Creating a community while you’re living abroad is a vital part of settling into your new life. Expat clubs are the perfect way to meet new friends and enjoy your favorite activities together without having to worry about the cultural or linguistic barriers that you might sometimes face when you first move to Italy.
Fortunately, there’s a great range of clubs in Milan that cater to the Expat community and help to foster friendships and facilitate activities for all different types of interests. Not only are there clubs for women, but there are also book clubs, language clubs and much more besides.
So let’s delve into the world of the Expat clubs in Milan so you can start to connect with other Expats and take part in the hobbies that you like the most.
The Best Expat Clubs Of Milan
The following are the best expat clubs that you can find in Milan:
Milano Culture Club.
Working in partnership with local tour operators, cultural organizations like, Milano Style and Easy Milano, the Milano Culture Club aims to bring together like-minded Expats who love all aspects of the impressive Milanese cultural and artistic heritage.
The group arranges a superb range of activities including tours, excursions and trips, visits to local landmarks, cultural events and exhibits, as well as social meetups where you can relax and get to know each other better. By getting together to enjoy the best of what Milan has to offer you’ll deepen your understanding and knowledge of Italian culture while having fun and making new friends.
It’s completely free to join the group although you will have to pay for tickets and group excursions that you want to attend. If you’d like to join this dynamic club, you can follow this link here, to sign up for the group’s mailing list and learn more about the Milano Culture Club.
The Women’s Society Italia.
Based in Milan, the Women’s Society Italia exists to help the community of female, international Expats in the city who want to connect with each other in a wide range of capacities. From collaborating to improve the Expat community to building new friendships and helping newly arrived Expats to settle in, the club is a great way to find your feet in Milan.
The Women’s Society Italia helps Expat women to create a more equitable, sustainable and pleasurable life abroad. Open to all women, in all professions, the Women’s Society Italia is just waiting to welcome you into an international group of English, Spanish and Italian speakers. It’s free to join the group and the opportunities it can offer you are almost limitless.
To find out more about the Women’s Society Italia, and start making new connections in Milan, email : womensocietyitalia@gmail.com. They also have a Facebook page.
Soul Voices Milano Gospel Choir.
If you love to sing and want to join a friendly Soul and Gospel choir in Milan, then look no further! The club meets regularly to practice its music and is led by Wendell Simpkins, an American vocal coach and singer. The group performs public concerts and is a great way to express your creative side while you’re in Milan.
To find out more about joining the Soul Voices Milano Gospel Choir, arrange an audition, or just to learn about the group’s upcoming events, you can drop a direct message to the club’s organizer, at wendellsimpkins@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page.
Benvenuto Club Of Milan.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Benevenuto Club of Milan is a volunteer organization that welcomes English and Italian speaking women to come together in friendship, philanthropy and cross-cultural understanding. The group arranges a whole plethora of events including cooking lessons, coffee meetups, hiking trips, excursions, museum visits and much more besides.
If you’re curious and would like to learn more about the Benvenuto Club of Milan, you can visit their website to get in touch with the organizers, here.
English Book Club Of Montevecchia.
For any bookworm and people who love to discuss the latest novel they’ve read, the English Book Club of Montevecchia is a fantastic way to meet like-minded friends. The club meets in the beautiful village of Montevecchia, just outside of Milan on the way to Lecco. This means it’s easy to reach the village, even if you’re living in central Milan. You can either catch a train, take a bus or drive yourself to the village in around 35 minutes by car.
The group is open to all English speakers who love to read and has been active for over 20 years. To find out more about joining the English Book Club of Montevecchia, you can call the group organizer, Sandy Wild, at 347-2249417.
American Business Group In Milan.
This club of English speaking professionals and business people is a Milanese-based networking group that can help you to connect with other people who do business in and around Milan. Lunches and meetings take place once a month and include a presentation from a group member as well as plenty of opportunities to network with other club members.
The group includes small business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals in law, medicine, finance, fashion and translation, among others. The American Business Group in Milan meets each month in the luxurious Hotel dei Cavalieri in Piazza Missori, 1. The city center hotel is close to the Duomo and the Missori Metro on the MM3 Yellow Line and is easy to access from anywhere in the city.
In order to participate in the monthly lunch meetings you need to register first. To register with the American Business Group in Milan, and join the mailing list, you can visit the club’s website, here.
Walking Group Parco Sud or Parco Nord.
It’s always great to explore the magnificent parks of Milan but it’s never so much fun on your own! If you’d like to find walking partners to share the experience with, then you can join the Walking Group Parco Sud or Parco Nord.
The group is fairly new and still growing but in the future, there are plans to arrange walking trips outside of Milan and at the seaside. To find out more, you can contact the group’s organizer at brigid.igoe1@gmail.com.
Human In Progress.
The Human in Progress club is a group of professionals, lawyers, psychologists and other people who are interested in moral debates. The club aims to come up with solutions to real-world problems and issues, both in Milan and the world at large. The group enriches themselves and their community by considering some of the most pressing issues that face the modern professional in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.
The group is open to new members and welcomes anybody with humanitarian values and a desire to learn more about the world and society. The club engages in numerous projects, including hosting debates and organizing initiatives such as assisting refugees with psychological and therapeutic help in making the transition to life in Milan.
The group has English, French and Italian speakers and is a fantastic way to meet interesting new people while broadening your mind in Milan. To find out more, you can visit the group’s website, here. You also explore the articles published by the group’s members on the frequently updated community website.
BlaBla Milan.
The BlaBla Milan social club and language exchange group meets up regularly, in a number of different capacities, to form bonds of friendship and improve your linguistic skills. The group runs events such as language meetups that include a free buffet and a drink – costing around 10 euros per person, as well as meditation classes and other unique group activities.
The friendly, welcoming group is a great way to meet other Expats and local Italians in a casual, laid-back environment. To find out more about this fun, dynamic group, you can visit here.
Italian Food – How To Cook The Best Of It!
If you’d like to learn how to cook the very best of Italian food then this social club is open to all, regardless of your ability and knowledge of cuisine. The group has both Expat, English speaking members, and local Italians, who meet up to learn how to cook some of the nation’s most popular recipes.
From traditional risotto to tiramisu, and spaghetti to fresh summery side salads, you’ll learn all about the authentic techniques of Italian cuisine while meeting new friends, sharing a drink and then, of course, eating the fruits of your labor together.
To find out more about joining this Milanese social and cooking club, you can contact the organizer directly at info@fornelliaspillo.it, or check out the group on their Meetup page, here.
The British Chamber Of Commerce For Italy.
The primary focus of the British Chamber for Commerce in Italy is to help trade and investment between Italy and the UK to flourish. The group works tirelessly to foster business connections between its members and collaborates with the British Embassy in Rome, the British Consulate and the UK Department for International Trade (DIT).
The British Chamber of Commerce for Italy helps to grow and develop the local business community in Rome, and further afield in Italy. The group also facilitates conferences, seminars and workshops in a wide variety of areas that can assist its members in reaching their potential in the world of business. Members are also able to access personalized advice, either from members of the group or the wider business community in Italy and the UK.
If you’re interested in becoming a member you can call the Chamber’s office directly at +39 02 877798, or explore the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy’s website, here.
Black Women Milan.
The Black Women Milan (BWM) is a relatively new group that aims to bring black women who are living in Milan together to celebrate the local culture, share experiences with each other, build friendships and assist one another in creating a new life in Italy.
The group organizes social meetups in person and runs a Facebook group and a WhatsApp group where you can get the latest notifications. To find out more about the club’s upcoming events, or just to get in contact with its members, you can check on the Black Women Milan’s social media sites.
Discover Milan’s Expat Clubs And Flourish In The City.
Meeting new people when you move abroad is always one of the most challenging aspects of making the transition. However, if you join a club, or two, you’ll quickly start to make new connections while having fun and learning more about Milan’s fascinating cultural heritage. All of the Expat clubs are very welcoming and friendly so there’s no need to be shy about signing up!