The Papiniano market, a guide

When it runs

The Papiniano market runs twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday, from 7:30. On Tuesday it closes at 14:00, on Saturday it stays open until 18:00: one of the few Milan markets you can visit after lunch.

The day not to miss is Saturday. It is the biggest, the most varied and the busiest. Tuesday is a quieter neighbourhood market, great for the weekly shop.

Almost a century on Viale Papiniano

The Lombardy Region recognises it as a "market of historic value": according to its official list it has been running since 1932. In 2016, when the list was updated, it had 244 pitches on Saturday and 235 on Tuesday, over about 3,700 square metres.

The avenue is named after Aemilius Papinianus, a Roman jurist who lived between the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The market fills Piazza Sant'Agostino and, on Saturdays, the avenue's central strip too.

What you will find

Papiniano is famous above all for clothing: stalls of clothes, shoes and fabrics, with branded items at discount prices that draw people from across the city on Saturdays. According to City data, more than two thirds of its 221 pitches are non-food.

But it is also a proper market for food shopping: fruit and vegetables, fish, cheese, deli. If you are going to eat, keep an eye on the deli stalls around midday, as our guide to eating at the market explains.

Piazza Sant'Agostino, redone

In 2021 Piazza Sant'Agostino was redeveloped, and the City redesigned the market with a determination of 1 March 2021.

The square now holds 56 traders, with uniform pitches of 5 by 3 metres for stalls and 7 by 3 for van-shops, which were moved to the outer rows for safety.

On Tuesdays all the stalls fit in the square. On Saturdays 21 pitches stay on the central strip of Viale Papiniano, between Via Bragadino and Via Calco.

At the time the Urbanfile blog noted that the square had been paved in asphalt to make cleaning easier after the market, and criticised the lack of greenery and shade.

The works did not end with the reopening. In September 2025, after repeated complaints from the traders, the City announced gravel infill for tree roots breaking through and ground sinking around the trees in the market area.

Getting there

The handiest stop is Sant'Agostino on M2, practically on the market. A few minutes away are the Coni Zugna stop and the trams on Viale Coni Zugna and Via Solari. Driving on a Saturday is a bad idea: the area fills up.

Around it

Papiniano sits between Sant'Ambrogio and the Navigli. After the market you can step into the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, visit the Museum of Science and Technology or walk down to the Darsena and the Navigli, where the Mercatone antiques fair runs on the last Sunday of the month.

• Go on a Saturday morning to see the market at full size, or after lunch if you prefer, as it stays open until 18:00.
• Bring cash for small purchases: almost every stall takes cards, but for a few euros cash is quicker.
• If you are after branded clothes, check labels and stitching: prices are low, quality varies from stall to stall.