[JoeMusashi]

I'm pretty new to this forum: it's like 3 months that I am checking RVF.
I found this website browsing the web looking for travel information for Indonesia/Philippines and then.. well, I was "gamed" and I decided to read on.

I live in Milan, so I can provide some first-hand intelligence

Where to stay:
Avoid the 1-2 stars hotels near Lambrate/Loreto area (Viale Porpora/Via Vallazze/Via Pacini): there's close to no nightlife there (with the exception of some kebab shops and a few bars) and those hotels are known here as "spermhotels" (a lot of day/night Street hookers work there...).
Generally try to avoid 1-2 stars hotel, anyway.
Hostels are low-level and dirty.

If you want to live the nightlife, check the area and the hotels around Corso Buenos Aires/Piazza Della Repubblica/Porta Garibaldi. You are around 15 to 25 minutes away from Duomo by walking.

Nightlife

Monday:
Close to nothing.
Just a few clubs and restaurants open but most people are still recovering from the hangover or just are not interested in going out again.

Tuesday:
The nightlife slowly restarts.
Best area to be around is Navigli (summer and winter) and Corso Como/Via Della Moscova (summer/winter).
Some clubs reopen, some more people going around.

Wednesday:
The infamous "pre-weekend"
Ok, weekend is still far away but university nights/ladies night are in nearly full swing.
Check out the clubs around Corso Como or the Old Fashion Cafè/Just Cavalli/Armani Privè.
Look out on internet about the deal (some clubs are "university student only" this night of the week) and get hooked up with one of the local PR. You can find them outside most disco, ask them for directions about the best clubs/etc..
They will probably try to sell you a quick entrance to a club for which they're working for: be smart. Ask for their numbers, tell them that you haven't decided yet and then call them the day after, at around 17.00, to find out where they're going/working.

Thursday
Nightlife is getting momentum tonight.
You will find more people, including professionals, going around even in the late night (including me ) looking to get a couple of drinks with colleagues.
There are not so many "hotspots" in Milan, so I won't go over them again: my suggestion would be to stick to Corso Como/Via Della Moscova/Corso Garibaldi.

Friday
Ok, now it's weekend.
Most restaurant will be full (book them if you need them) and most people would be out having fun.
Crowds will be mostly in the 25-35y range, with some exceptions.

Saturday
We call Saturday "Children day" mostly because you will find most of the 16-20y old girls going around this night of the week.
I try to avoid clubs (if I have no real reason to be there) just to avoid the crowd of drunk 18y going around the city (I'm 30 now.. This would have been much different 5-8y ago ).

Sunday
The perfect day for a relaxing aperitivo in Navigli. Nightlife ends here until next Wednesday.

Prices
Club admission: 10-20 euro
Beer (club): 5-7 euro
Beer (bar/pub): 4-6 euro
Drink (club): 10-25 euro
Drink (bar/pub): 7-10 euro
Pizza + beer + coffee: 12-18 euro
Sushi all-you-can-eat and Others AYCE: 20-30 euro
Restaurant, dinner for 1 person (including wine): 30-50 euro
Public transport (1 way ticket, subway + bus, lasts 60 minutes): 1,50 Euro

Game
Ok, here's the big problem.
While it is not overly difficult to get into clubs and have a makeout with a semi-drunk girl there it will be much more difficult to bring her back to her/your pad.

I have been living in Milan since I was born and the "game" is REALLY difficult here. I had no problems in picking up girls (even If I am not really good looking) in Iceland, Norway, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Holland, France... but here, well, it's a mess.

- Social circles are pretty much closed unless you're invited in for the night and trying to pick up girls in the Street/malls/bars is not easy at all.
I had WAY more success in doing that while pretending to NOT speak italian and being there to visit "relatives" or meeting up with friends.
Luckily, I have some social circles to exploit and I opened up a new one just a few weeks ago (but it took me like 1y to get in and to not be considered an outsider).

- Most of us in the late 20s and early 30s still live with parents.
Why? Because housing is REALLY expensive here and banks are not willing to give out mortgages easily, so it's a bit of a mess.
Yes, there are also other reasons but sadly, this is the biggest one.
Oh, rents? Renting a flat close to the city center would cost me around 60% of my net monthly wage.

- Dating apps are not as common as you might think.
I have an OkCupid Profile set to Milan/30km range and I have around TWELVE contacts there. 9 out of 12 are "living in Milan" but coming from US/EE/South American and Asia.
Tinder is not well understood: I check it everyday and I probably swiped around 500 contacts in the last 2 months with a 30 km/range there too. A lot of days, when I fire it up, I have NO CONTACTS to swipe.

- By reading this forum and travelling I've found out that we treat girls in a TOO GOOD way. So yes, if I date a girl I'm 90% sure I'm going to pick up the tab at dinner. If she's honest, she will pay for drinks in the pub/bar after dinner (doesn't happen so commonly as it should, anyway).
If you don't, you would be considered rude and/or cheap.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

JM.

[chevalier_bleu]

Hey folks,

Can you recommend any decent hostel in Milan, or should I splurge for a hotel? I am going to be there for business, so I don't think I'll be running game (besides, I read it is complicated), so I wouldn't mind saving on company expenses and staying on a good hostel. Also good because I can meet people. Usually I go for Hi Hostels. Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks

[Mauro D]

It has been several years since this post was started... but I want to add my contribute for the people who will read it.

I've been a dating coach in Italy from 2011, so I think I can say a few things :-)

In this thread I read many times that Italian women are "hard to crack"... but that is not the reality. The reality is that you need to be good. Let me explain.

Most of normal guys are almost always in a relationship: in Italy it's very common to stay with your first girlfriend for several years... and normal guys have game, so they don't stay single too long when they break up.

This leaves almost only 2 types of men "in the market": those who are bad with women and those who are very good.
How does this reflect on women? They are tired/frustrated of incapable men who keep approaching them and go with skilled men when they spot one. The result is that just a few men get most of the women. If women see you as one of these men, the game is EASY. On the contrary, you have better to be in her social circle.

Hope this helps ;-)