Milan neighbourhoods
Calvairate
A historic working-class quarter, built around one of Milan's first big housing estates.
- Market
- Wed see below ↓
- Transport
- M4 Dateo, M3 Lodi T.I.B.B.; Porta Vittoria suburban rail; trams 12, 27; buses 66, 90/91, 92
- District
- 4
What it's like
Calvairate lies between Porta Vittoria, viale Molise and piazzale Cuoco, inside the ring road.
The quarter grew up around the Calvairate and Molise public housing, built by the public-housing institute in the 1920s: large balcony-access courtyards, among the first built on this scale in the city, now partly listed.
Its green heart is the Largo Marinai d'Italia park, on the site of the former Verziere, Milan's old wholesale fruit-and-vegetable market moved here and then elsewhere again.
In the park stands the Palazzina Liberty, for years the home of Dario Fo and Franca Rame's theatre company.
Just to the south, the former municipal abattoir, the large disused slaughterhouse complex, is the focus of a vast regeneration project with housing, a university and public spaces.
The market
Green space and the outdoors
Dog areas
- giardino Francesco Rucci · 380 m²
- piazza Insubria · 737 m²
- viale Cirene · 298 m²
- vie Cadibona - Monte Velino · 598 m²
- parco Formentano · 799 m²
- piazzale Libia · 1764 m²
Playgrounds
- giardino Francesco Rucci · 427 m²
- piazzale Martini F. · 94 m²
- via Ciceri Visconti · 446 m²
- piazza Imperatore Tito · 230 m²
- via Sanfelice Luisa · 393 m²
- piazza Insubria · 889 m²
Where to eat and drink
Calvairate has neighbourhood trattorias and shops along viale Molise and via Cadore, and the kiosks of the Largo Marinai d'Italia park.
The viale Molise / via Martini market runs on Wednesday mornings and is one of the best-stocked in the area; not far off is the piazza Ferrara covered municipal market.
Getting there
Calvairate is served by the blue M4 at Dateo, the yellow M3 at Lodi T.I.B.B. and the suburban rail at Porta Vittoria, all on the edges of the quarter. On the surface there are trams 12 and 27 and the 90/91 trolleybus on the ring road.
M4 Dateo, M3 Lodi T.I.B.B.; Porta Vittoria suburban rail; trams 12, 27; buses 66, 90/91, 92
Frequently asked questions
What is the Palazzina Liberty in Milan?
It is a 1908 Liberty-style building in the Largo Marinai d'Italia park, in Calvairate, built as the buffet of the old fruit-and-vegetable market. For years it was the home of Dario Fo and Franca Rame's theatre company; today it hosts concerts and events.
Where is the Calvairate quarter in Milan?
Calvairate is in District 4, in the south-east, between Porta Vittoria, viale Molise and piazzale Cuoco, just inside the ring road. It borders the former abattoir area, undergoing redevelopment.
Nearby neighbourhoods
Data: City of Milan — weekly open-air markets (DS291), CC-BY. Reviewed .