Porta Romana Tour - Beyond Fiera Milano

Porta Romana district

Southern Milan is a thriving hub of innovation and culture. At its heart lies the Porta Romana, a former industrial site transformed into the Olympic Village for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

This itinerary takes you through six essential stops to discover Milan’s dual soul: an unstoppable drive toward the future, balanced by a deep passion for artistry, heritage, and refined detail.

Nestled in the heart of the industrial district south of the Porta Romana Railway Yard, Fondazione Prada stands as one of the world’s most celebrated and prestigious hubs for contemporary art. Unveiled in 2015 at its permanent venue in Largo Isarco, the complex is the result of a masterly redevelopment of an early 20th-century distillery, designed by the renowned architecture firm OMA, led by Rem Koolhaas. The architectural transformation is a masterpiece of dialogue between past and present: historic warehouses and production workshops seamlessly coexist with three striking new structures (the Podium, the Cinema, and the Torre), creating an articulated campus where space itself becomes an integral element of the artistic experience. Among the complex’s most iconic features is the Haunted House, a four-story building fully clad in delicate 24-karat gold leaf that catches the unique Milanese light and shifts in appearance with the changing sky.

Inside, Fondazione Prada’s artistic programming spans major temporary visual art exhibitions and site-specific installations, as well as film retrospectives, live performances, and interdisciplinary research talks. Ascending the nine floors of the Torre, a 60-meter-tall white concrete tower, visitors can admire works from the permanent collection featuring internationally acclaimed artists such as Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, and Pino Pascali, while taking in breathtaking panoramic views of the Milan skyline. Yet the Fondazione is more than a place for passive art viewing; it is an inviting social hub. Tucked inside is the famous Bar Luce, designed in 2015 by American film director Wes Anderson. The café recreates the nostalgic atmosphere of a traditional 1950s and '60s Milanese coffee shop, paying homage to Italian Neorealist cinema with the director's signature pastel color palette, formica furnishings, and fully operational vintage pinball machines themed after his films. Visiting Fondazione Prada offers a total aesthetic immersion where fine art, industrial heritage, and pop culture converge in a true landmark of the new Milan.

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Just a short walk from Fondazione Prada, tucked away among the former industrial streets surrounding the Porta Romana Yard, lies Fondazione ICA Milano (Institute for Contemporary Art). Located on Via Orobia, ICA is a non-profit institution dedicated entirely to contemporary visual arts and culture, created to foster an independent platform for reflection, research, and experimentation within Milan’s cultural scene. Housed in a solid early-20th-century industrial building, the restoration preserves the clean, utilitarian aesthetic of its manufacturing past, featuring high timber-beamed ceilings, raw brick and concrete walls, and large industrial windows that flood the multi-level exhibition spaces with natural light.

What sets ICA Milano apart is its distinct curatorial approach. The foundation conceives itself as a living organism, where exhibitions are not merely static displays, but the culmination of a collaborative journey shared among artists, curators, and philosophers. The program encompasses solo and group visual art shows, while actively extending into performance art, design, critical theory, literature, and publishing. A strong focus is placed on public programming, offering talks, seminars, film screenings, and workshops designed to engage local communities and art enthusiasts alike. Inside, ICA offers an intimate, workshop-like, and contemplative atmosphere far removed from crowded tourist routes. A visit here provides a rare opportunity to discover emerging voices or reframe contemporary masters through a fresh critical lens, cementing Porta Romana’s status as a thriving sanctuary for modern creativity.

Overlooking the sleek, new Piazza Adriano Olivetti within the Symbiosis Business District, STEP FuturAbility District is a stop designed to take you straight into tomorrow. STEP is an innovative technological and educational center created to help visitors navigate and understand the major digital and social transformations shaping our era. Housed in a state-of-the-art, eco-sustainable building defined by sweeping glass facades, STEP is not a conventional tech museum, but an interactive, dynamic experience center where visitors play an active role in the journey.

The experience unfolds through an immersive narrative guided by a personalized mobile app and an interactive virtual AI companion. Through multimedia installations, interactive touchscreens, 360-degree projections, and sensory environments, the district explores the key themes redefining our future: robotics, artificial intelligence, energy sustainability, future mobility, and the digitalization of health and work. Every step along the way prompts personal reflection on how today’s choices will shape tomorrow’s world, culminating in an assessment of one’s own "FuturAbility", a measure of one's readiness and openness to navigate upcoming technological shifts. Seamlessly integrated into its surroundings, where green spaces and sustainable design harmoniously coexist, STEP is a compelling destination for families, students, professionals, and forward-thinking travelers eager to glimpse the future of Milan.

Heading slightly east into the heart of the Corvetto-Porta Romana neighborhood, stepping through the doors of Bonvini 1909 feels like entering an authentic time capsule. Founded over a century ago by the Bonvini brothers, this historic shop stands as a cherished testament to Milanese craftsmanship and printing heritage. When the business faced permanent closure in 2014, a group of friends and creative professionals, designers, cultural enthusiasts, and graphic artists, came together to rescue and restore the venue, preserving its original spirit while transforming it into both a boutique and a cultural center for graphic arts.

Stepping inside Bonvini 1909 is an enchanting step back in time: original dark wood cabinetry, vintage wooden counters, and drawers packed with fine writing instruments showcase a rare, fully functioning collection of vintage lead and wood moveable-type letterpress machinery. Alongside curated stationery, artisanal notebooks, and calligraphy supplies, the press operates an active publishing house under its own label, Edizioni Bonvini. The space regularly hosts temporary illustration and graphic art exhibitions, hand-printing workshops, calligraphy masterclasses, and book launches. Bonvini 1909 is a destination where the tactile beauty of paper and classic typography lives on in dialogue with contemporary design, offering a charming, timeless retreat from the fast pace of the city.

Bagni Misteriosi del Teatro Franco Parenti

Heading back toward the city center along the historic axis of Porta Romana brings you to the extraordinary Bagni Misteriosi complex, adjacent to the famous Teatro Franco Parenti. Originally opened in the 1930s as the Caimi public baths, this monumental venue was a beloved gathering spot for generations of Milanese before falling into disuse in the late 1990s. Thanks to a meticulous historical restoration and urban revival effort championed by Teatro Franco Parenti and Fondazione Pier Lombardo, the complex reopened in 2016 under the name "Bagni Misteriosi" (The Mysterious Baths), evolving into a one-of-a-kind multifunctional cultural oasis.

The complex centers around two grand open-air swimming pools encased by elegant arcades, historic changing cabins, and a lush green lawn. During the summer months, Bagni Misteriosi fulfills its original purpose as a stylish sunbathing and swimming retreat, while at dusk the poolside transforms into an atmospheric venue for evening aperitifs, live concerts, performances, and open-air theater. In winter, the site transforms once more: the main pool is converted into a enchanting floating ice-skating rink surrounded by holiday markets and family events. Bagni Misteriosi represents a seamless blend of historic architecture, leisure, and cultural production, providing a refreshing and memorable finale to your journey through southern Milan.

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Porta Romana Railway Yard (Olympic Village 2026 Site)

The final stop of our itinerary brings us to the driving force behind the neighborhood’s ongoing transformation: the former Porta Romana Railway Yard. Spanning nearly 190,000 square meters between Via Ripamonti and Corso Lodi, this vast industrial site served as a vital freight rail hub for over a century before its gradual decommission. Today, it stands as the site of one of Europe’s most ambitious urban regeneration projects, guided by the master plan "Parco Romana," designed by an international team of architects and urban planners.

The area is designated as the Olympic Village for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, engineered by the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Designed to the highest standards of eco-sustainability and energy efficiency, the complex will welcome athletes from around the globe during the Games. Following the event, the residences will be converted into Italy’s largest student housing complex, offering around 1,700 affordable beds alongside co-working spaces, community services, and a sprawling central public park covering over half of the yard's total footprint. Looking out over the Porta Romana Yard today offers a front-row seat to the birth of a new urban district, where industrial legacy becomes the foundation for a greener, more connected Milan.

Insider curiosity

The Milaneser and its link to Tipografia Bonvini 1909

During your stop at Tipografia Bonvini 1909, you will undoubtedly drawn to the striking art prints depicting Milanese life. Many of these belong to "The Milaneser," an acclaimed art project launched in 2020 by the visual communication studio Zetalab.

Inspired by the iconic cover art of "The New Yorker," The Milaneser invites dozens of international illustrators and artists to design covers for an imaginary magazine, capturing Milan's architecture, culture, eccentricities, and symbols through compelling visual storytelling.