It’s all well and good living near the vibrant, buzzy areas of your city – until you want to get to sleep, that is.
While many of us who live in cities have learned to find comfort in the sound of the night outside our windows, others would rather have some peace and quiet when we’re trying to get some zeds in.
That’s certainly the case in the Porta Venezia area of Milan, where late-night takeaways are facing a temporary ban due to noise complaints made by residents.
The spirited, busy, popular LGBTQ+ neighbourhood is one of the Italian city’s nightlife hotspots. However, businesses such as shops, stalls, bars and even vending machines have been forced to close between the hours of midnight and 6am on weeknights, and 1.30am and 6am on Friday and Saturday nights under the ban.
It comes after the Lazzaretto Residents Committee urged for actions, and some locals even sued City Hall over the noise they’re subject to.
The ban is set to last until Sunday 19 November at the very earliest. It’s even stricter on street vendors, who have been told they cannot sell for a 12-hour period from 6pm. Although it’s not the first time that Milan has placed bans on late-night establishments. In July 2022 and June 2023, after-hours takeaway drinks were banned in the city centre, again in an effort to reduce noise.
Takeaway alcohol sales were also banned from 7pm to 7am in May 2020, though this was due to concerns over the breaking Covid restrictions.
The Mayor of Milan Guiesseppe Sala told Ansa that ‘This idea of the 24-hour city in which there are no opening hours … no longer convinces me so much.’
But while residents have made their feelings about noise late into the night pretty clear, don’t let that deter you from visiting this glorious city.
Marco Granelli, Milan’s Councillor for Security, told La Repubblica that ‘We don’t want to penalise fun, nor work and entrepreneurial activities. However, we must allow residents to rest and all citizens to enjoy a quality public space in safety.’
So, though grabbing that late-night snack on your way home from the bar might not be so easy in Porta Venezia for the next few weeks, don’t let that put you off experiencing Milan’s best nightlife and great things to do.
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