Living in Loreto-NoLo, Milan
Affitto stanza singola tra privati Living in Loreto-NoLo, Milan - senza agenzia - Milan
North of Loreto: the area north of Piazzale Loreto, between Via Padova and Viale Monza. From a working-class, multi-ethnic district to one of the most dynamic creative hubs in the city.
NoLo stands for North of Loreto: the name was coined in 2012 by a group of designers as a neighbourhood brand and was officially recognised in 2019, when the place name entered the Comune di Milano's Territorial Governance Plan. The area develops north of Piazzale Loreto, along the axes of Via Padova and Viale Monza. Born as a working-class district in the post-war years to house workers arriving above all from Southern Italy, it is today one of the most rapidly transforming areas of Milan - a path often compared to that of the Isola district.
Who lives here
A long-standing population, working-class and strongly multi-ethnic - Via Padova is one of the most multicultural streets in the city - alongside a growing wave of young people, artists, designers and creatives. It is precisely this coexistence that is the hallmark of the district, with the inevitable tensions between long-time residents and newcomers as rents rise.
By day
Energetic and creative. Street art is a distinctive mark: murals and open-air art trails have accompanied the area's regeneration. The Mercato Comunale Coperto di Viale Monza (from 1933) is a neighbourhood meeting point, and the nearby Parco Trotter - a large park built on a former trotting racecourse, with the historic "Casa del Sole" school - is the green lung of the area.
By night
In full ferment. Concept stores, ethnic and vegan restaurants, alternative venues and a growing evening scene. NoLo also has a strong community identity, with neighbourhood events (festivals, programmes) and a local radio station that tell its story.
Getting around
The access point is Loreto, an interchange between the M1 red line and the M2 green line. The heart of NoLo is served by the Pasteur and Rovereto stops on the M1 red line (Turro on the northern edge). On the surface run the tram 1 (Piazza Morbegno) and the bus 56, which runs along Via Padova. The location is central: the Duomo is about ten minutes away by metro.
Eating and shopping
The signature is multi-ethnic cuisine, concentrated above all along Via Padova, alongside the new wave of bistros and creative venues. For fresh produce the reference is the Mercato Comunale di Viale Monza, today also a place of neighbourhood sociality.
When NOT to choose it
Via Padova had in the past (in the 2000s) a reputation as a risky area, and parts of the district remain in transition. Gentrification pushes prices up, with tensions between those who have always been there and those arriving. If you are looking for an already "polished" and quiet setting, NoLo is not yet that.
NoLo works for those who are young, creative and on a modest budget, and want a central, multicultural district in full evolution. Those looking for established elegance or quiet are better off in Porta Venezia (also cosmopolitan but more polished) or in Brera.