Although Milan has a variety of bars, clubs, restaurants and venues for gay and lesbian travellers, many only operate one night a week. Choosing from one of the "mainstays" below and asking anyone where to go should lead you in the right direction.
Also, venues are not concentrated in one area of town, but rather spread throughout the city.
Foreign travelers are often confused by the ARCI card regime that is required for entry into many clubs. It's a relic from the times of police raids that has now conferred tax benefits on these private club owners. No need to fear-- just show up and purchase one at any of the clubs. You MUST bring some ID or you cannot purchase one.
As of February 2010:
b:free cocktailbar Everyday night hosts a gay crowd at (Via Lecco 21, subway: MM1 Porta Venezia Station).
Wednesday and Thursday nights hosts a gay crowd at L'Elephant (Via Lecco, subway: MM1 Porta Venezia Station).
Thursdays aperitivo at Hotel Straf near Duomo is well worth a look.
Friday nights at Rolling Stone disco (a huge one, Corso XXII Marzo, in the center but reachable by taxi, tram or #73 bus).
Saturday nights at Billy or Amnesia (viale Forlanini near Linate airport, reachable by taxi or #73 bus) or BinarioUno disco (via Plezzo, subway: MM2 Lambrate) or Black Hole (former lesbian club).
On Sunday nights, hundreds flock to the largest and classiest spot in town, the Borgo del Tempo Perso (via Fabio Massimo, subway: MM3 Porto di Mare) (open year-round although outdoor area open May-Sept only).
Cruising clubs such as the "Flexo" and "Depot" are hugely popular in Italy, perhaps even more so than saunas.
The best saunas in 2008 include Metro (via Schiaparelli near the Central Station, subway: MM2 and MM3 Centrale Station) and Royal Hammam (near BinarioUno club, via Plezzo, subway: MM2 Lambrate Station), mostly packed during the weekend especially at night as they are open 24 hours.
Open air meeting places such as Parco Nord, the gardens behind Cadorna station or Ortomercato are not recommended (criminals and hustlers). The safest way to cruise is to take the late night metro and get into the second-last coach, which is usually occupied by the gays and lesbians.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Milan
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Milan - updated May 2024
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Milan Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
