Yes — Italy has a Starbucks, and it happens to be one of the most beautiful coffee spaces in the country. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan was the brand’s first location in Italy, and it’s become a can’t-miss stop for many Rome Abroad au pairs exploring the city on a weekend off. Here’s what one of our alumnae, S, wrote about her trip — plus a real look at what a week of au pair life in Italy actually feels like.
Key Takeaways
- The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan was the first Starbucks to open in Italy, and it’s worth the trip whether or not you consider yourself a coffee person.
- Milan is an easy weekend trip by train or metro from many host cities, making it a popular day trip for au pairs based elsewhere in Italy.
- Beyond the sightseeing, weekly life as an au pair is made up of small, ordinary moments — a kind stranger, a rough day, a routine that finally clicks.
- Meeting other au pairs in nearby cities is a great way to build a support system and plan future trips together.
The Highlight: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan
My favorite part of the weekend was visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. It is Italy’s original Starbucks location, housed near Piazza Cordusio, just a short walk from the Duomo. Whatever expectations you have from your hometown Starbucks, throw them out — this place is on a completely different level. My friend K and I are both coffee fanatics, so getting to try it felt like perfect timing.
Whether you’re a coffee lover or not, I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with this place. We adore Italian coffee, but I won’t lie — it was so nice to order an iced coffee again.
Since it opened, Starbucks has expanded to a handful of other locations around Italy, but the Milan Roastery is still the one worth planning a trip around.
A Weekend Adventure: From Our City to Milan
This weekend we stayed close to home on Friday and then made our way to Milan for the day on Saturday and Sunday. We took the local trains and metro to get there, which felt like a small victory in itself.
Milan completely won me over. We visited the Duomo, which is absolutely incredible in person, did some shopping, and met up with other au pairs living in the city. It turned into such a fun afternoon that we ended up planning more trips together on the spot.
Friday night, before we left, our own city’s center hosted an Urban Street Food fair — food trucks, cocktail trucks, music, and way more people than we realized actually lived here. It was a great reminder that there’s plenty to discover close to home too, not just on weekend trips.
Real Au Pair Life: This Week’s Reflections
Alongside the trip, here’s how the rest of my week went — the good, the hard, and the small wins.
Grateful for Strangers Who Go Out of Their Way
This week I was grateful for strangers who went out of their way for us. Living in a smaller city in Italy, the language gap can make you feel out of place sometimes. This week K and I met several people who were genuinely friendly, including a shopkeeper who offered to help us with our Italian. Small moments like that make a new country feel a lot less foreign.
The Hardest Part of the Week
I’ve felt really emotionally steady since arriving in Italy, but I had one day this week where I just needed to let it out a little. Getting outside afterward helped clear my head, and having a host mom who checks in and genuinely knows how to make me feel at home made all the difference.
A Small “Wow” Moment at Home
There are a few little ones in our host family, and they love watching videos on our phones. My host mom noticed my phone stand and wanted one for herself, but couldn’t find it locally — so I ordered it online and had it shipped to the house. It’s a tiny thing, but it made our morning coffee outings with the kids a lot smoother.
Settling Into a Routine
The weeks are flying by, and I’m finally settling into a routine here. I’ve started getting up early to work out or go for a run, which I’d missed from home. The mild mornings in Italy make it an especially good place for it. More than anything, I just enjoy my host family more each day — they’re wonderful, easygoing, and fun to be around.
FAQ: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan
Is there a Starbucks in Italy?
Yes. Starbucks opened its first Italian location, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, in Milan, and has since added a small number of additional locations around the country.
Where is the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan?
It’s located near Piazza Cordusio, within easy walking distance of the Duomo, making it simple to combine with a day of sightseeing in the city center.
Can au pairs in Italy easily visit Milan on a weekend?
Many au pairs placed in cities across Italy can reach Milan by regional train or metro for a day trip or weekend visit, depending on their host city’s location.
What is weekly life like as a Rome Abroad au pair in Italy?
It’s a mix of routine and discovery — childcare and daily life with a host family, paired with weekend trips, new friendships with other au pairs, and plenty of small moments that add up over time.
If a weekend spent chasing good coffee, new friends, and a city like Milan sounds like the kind of year you want, an au pair placement in Italy might be your next step.
Part of the Rome Abroad team helping young women live and work abroad as au pairs since 2015.
