Inside tips to get the best of Milan's nightlife

Milan comes alive at night, once the sun sets you see a different side to the city!

Nightlife in Milan, ItalyCredits: AngeloCesare

The nightlife in Milan is a very important part of Milanese culture, especially as far as the aperitivo is concerned. The aperitivo isn't just for the weekend, but also during the week, when after finishing work the milanesi will go out for a drink and a bite to eat. The aperitivo in Milan can involve any kind of drink; bars will usually have a long list going from beer to cocktails, and also some non-alcoholic drinks. The food varies from place to place; some will have a buffet for you to choose from including pasta and pizza, other places will bring you snacks such as crisps to your table. Prices for a drink can seem steep, with the average cost of a cocktail at 8 euro, but you can get value for money out of the food on offer. Corso Como (near the Garibaldi metro stop, which is on the green line) and Corso Sempione (on the northern side of Parco Sempione) are the two most fashionable areas to have an aperitivo, where you will see the locals dressed up to the nines. The navigli area of the city is the most picturesque part of the city to have an aperitivo or dinner, it's where Milan's canals are, and without walking very far there is a varied choice of restaurants and bars. The area around the Colonne di San Lorenzo, a short walk down Via Torino from Piazza Duomo also plays a big part in the nightlife in Milan, and many nights you can see a crowd of people socialising and drinking by the columns.

Nightlife in Milan, ItalyCredits: milemary.blogspot.it

Being a bustling metropolitan there are also a number of clubs in Milan. One of the most historic however, Plastic, has recently closed, but will open in a new location; a move which has obviously not been popular with the dedicated group of clubbers who have frequented the notorious nights held there over the year. Obviously seeing as both Corso Como and Corso Sempione are popular for aperitivi, there are some popular clubs in those areas, such as Old Fashion, which is inside Parco Sempione, a short walk down from the Corso. Alcatraz and Magazzini Generali are two of the most-well known venues not only in Italy, but also internationally, they are not only clubs where Italian and international DJs play, but also host concerts for thousands of people.

Nightlife in Milan, ItalyCredits: Lidal-K

As with the rest of the country, the pub culture isn't anywhere near as strong as it is in the UK. However if you want a taste of home there are a few pubs in Milan that you can chose from to have a pint in. Pogue Mahone's in the Porta Romana area of the city (served by the yellow M3 metro line) is possibly the most well-known Irish-themed pub in Milan, popular with both Italians and foreigners alike. There are also a couple of football pubs in the city, which, as the name might suggest, broadcast matches from the English Premier League, as well as other international sporting events (most recently the Six Nations tournament). Two of these pubs are the English Football Pub just off Via Torino in the centre of the city and the 4-4-2 pub. If you want a taste of the Italian version of a pub, try the Birrificio Lambrate, in the east of the city. It has a wide range of beers to choose from, but gets very crowded!

Have you missed our last posts about Nightlife in Venice, Rome and Naples?