Is the area around the Duomo, the neighbourhood near Centrale station, or the romantic Navigli district worth a visit?

We’ll show you the pros and cons of each area and give you tips on specific hotels.

Where to stay in Milan?

If you’re visiting Milan for the first time, you don’t need to spend hours poring over a map.

For most travellers, a simple rule applies:

If you want to…	Where to stay
The best location for a first visit	Duomo
Best value for money	Central
Restaurants, bars and nightlife	Navigli
Luxury hotels and elegant neighbourhoods	Brera
Football	San Siro
Affordable hotel with good transport links	Centrale

If I were visiting Milan for the first time for a weekend, I’d choose between the historic centre (around the Duomo) and the area around the main railway station, Centrale.

Centrale: the best location for most travellers

If you’re looking for the best location with relatively cheap smaller hotels, including budget options ( 100 eur ), and excellent transport links, choose the area around the main railway station, Centrale.

At first glance, it may not be as attractive as the centre around the Duomo, but it practically offers everything:

• direct connections from both Malpensa and Bergamo airports
• two metro lines and several tram routes
• dozens of hotels in all price ranges

The downside is the prevalence of privately let flats that aren’t very well reviewed, so you’ll need to pay closer attention to the reviews.

• Search for hotels near Centrale station

The historic centre and the Duomo

If price isn’t a major concern, then from a tourist’s point of view the best place to stay is in Milan’s historic centre, around Piazza del Duomo.

In the morning, you can step out of your hotel and within a few minutes you’ll be at the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or La Scala opera house.

The famous Quadrilatero della Moda shopping district is also most easily accessible from here.

Prices reflect the location’s popularity and rarely fall below 180 eur per night.

• Search for hotels in the centre of Milan

Navigli and Brera

If you prefer romantic areas and small, private apartments, then look for accommodation in the Navigli canal district or the historic Brera district.

Navigli is ideal for an evening out in restaurants and bars. If you’re drawn to the city’s livelier atmosphere, you’ll probably enjoy it more than the area around the Duomo.

Brera, on the other hand, is one of the most beautiful parts of Milan, with elegant streets, cafés and boutiques.

Where to stay when visiting San Siro?

Many people head to Milan for football.

If you’re flying in for an AC Milan or Inter match, you don’t necessarily need to look for a hotel right next to the stadium.

In most cases, it’s more practical to stay in the city centre or near Centrale and take the metro to San Siro.

However, if you want to be within walking distance of the stadium, focus on the area around Lotto or Portello stations.

Bear in mind, though, that on match days, hotels near the stadium can be up to three times more expensive than usual.

• Search for hotels near the San Siro stadium

Tips for the best hotels in Milan

To make choosing the best accommodation a little easier, we’ve put together some recommendations for specific hotels, selecting the best value options for each category from thousands of offers.

Cheapest accommodation

Traditional hotels with the lowest prices are usually found on the outskirts of Milan, but many of them have good access to the metro, so you’ll be in the city centre within 25 minutes. Prices for the cheapest hotels range from 62 eur to 83 eur per nightfor two people when booked at least a month in advance.

• Hotel Bolzano *** – a small but modern and clean little hotel about 100 metres from the main Centrale station; it’s one of the best value options in Milan
• Ibis Milano Ca' Granada *** – a classic choice offering excellent value for money; the Ca’ Granada metro station is about 100 metres from the hotel
• Hotel Parma ** – a simple hotel with very good prices all year round; the Gersualemme metro station is about 250 metres away, and the tram stop is about 50 metres away

Cheap hotels right in the centre

If you’re looking for accommodation offering the best value for money right in the very heart of Milan (say, within a 10-minute walk of the cathedral), the lowest prices start at 116 eur per night:

• Hotel Vecchia Milano *** – somewhat dated facilities, but a clean and cheapest hotel in the centre
• Aparthotel Dei Mercanti – a magnificent hotel with spacious suites just a few steps from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

High-quality hotel chains

If you like to treat yourself or are particular about the standard you’re used to, take a look at these recommendations from international hotel chains.

Prices range from 136 eur to 186 eur per night for two, though they can be even cheaper on certain days.

• Best Western Hotel City **** – a high-quality hotel right on the Corso Buenos Aires shopping boulevard
• B&B Hotel Milano City Center Duomo *** – one of the best-reviewed classic hotels right in the city centre
• Hotel Mercure Milano Solari **** – reasonable prices and a good location near the S. Agostino metro station and the Navigli district

Luxury hotels

Milan is an expensive city full of luxury shops and restaurants, and its hotels are no exception. High-quality, highly rated 5* hotels with more reasonable prices ranging from around 269 eur to 351 eur include Château Monfort - Relais & Châteaux or the Hotel VIU Milan.

Would you like to experience the very best and most expensive hotels? No problem – you can stay at the Bulgari Hotel Milano, for example, or Four Seasons Milano with prices starting at 1653 eur per night.

Hotel prices in Milan

Milan is a wealthy Italian city and prices here are among the highest in the country. Prices are influenced by Milan Fashion Week and exhibitions, during which crowds of tourists flock to the city and prices soar.

Hotel prices in the city centre and near Milan’s landmarks tend to be highest at weekends (Friday to Sunday) and lowest during the working week. The opposite is true for larger hotels on the outskirts of Milan, which cater mainly for business travellers; here, weekend rates are usually the cheapest.

• The 10 cheapest hotels in Milan

If you’re planning a trip to Milan, it’s best not to leave booking your accommodation until the last minute.

The cheapest hostels start at 17 eur per night. The average price for a hotel room ranges from 83 eur to 3 21 eur , whilst in the city centre it is often around 165 eur per night.