Apr 12, 2026
3 min read
Design week: from Rho Fiera to the Fuorisalone that will affect Brera, Isola, Navigli, Tortona and Porta Romana - The increase in room prices and the main areas for the resident of Ticino who does not want to do everything in one day
Golden Hotels of Milan overlooking the Salone del Mobile
The great happiness of many Ticinese who want to follow the events in Milan is that they do not have to spend the night in Milan, except in some cases.An idea that comes up every Design Week: the 2026 edition, from April 21 to 26, promises to break all the records for visitors (about 350,000 expected this time), therefore for the prices of hotels and other types of accommodation.A dynamic not even seen during the recent Olympics in similar categories.In short, this week everything increased, but the income of those who want or want to come to Milan, not to mention those who stayed there and those who say to go (but not much).How to get around if you have to stay in Milan for a few days?
From mobile to design
As you know, Design Week is a gigantic and comprehensive evolution of the Salone del Mobile, as the exhibition itself is still called.An economic phenomenon that makes everything take off, from hotels to short-term rentals, from restaurants to taxis: every area of Milan, even if the exhibition is at Rho-Fiera, is easily accessible from Ticino by highway, Lainate exit.According to the latest research by Maiora Solutions, carried out in more than 200 structures, the average price of a room during the Design Week will increase dramatically (indeed it has already shot up) from €173 per night to €598, with a peak of over €1,287 in five-star hotels.their journey without much difficulty, almost five times the already high prices, according to the momentum caused by EXPO 2015 and fueled by the ideology that wants Milan to be a "premium" city (whatever that means).Be that as it may, since 1961 the Salone del Mobile has made Milan the global showcase for furniture and design in 2026 with more than 1,900 exhibitors (36% not from Italy) and more than 169,000 square meters of sold-out exhibition space.But the real earthquake takes place outside the exhibition, in the so-called Fuarisalone, which occupies Brera, Isola, Navigli, Tartona and Porto Romano.During these few days, the city triples its temporary population: designers, shoppers, journalists, entrepreneurs and just curious voyeurs from all over the world.
The data speaks clearly: even under the assumption that they can book it, during the Design Week the price of a three-star hotel rises from 170 euros to 580 euros, on average a four-star hotel from 180 to 638 euros, while five-star hotels have more than 1,200 euros a night for a double room.The costs of the Airbnb solution are clearly lower, but the increases in the Design Week will follow the same proportions as hotels: the average price rises from 130 euros to 375 euros a night, and the price of entire homes in position to 5,600 euros for a week.Why this boom?The answer is simple, because despite the constant openings of new hotels, Milan has only 50,000 hotel beds, and they are metered out in relation to the pre-fair, pre-tourism, pre-narrative rather true Milan.50,000 hotel places for 350,000 visitors, of which only a minority are residents of Milan or Ticino.The official advice, although useless (everyone has already thought of it), is to book directly through Salone's MiCodmc service, which offers the most competitive personalized rates.
The best areas for a citizen of Ticino who doesn't want to do everything in one day?Meanwhile, those around Rho Fiera and the Sempione area (Bovisa, Certosa, Quarto Oggiaro), which were notorious a few years ago, but have now been re-introduced and have "only" triple the prices for the same stars.Then the main station and Garibaldi-Isola: perfect areas for those arriving by train.From here the M2 or M5 metro or trains that reach Rho in 15 minutes.Lively districts, design districts (the Island is one of the hearts of Fuorisalone), aperitifs, presentations, etc.Those who are sensitive to the typical fake atmosphere can instead choose Navigli and Porta Ticinese, also the Fuorisalone sphere, especially for those who like to experience the night: young atmosphere, installations, cultural and paracultural places that are not exactly cultural and paracultural places.to the fair (as long as one is interested in furniture: in theory yes, at least to B2B travelers).Lately, the media has been pumping Porta Romana and Vigentina, between the Olympic village (now 'student housing') and everything else, but you don't experience the atmosphere of what's going on in Milan there, let's say it's dead.The pure historical center (Brera and Montenapoleone for example) should be absolutely avoided because of the prices and the people you meet after a certain hour.
Many non-Milanese, including many Swiss, invest in real estate in Milan, attracted by the potential for revaluation and the fact of being able to use the house itself.meters), but where it is easily rented, then the city, Navigation, Lambiament Tortona, Santa Julia.Generally speaking, semi-central and university areas offer the best risk/reward ratio.However, there are a few things anyone who thinks they can live off of their tenants should know.Short-term rentals, in short Airbnb, have higher returns, of around 12% per year, compared to traditional rentals (6-7%), but recently a series of obligations, first and foremost the VAT number if you own more than two homes.
May Switzerland
Design Week has a special relationship with real estate investment, but it is only partially related to a phenomenon outside of official statistics. The city of Milan, is called "the fifth Switzerland".Translation: The Swiss, especially those from the Ticino region, live in the city of Milan (formerly known as "the province") but do not move to their official residence. The alarming numbers: around 7,000 people, of which only 767 are "official" Swiss residents of Italy 53,100. In only a few cases, the choice of life is determined by two citizenships, with the increase of the older ones.55 and women. Therefore, from the Swiss point of view, the price of Milan is still acceptable. Those who are not looking for the tranquility of a typical farmhouse in the hills of Chianti, but a more luxurious life (let's refrain from giving details) have now designated Milan as their destination. Design week or not.
