Home Milan Fights Summer Loneliness with “Open Days” at Neighborhood Houses

Milan Fights Summer Loneliness with “Open Days” at Neighborhood Houses

Marco BenedettiMay 18, 20263 Mins read6

Summarize:

Milan’s “Open Day” Initiative: Combating Summer Loneliness in Neighborhood Houses

From Thursday, May 21, to Saturday, May 23, 2026, the City of Milan will open the doors of nine of its Neighborhood Houses to the public. This initiative aims to showcase the new network of social centers and their extensive summer program designed to support residents who will spend the warmer months in the city, particularly those at risk of isolation.

The “Open Days” will provide a unique opportunity for residents and curious individuals to experience free courses, workshops, and welfare orientation services. These pilot Neighborhood Houses, strategically located one in each Municipality, will offer a taste of their year-round activities.

What are the Neighborhood Houses?

The Neighborhood Houses represent a significant evolution and enhancement of Milan’s municipal aggregation system. Formed by the merger and revitalization of 29 socio-recreational cultural centers and 35 multifunctional aggregation centers (Cam), the network now boasts 64 territorial outposts spread across all areas of Milan. The primary goal is to overcome the fragmentation of services, offering a single point of reference for children, young people, families, and the elderly.

Activities Offered During the Open Days

During the three-day event, citizens can personally experience a diverse range of activities, including:

Wellness and Sports: Gentle gymnastics, tai chi, and psychomotor sessions.
Culture and Creativity: Artistic workshops and painting classes.
Sociality and Sharing: Community snacks, group dances, and entertainment moments.
Inclusion: Digital literacy courses to bridge the technological divide.

Operators from the WeMi spaces will also be present during the extraordinary opening afternoons. This staff, located within or near the centers, will be available to offer guidance, listening, and useful information on how to access all welfare and assistance services guaranteed by the Municipality of Milan.

Milan’s Plan to Combat Isolation During Warm Months

This initiative particularly targets vulnerable populations and those at risk of isolation, for whom the summer season can exacerbate daily difficulties. “The Neighborhood Houses are an ambitious project born with the aim of providing services and opportunities, overcoming the fragmentation of responses and with particular attention to intergenerationality,” explain Lamberto Bertolé, Councillor for Welfare and Health, and Gaia Romani, Councillor for Decentralization and Participation, in a joint statement. “Loneliness is a transversal condition that affects all ages, and opportunities for meeting are a precious asset. It is now essential to broaden the audience of users, opening these places to those who do not yet know them. The open days are born precisely with this dual objective, with a particular focus on summer which, as always, will represent a difficult time for those without a social support network. We want these people to know that they are not alone.”

All Open Day activities are completely free and open to all, with no reservation required. The detailed program, including the list of the nine centers involved in their respective municipalities, can be consulted on the institutional portal of the Municipality of Milan.

Detailed Open Day Program

Thursday, May 21

Municipality 1 – Neighborhood House via Porta Vigentina 15 – 2 PM – 8 PM: Group dances, book banquet, choir performance, shared snack, creative workshops with salt dough and thread art, watercolor course.
Municipality 4 – Neighborhood House via Mompiani 5 – 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Gentle gymnastics, shared snack, creative activities for children, choir performance, ballroom dancing.
Municipality 7 – Neighborhood House via Stratico 5 – 4 PM – 7 PM: Tai chi, artistic workshop, exhibition of paintings and ceramics made by members, San Siro women’s choir, group dances and boogie.
Municipality 9 – Neighborhood House via Grivola 10 – 3 PM – 7:30 PM: Used book banquet, gentle gymnastics, tai chi, creative workshop, DJ set with 70s and 80s music.

Friday, May 22

Municipality 2 – Neighborhood House via Sant’Uguzzone 24 – 2 PM – 7 PM: Group dances and ballroom dancing, workshop on the use of Spid and Cie, shared snack, animated book banquet, presentation of WeMi, CuraMi, and ProteggiMi desks, psychomotor activities, dancing animation.
Municipality 3 – Neighborhood House via Crescenzago 56 – 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Tai chi, shared snack, board games, workshop with Meccano, yoga, Zumba, games and activities for promoting active aging with AllenaMente, theatrical performance.
Municipality 5 – Neighborhood House via Saponaro 34 – 4 PM – 8 PM: Gentle gymnastics, cognitive workshop, art therapy, creative workshop, theater workshop, billiards workshop, shared snack, yoga, live music dancing.
Municipality 8 – Neighborhood House via Cenisio – 3 PM – 7 PM: Choir performance, bocce, creative workshops, gardening workshop on sowing and cuttings, group dances, shared snack, chess workshop, exhibition of works made by members during workshops.

Saturday, May 23

Municipality 6 – Neighborhood House via Narcisi 3 – 3:30 PM – 7 PM: Choir performance, shared snack, green workshop, ceramic workshop, creative workshop, aromatic herbs workshop, henna station, shared drawing workshop, group dances.

How to Participate

All activities are free and open to the public, with no prior reservation required. Simply visit the chosen Neighborhood House during the specified hours. For the full program and details on all participating centers, please visit the official website of the Municipality of Milan.