Italy has an uncanny way of popping up in world rankings of what’s best in tourism. So it comes as no surprised to find it high on the Time Out list of the Coolest Neighborhoods in the World 2023. This rating of the greatest places for fun, food, culture and community is based on variables like, access to open and green spaces, social ventures and thriving street life, and in 8th place we find Milan’s Isola district.
Called Isola (island) as it is “cut off” from the central area by a tramline, it has been spruced up and is now claiming the title of Milan’s coolest hangout. Just a short walk from the central Parco Sempione and the fancy Brera area, it is a high-energy, buzzing quarter with colourful street art and a plethora of trendy bars, restaurants, and galleries.
What makes it especially appealing, however, is that it is much more than your typical hipster enclave. Its local heart still beats. And you become part of it as you stroll through the weekly outdoor market, swing by the local butcher and baker, and check out its charming 1920s ringhiera-style houses. It is also home to artistic tombs in the Cimetero Monumentale, the stunning Vertical Forest skyscraper and to some of Milan’s liveliest aperitivo bars, as well as the famous Blue Note jazz club.
Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor
