FOR fashion, art, culture and drinks for under €2.50, there’s an Italian city you need to visit.
Milan has always been a popular spot for Brits, but it was recently named Time Out’s trending city break destination for 2026.
Time Out said: “Although it is the second-largest city in the country, it’s easily explored in just a few days because a lot of the most famous attractions – such as the Duomo cathedral and historical centre – are pretty tightly packed together.
“This makes it walkable and compact without feeling small or claustrophobic. It goes without saying that it’s also a great place to go shopping.”
As for why it’s trending this year, Time Out said it’s because of one event in particular, the Winter Olympics which start on February 6, 2026.
It said to expect “excitement” and “busy bars” while the competition is taking place until February 22, 2026.
If you fancy heading to the Italian city, it’s actually just two hours from the UK.
In January, you can fly to Milan from London Stansted or Birmingham Airport from £14.99.
When you land, there’s plenty to do in the city, but we have some top places for your must-see list – and we’ll start with the food.
While Milan didn’t invent aperitivo, it is considered the capital of the modern version – and plenty of bars offer it.
Aperitivo refers to pre-dinner drinks and snacks which you can usually indulge in between the hours of 6-9pm – it’s intended to ‘open’ the stomach before dinner.
And if you’re savvy enough, you could dine on aperitivo all evening and not spend a single euro on dinner.
Those who love a cocktail will be pleased as aperitivo usually involves drinking a Milanese classic like an Aperol Spritz or Negroni made from gin, Campari and vermouth.
Then comes the food as the drink will be accompanied by complimentary nibbles like olives, nuts, cheeses, bruschetta or even small pizzas.
At most spots in Milan, you buy a cocktail and get a few light bite alongside it, but some places offer huge buffets.
At BhangraBar, you can order one cocktail for €15 (£13.01) and get unlimited access to the buffet everyday between 5-10pm.
At La Hora Feliz, you can buy a cocktail and head up to the buffet which has pastas, salads, polenta, and even tiramisu which you can get for the cost of one drink which is around €10 (£8.67).
If cheap and cheerful bars are what you’re after, head to GhePensiMI where you can get beers for €2.50 (£2.17) on Tuesdays until 9pm.
Another, called La Strada, has a great and very cheap offer of €3 (£2.60) drinks and aperitivo.
It has a 1960s-style VW campervan bar too.
If you fancy a beer, head to Al Confine which has 10 on tap – on Friday and Saturday nights, drinks are €3.50 (£3.04)..
Or head to the waterways which you’ll see on the outskirts of the city – but nowadays it’s where you’ll find great bars.
One of these is Frizzi E Lazzi on the outskirts of Navigli, it’s a 70s bar and is another bar where you can enjoy a €3 glass of wine with aperitivo – and it has live music.
Naviglio Grande canal, which is the largest in the city, connects to the Ticino River and dates back to 1177 – making it one of the oldest of its kind in Europe – now it’s completely transformed.
That’s the district that Travel Writer Martha Griffiths explored on her trip to the city, she explained: “I spent a couple of days in Milan to explore its famous aperitivo scene and it was an incredibly affordable way of experiencing local life.
“On the first night, we headed into the trendy Navigli district and sat down at a small bar. I ordered an Aperol spritz, which was accompanied by olives, nuts and breadsticks.
“I was expecting these to be added on to our bill but was pleasantly surprised to find out it was complimentary and only cost me 7 euros for the drink.”
Martha continued: “The second night, we found a bar in Brera, an area renowned for its elegant atmosphere.
“Again, I ordered an Aperol spritz, which this time came alongside a heartier range of bites, including cured meat, antipasti and bruschetta for just the two of us.
“We ordered a second drink here and to our surprise, they brought out another round of snacks this time, including arancini bites.
“We spent around an hour and a half here and it was the perfect setting for a relaxing pre-dinner ritual. Each Aperol was €10 (£8.67) and given the snacks provided, it was incredibly good value, costing far less than it would in the UK.
“Everyone knows of the tapas tradition in Spain but I’ve only ever been given free crisps or nuts with a drink there – in Italy, their version can get you the equivalent of a whole lunch for free.”
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Milan might be known for its fashion week and F1 but it’s also a fantastic place for a weekend break.
Both Ryanair and easyJet often have bargain flights for as little as £15 each way.
And two of the cities most beautiful spots are the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Duomo, both free to see (although it costs to go inside the latter).
Being Italy, expect fantastic food – Pizza AM is the best if you like laidback vibes and free prosecco.
For drinks, Iter is a locally loved bar just off the Navigli canal, or head to the fun Bar Luce, designed by Wes Anderson himself and full of pink cakes and pinball machines.
My top tip? Ditch the very expensive Ubers for the trams. Even the vintage wooden ones go across the centre of the city for just a few euros.
For more on city breaks, here are the 39 of the best in Europe – and the no.1 is very cheap.
Plus, On the Beach has launched new affordable city breaks to 188 destinations from £83pp.