The hotel is part of the Ferragamo-owned Lungarno Collection, and is located in the former Archiepiscopal Seminary, which is the oldest seminary in Europe and the second biggest in the world. Guests can enter through an archway designed by the famed Italian Baroque architect Francesco Maria Richini, where they will discover a 3,000-square-metre piazza framed by a double colonnaded loggia. 

The first floor houses 73 rooms and suites, and the ground floor will host restaurants, boutiques and a wellness centre. Known as the Piazza del Quadrilatero, the opening of this new square will connect Corso Venezia and Via S. Andrea for the first time, modifying pedestrian access through the fashion district. 

Several venues in the square are already open, including Portrait Milano’s casual dining venue, 10_11, while fashion shops include So-le Studio, which is the first flagship store for Maria Sole Ferragamo’s brand. Additional venues and stores will open in early 2023, including Italian restaurant Beefbar and Portrait Milano’s fine dining restaurant. The Longevity Suite will open in the spring, managing Portrait Milano’s wellness offering. 

The restoration of the building was led by architect Michele De Lucchi and his studio AMDL Circle, while architect Michele Bonan collaborated with the Lungarno Collection on the interior design. 

A spokesperson said the hotel was “located in one of Milan’s most fascinating secret spaces,” and added: “The style of the rooms at Portrait Milano is clearly inspired by the city’s salotti living rooms of the 1950s: the blond Italian walnut, the boiserie on the walls and oriental references take guests back to the most glamorous houses in Milan. These features are flanked by craftsmanship from Florence, the city where Lungarno Collection was born. The predominance of red and green is deeply connected with the city and its coat of arms.”

Portrait Milano is the third addition to the Portrait Collection, together with its sister properties, Portrait Firenze and Portrait Roma. Rooms start from €935 per night.