Shopping in Milan doesn’t just mean visiting the expensive and exclusive boutiques of the Fashion Quadrilateral. A great opportunity to smell, touch, taste, listen, try, and buy is provided by the outdoor local markets. Indeed, local markets are a true institution, not only for shopping but also for social interactions. It’s a weekly ritual where neighborhood communities meet, a moment for a bit of chit-chat. Going to the market means experiencing a sensory journey filled with voices, scents, and flavors. On the street, you can hear various Italian accents, witness the vendors’ performances, and experience the Italian art of selling! The people who cherish this ritual are diverse: from retired couples to students looking for healthy and quality products at affordable prices. Milan has many types of markets scattered throughout the city: food, fashion, vintage, second-hand, weekly, covered, street, occasional fairs… each with its own identity. Here’s a list of my favorites:
Milan Food Market
Even in Milan, as in many European cities, you can find covered markets with kitchens, where you can stop to eat and buy quality gastronomic products. Here are a couple that I frequent often.
Piazza Wagner Municipal Market
This is a historic covered market dating back to 1929. The prices are not very competitive, but the excellent quality of the products – vegetables, fruit, meat, fish – compensates for it.
When: Monday from 8 AM to 1:30 PM, Tuesday to Saturday from 8 AM to 7:30 PM
Where: Piazza Riccardo Wagner, 15/A – M1 Wagner
Darsena Market
Born from the redevelopment of Expo 2015, this covered market is a reference point not only for products but also as a meeting place. While shopping, you can consume the purchased food on the spot, either at a table or perched overlooking the Naviglio. For meat lovers and ethnic products.
When: Monday from 8 AM to 1:30 PM, Tuesday to Saturday also from 4 PM to 8 PM
Where: Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio, 14 – M2 Porta Genova
Farmer’s Markets
In recent years, farmer’s markets, where you buy directly from producers, have been spreading, even in the heart of the city.
Cascina Cuccagna
One of the most well-known farmer’s markets. In the splendid setting of the Cascina, small selected farms from the surrounding area of Milan and small artisanal workshops sell their products. The producers guarantee natural and sustainable cultivation and production methods. La Cuccagna is a splendid location composed of rooms, terraces, courtyards, and a large garden, where you can attend various types of events: seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and conventions.
When: Tuesday from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Where: via Privata Cuccagna, 2/4 – M3 Lodi
Are you about to visit Milan? Read my article “Point of Interest in Milan!”
Milan Street Markets
They are very common in Milan. There is one for every neighborhood and every day of the week. It’s an alternative way of shopping: being outdoors, buying healthy, good, and often cheaper products.
Fauché Street Market
This is the market in my neighborhood; I have been frequenting it for twenty years, two or three times a month. You can find fruit and vegetables, plants and flowers, cheeses and cured meats, but also clothes, shoes, fabrics, etc. My favorite stalls are Piero and Luca for genuine mountain cheese. Among the hundreds of varieties, their herb goat cheese and gorgonzola are must-tries. There’s usually a long queue in front of Simone’s stall, which sells fruit and vegetables. If I don’t feel like waiting, I go to his neighbor, who is just as good. On Saturdays, the market is very crowded, especially in the central hours: there are stalls selling shoes (even branded ones) and clothes, where you can find famous brands at reduced prices as well as cashmere sweaters. However, there are also stalls selling non-branded clothes, strictly made in Italy, and those with leather shoes and sandals at modest prices. For leather goods, we move to the Morocco stand: the guys from Fez have a huge stall with bags and belts of all models and colors, of excellent quality. They are also very kind and always give you a great discount. On Tuesdays, there’s also Ortelli Beekeeping “più in forma e più belli” (more fit more beautiful), which has been raising bees and producing honey, propolis, royal jelly since 1928 (and indeed there’s a line to buy them).
When: Every Tuesday from 7:30 AM to 2 PM, Saturday from 7:30 AM to 6 PM
Where: Via Giovanni Battista Fauché (M5 Jerusalem)
Viale Papiniano – Sant’Agostino
A kilometer of stalls, up to 250 stalls including fruit and vegetables, food, gastronomy, household items, and clothing. It’s probably the most famous market in Milan, a must-stop for locals and tourists. If Piazza Sant’Agostino is dedicated to food, with a varied and quality offer, walking along Viale Papiniano you can focus on buying vintage objects, simpler stalls, but also branded items, bags, and cashmere sweaters.
When: Every Tuesday from 7:30 AM to 2 PM, Saturday from 7:30 AM to 6 PM
Where: Viale Papiniano, P.zza Sant’ Agostino – M2 Sant’Agostino
Milan Market Fiera degli Oh bej Oh bej
It’s the traditional fair – the oldest in Milan – held in the area of the Sforza Castle in the first days of December, usually during the week of Sant’Ambrogio. In this market with a very suggestive feel, you can find products of all kinds and for all budgets: handicrafts, Christmas decorations, toys, sweets. This fair is an experience not to be missed to get to know the city as the Milanese love it. It’s nice to stroll through the city center in full Christmas spirit, perhaps enjoying roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.
Antiques Market in Milan
Sometimes, during the weekend, I don’t know what to do. When I don’t feel like engaging in something demanding, like an art exhibition, I just go out and head to a flea market or second-hand market. I look at vintage bags, admire old objects, touch colorful fabrics… here are a couple of markets:
Naviglio Grande Antiques Market
This antiques market, known as the Navigli market, is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated events in the city. A path of almost two kilometers all overlooking the banks of the oldest canal in Milan. About 380 exhibitors selling antiques and collectibles, jewelry, accessories, books and comics, and vintage items. My favorite stalls are those dedicated to 1920s glass paste objects (my passion) and table porcelain.
When: Every last Sunday of the month from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Where: Naviglio Grande – M2 Porta Genova
Sinigaglia Fair
It’s the oldest flea market in Milan, dating back to the 19th century, an authentic piece of the city’s history, in the fascinating Navigli area. Among its stalls, you can really find everything: collectibles, vintage and second-hand clothing, trinkets, modern and antique craftsmanship (ethnic and not), old coins, books, vinyl records, and plants.
When: Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM
Where: Ripa di Porta Ticinese (Alzaia Naviglio Grande) – M2 Porta Genova
What to get at Milan markets?
Why is it worth shopping at the market? Is it because it’s convenient? Not always, but the quality of the food is excellent. I only buy what I actually need, avoiding waste and unnecessary packaging. It can also be a fun game to scout out stalls with vintage items or top-quality clothes.
What not to do:
– Never stop at the first stall but continue to get an idea of the product prices.
– Beware of buying from stalls that sell large, perfect vegetables: they may not be as good.
– Don’t buy without first tasting or trying. That’s the beauty of the market.
If there’s a queue at one stall rather than the one next to it, there’s probably a reason…
What to do:
– Buy seasonal and possibly Italian fruits and vegetables.
– Always ask for a discount, at least try.
– Go about an hour before closing, that’s when you can get the best prices: often the vendors want to clear some produces before closing.
These are just some of the many markets that the city of Milan offers to locals and visitors. If you’ve also experienced this, I’d love to share it with you. So, comment on the article!
