Carefully styled to please fashionistas and the design-conscious, these elegant apartments are set in or near the hip Brera area, known for its cornucopia of shops, bars, evening promenades and nightlife. There are 15 to choose from, all subtly different. To give you an idea, the Brera Apartments are in a 1960s cobbled courtyard of flats off the Via San Fermo, and combine pure white walls with designer fixtures, flush fittings and shiny wood floors. The split-level, slope-raftered Garibaldi Suite sits in a 1950s steel-and glass block, and has a mezzanine double bedroom reached via a twist of glass and metal stairs.
Most are approximately a 20-25 minute stroll from the Stazione Centrale and Duomo, so you can live like a local but explore the city with ease. Larger apartments have fully equipped kitchens - ideal for families or those on a budget - while smaller studio apartments are a chic base to visit the neighbourhood restaurants. And whichever you choose, you won't want for a thing; these really are homes away from home.
Highs
- Good value for money, considering the fresh, modern design and central location in an expensive city
- The wealth of shops, restaurants and buzzy bars in the vicinity, plus the Pinacoteca di Brera museum - Brera is a great neighbourhood
- Ideal for a romantic weekend, or for a city break with a young family - each apartment has a baby cot, and most have sofabeds
- A big choice of films and box sets to watch, and pay-per-view movies on TV
- A lengthy information document, with tips on Milan's museums, restaurants, takeaways, spas, grocery stores and lifestyle stores
Lows
- Please note that prices shown are a guide only, and fluctuate significantly
- Some have a restaurant or bar below the window, which may generate evening noise (we found shutting the window effectively restored our peace)
- None of the apartments have balconies
- Apartment kitchens have hob cookers but no oven, and the studio apartments have no kitchens
- Not all of the apartments are in central Brera, check their room descriptions for specific street locations
Best time to go
Milan is a year-round destination, but some months are better than others. May and September are best as the weather's likely to be good but it won't be too crowded. July and August are the Italian tourist high season, so the city is busy but buzzy; from mid-June to mid-August it tends to be hot and humid. October is the rainiest month, and from November to February it somehow manages to be cold but humid! Avoid the Fashion and Design Weeks (1 in Feb-March and 1 in Sept-Oct) as everything gets booked up and the city becomes very hectic.
Our top tips
Our key to the building was tricky to turn and we had no 24-hour number to call, so we were very relieved when another resident let us in late at night. We'd recommend asking for a 24-hour telephone contact to call in case of any problems, and try your keys when you're met at the apartment to check you can make them work!
- Boutique Apartments
- 12 apartments for 2-6
- Self-catering (+ restaurants nearby)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Maid Service (every 3 days)
Rooms
The apartments are roomy, open-plan spaces, complete with air-conditioning. Some have high ceilings and white walls; others are more colourful in decor. Beds (generally in bedrooms separate to the living space) are wide, low queensize affairs with downy duvets and crisp white linen; extra guests are on a sofabed in the living area. White floor-length curtains waft at the windows and you'll have a sofa, dining table and chairs. Most have a shower bathroom though a couple have a tub, too (San Marco's is a gorgeous, claw-foot affair).
We visited several and were struck by designer lamps, retro sofabeds and polished parquet floors. We loved Garibaldi Suite's twisted glass steps to the mezzanine bedroom, and Brera 2's vintage orange dining chairs. Formentini 5 has a big sitting area, with a yellow 50s wing chair.
See Rates for a full description and photos of each apartment.
Features include:
- Hairdryer
- WiFi
Eating
The apartments are well set-up for self catering, with little kitchens (hob but no oven) and cool dining spaces. You get a full quotient of crockery, and a range of pots and pans, as well as some useful equipment (good knives etc). A welcome pack awaits you, with tea, coffee and bottled water, and for everything else there's a Carrefour Express supermarket Via della Moscova, as well as various smaller shops in the various neighbourhoods.
Brera is one of Milan's top drinking and dining hubs, so there are plenty of dining choices nearby. Just doors from the Brera Apartments is the popular Fioraio Bianchi Cafe, an old flower shop come bijou restaurant, which does its own baking. And, on Via Palermo, there's the cosy Gran Italia where we had a scrumptiously fat yet light slice of Diavolo wood-fired pizza. The Neapolitan restaurant here, Anema e Cozze, is recommended by Brera's owners.
Features include:
- Coffee maker
- Restaurants nearby
- Welcome hamper
Activities
- The neighbourhood's Pinacoteca di Brera museum has a small-but-perfectly-formed art collection, including works by Italian masters like Titian, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Mantegna and Bellini
- Don't miss the Duomo, a 20-minute walk away. This fantastic cathedral took 500 years to completel if it's a fine day, head to the roof for panoramic views
- Take a boat cruise along the Navigli canals to see the old washhouses, the Scodellino bridge and the 17th-century Darsena port. Alternatively, stroll beside the canals to browse antique stalls, visit art and craft galleries and dine by the water: every last Sunday of the month there's a huge antiques market alongside the Grand Canal
- Holster your credit card for the Vuitton, Gucci and Prada boutiques in the mosaic arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, or the designer emporiums of the Quadrilatero d'Oro ('Rectangle of Gold')
- The world-famous La Scala opera house now has seat-back screens complete with lyric translations! Catch a performance while you're in town; the acoustics are incredible
- Spend a 15-minute slot viewing da Vinci's The Last Supper - possibly the greatest Renaissance painting ever - at the church of Santa Maria della Grazie (pre-booking essential)
- Join the party in the hip Corso Como area and dance the night away at clubs like Hollywood or Loolapaloosa
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
Kids
Children up to 3 stay for free and there's space for a baby cot in each of the bright and and spacious apartments. All kids (up to 8 yo) receive a welcome gift on arrival, and a city guide for kids is in each apartment. There's quite a bit of baby and toddler gear supplied, you can also hire additional items to be waiting for you on arrival including car seat, stroller and baby carrier.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)
Family friendly accommodation:
Almost all apartments work for families. The Formentini 5 is the largest, sleeping up to 6 plus a baby. Most of the others sleep 2-4 plus a baby.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Families Should Know:
Children will need to take care around the Garibaldi's glass and metal spiral staircase. A medical home service can be arranged 9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sun
Distances:
- Airport: about 1 hour (Malpensa); 45 minutes (Linate)
- Hospital: 5 minutes
- Shops: 2 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The apartments are in or near the Brera district of Milan, in northern Italy. Most are a 5-minute walk from the Moscova metro stop.
Google map of all apartments
By Air
Linate (10km away) is the closest airport, but Malpensa (50km outside the city) is Milan's main airport. Private transfers can be arranged on request or you can take a taxi. It's easy to take public transport from Malpensa though: take the Express Train or Shuttle Bus, both of which will run you straight into the city's Stazione Centrale in around 50 minutes. From here you can walk or jump on the metro for 2 stops (Line 2 - green - to Moscova), depending on the location of your apartment.
By Train
The main railway station is the imposing Stazione Centrale, which has high-speed links to most major cities in Italy. Trenitalia is the Italian state railway and you can prebook tickets and see schedules online.
By Bus
Intercity and international coaches arrive at the Piazza Castello, by Castello Sforzesco. Buses to the airports run from the Air Terminal at the Stazione Centrale. Contact Autostradale to find out about intercity connections, or Eurolines for international routes.
By Car
There are 5 main motorways (of 6-8 lanes) linking Milan to the rest of Italy, but we wouldn't recommend driving. If you do hire a car, you're best off leaving your vehicle in one of the huge commuter car parks just off Milan's motorway ringroad (they're near metro stops). If you must drive into Milan, make sure you have an up-to-date map showing the one-way system.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Italy and getting around
Airports:
- Milan Linate 10.0 km LIN
- Milan Malpensa 50.0 km MXP
Other:
- Beach 140.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km