobblestones, traditional façades and lively little intersections.

^{( 03 )}Piazza San Marco — a peaceful pause between Brera and Porta Nuova.

^{( 04 )}Via Madonnina — a narrow street that reveals a more intimate side of Milan on foot.

Cobbled square lined with historic palazzi in central Milan — Massimo Dutti Milan

Architecture and Style

Quadrilatero and Porta Venezia — History and Architecture

Heading east reveals a Milan of understated elegance. The Quadrilatero brings together historic façades, courtyards and iconic shop windows, while Porta Venezia introduces Art Nouveau architecture and a diverse, contemporary energy.
Beyond the grand avenues, this route invites you to discover architectural details, hidden gardens and corners that reveal the area’s distinctive character.

Greenery and cedars in the Giardini Indro Montanelli — Massimo Dutti Milan

Façade of a classic palazzo beneath the tram wires — Massimo Dutti Milan

Walls and round tower of the Castello Sforzesco — Massimo Dutti Milan

To see

^{( 01 )}Via della Spiga — architecture, fashion and one of the Quadrilatero’s most characteristic views.

^{( 02 )}Via Gesù — a quieter street for admiring the façades and details of the historic centre.

^{( 03 )}Corso Venezia — an avenue where palazzi, gardens and architecture from different eras coexist.

^{( 04 )}Giardini Indro Montanelli — a green respite from the rhythm of the city.

Large-scale murals on residential façades in Milan — Massimo Dutti Milan

Creative Milan

Lambrate — The Experimental District

To the east, Lambrate’s industrial past lives alongside workshops, studios and new creative spaces. Around Via Ventura and Via Massimiano, former factories enter into dialogue with contemporary art and design, revealing a less traditional, more experimental side of Milan.

Traffic sign reworked as street art, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

Street corner with graffiti and tram tracks at a Milan crossroads — Massimo Dutti Milan

To see

^{( 01 )}Via Ventura — one of the streets that best expresses Lambrate’s creative transformation.

^{( 02 )}Via Massimiano — workshops and spaces connected to the contemporary art scene.

^{( 03 )}Via Conte Rosso — a more residential, neighbourhood feel within the creative district.

^{( 04 )}Via Rombon — industrial architecture and urban life on the neighbourhood’s eastern edge.

Canal lined with façades and terraces in Milan, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

Emerging Milan

NoLo — The Emerging North

North of Piazzale Loreto, NoLo reveals one of Milan’s most vibrant and evolving sides. Rooted in working-class history and shaped by a multicultural spirit, its streets bring together workshops, independent businesses and new creative ventures while retaining a deeply local identity.

Canal at dusk with tram wires above the water — Massimo Dutti Milan

Pink and yellow residential façades on a Milan street — Massimo Dutti Milan

Love locks on a canal railing at night, in black and white — Massimo Dutti Milan

Historic white tram running through Milan — Massimo Dutti Milan

To see

^{( 01 )}Piazza Morbegno — a gathering place that captures NoLo’s evolving identity.

^{( 02 )}Via Padova — the neighbourhood’s multicultural artery, offering a different perspective on Milan.

^{( 03 )}Parco Trotter — an expansive green space connected to the area’s social and educational history.

^{( 04 )}Naviglio Martesana — water, greenery and neighbourhood life along one of northern Milan’s historic canals.

^{( 05 )}Via Pietro Crespi — residential architecture and an intimate urban scale that reveals NoLo’s everyday character.

Colourful houses reflected in the water of a naviglio — Massimo Dutti Milan

Towards the Southwest

Navigli and Tortona — The Creative Side

As we head southwest, waterways and industrial heritage reveal another version of the city. Navigli retains one of Milan’s most recognisable landscapes, while Tortona and its surroundings bring together galleries, photography and design in repurposed factories.