Milan on a Saturday

It is the day of the big markets

Many of the best-stocked street markets run on Saturday: Papiniano on the Navigli, Fauché towards the Monumentale, Benedetto Marcello at Porta Venezia.

They are large, full of food and non-food stalls, and by midday they also become the cheapest place for a standing lunch.

Check today's open markets or the list by day: almost every neighbourhood has one. Go by noon for the best choice, towards 1:30pm for the end-of-market markdowns.

The Fiera di Sinigaglia and vintage

Every Saturday, at the Darsena, there is the Fiera di Sinigaglia: a historic market of second-hand goods, vinyl, army surplus, objects and stalls of every kind.

It has been a ritual for at least a century. The full list of antiques and vintage is on the flea markets page.

Shopping

Saturday is the peak day for shops: corso Buenos Aires, via Torino, the fashion Quadrilatero and the malls are full from morning to evening. If you can, move on foot or by metro: traffic and parking in the centre are at their limit.

Museums and culture

All the main museums are open on Saturday, usually on full hours and sometimes with an extended evening: Museo del Novecento, Pinacoteca di Brera, Museo della Scienza, Gallerie d'Italia. Leonardo's Last Supper must be booked weeks ahead, Saturday included.

The evening

The Saturday aperitivo starts early and runs long, especially on the Navigli, at Porta Venezia and in Isola. After 8pm a free table in the centre is hard to find: either book, or arrive by 6:30.

What to expect

• It is the single busiest day: markets, shops, restaurants, trains to the lakes.
• In many market streets traffic is closed until the early afternoon.
• The covered municipal markets are open; many small shops close in the afternoon.
• Sunday, quieter, has its own rhythm: see the Milan on a Sunday guide.