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In Milan, nearly all shops are shut on Sundays. Non-food shops
are closed on Monday mornings as well: food shops are open
on Monday mornings but closed on Mon afternoon. For Sunday
shopping, there are the multimedia stores in Galleria Vittorio
Emanuele, Piazza Duomo, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Torino,
a few fashion stores on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and, near
Garibaldi
station, Corso Como 10.
The range of retail outlets in Milan runs from the high fashion
boutiques, to small shops, department stores, supermarkets,
discount outlets, and street markets. Some parts of the city
have a specific character as regards shopping. Via Montenapoleone
and the adjoining streets (within the area bordered by Via
della Spiga, Corso Venezia, Via Bigli and Via Manzoni) are
the high fashion area. There are furniture and lighting shops
in Corso Matteotti, Corso Monforte and Via Durini.
Piazza San Babila, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Duomo
(including Galleria Vittorio Emanuele) and Via Dante form a
continuous pedestrian precinct with many shops, mainly clothes,
but also books and media.
Other important, less central shopping streets include Corso
Buenos Aires (near the station), Corso XXII Marzo, and Corso
Vercelli. Via Torino is strong on fashion for young people.
The Brera district, around the like-named academy and gallery,
was once the reign of artists: there are still a number of
private galleries in Via Brera, Via del Carmine and Via Solferino,
but these streets are now great for shopping. Via Fiori Chiari,
Via Madonnina and Piazza del Carmine form another attractive
pedestrian precinct with small, interesting shops, and in the
evening the area is kept lively by virtue of the many bars
and cafés.
Corso di Porta Ticinese, particularly in the stretch between
the churches of San Lorenzo and Sant'Eustorgio, has many trendy,
ethnic-type shops for clothes, furniture etc., and it has also
become a focal point for young nightlife. It is close to another
characteristic shopping and nightlife area, the Navigli canal
district (Ripa di Porta Ticinese, Via Ascanio Sforza). On the
Naviglio Grande canal, on the last Sunday of each month, there
is a large antiques market with stalls selling everything from
postcards to furniture.
Via Paolo Sarpi is the home to Milan's Chinatown (actually
just a few streets), and so here there are many shops selling
their specialities, in particular leatherware.
Discount shopping
Discount outlets, shops selling quality brand products at
wholesale prices, are becoming very popular nowadays. As Milan
is an important fashion centre, it is rather difficult to find
real outlets, because none of the major brands wishes to be
seen selling off stock cheap. There are a few stores that specialise
in reduced-price fashion garments, but their stock often changes
according to season and availability. You will find details
on outlets in the printed edition of Hello Milano. Some stores
offer tax rebates for non EC visitors
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