Via Monte Napoleone

Fashion lovers flock to this upscale street for a look at the elaborate window displays and to browse the latest looks from world-famous designers. Tours of Via Montenapoleone are generally focused on the fashion industry while browsing the high-end boutiques. Visitors can also visit the chic street, and the rest of Milan, on day trips from other Italian cities such as Stresa or even Rome. For a more intimate experience, private and small-group tours of the Fashion Quarter are also available.

• Via Monte Napoleone is a must-visit for fashionistas and shopaholics.

• Free Wi-Fi is available at Piazza San Babila.

• The streets are relatively flat and can accommodate wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.

Via Montenapoleone is located in Milan’s historic city center, about a 10-minute walk from the Duomo (Milan Cathedral). Take the M3 yellow metro line to Montenapoleone station or the M1 red metro line to San Babila station. Alternatively, take tram number 1 to the Montenapoleone M3 stop, located at the beginning of the street.

Milan is busiest between June and September. The best time to visit is during April, May, September, and October, when the weather is pleasant. Milan Fashion Week, in February and September, is an exciting time to walk along Via Montenapoleone, when the city is buzzing with the newest haute couture looks for the upcoming season.

Prior to becoming one of Europe’s most well-known shopping streets, Via Montenapoleone was once a quiet district filled with monasteries and cloisters. In the 1800s, when Milan officials thought the city needed more space, the religious structures were converted into boutiques and dwellings to house more citizens—particularly aristocrats. Since then the street has blossomed into the luxe shopping street we see today, filled with luxe looks and glittering jewelry stores.