Milan Travel Guide
With massive urban sprawl and a reputation for being the cold Lombard capital, Milan doesn’t feel like a quintessentially Italian metropolis, but with settlers from all over the country making their home here, visitors will find all of Italy in one city.
With massive urban sprawl and a reputation for being the cold Lombard capital, Milan doesn’t feel like a quintessentially Italian metropolis, but with settlers from all over the country making their home here, visitors will find all of Italy in one city.
Known as a centre of fashion, finance and football, Milan is indisputably the country’s most stylish city. Trendy bars and boutiques rub shoulders in the back streets, while on the busy thoroughfares mighty towers signal the city’s superior economic clout. Milan is also the home of two big football clubs, A.C. Milan and Inter Milan, who share the historic San Siro stadium.
As the epicentre of Italian fashion and interior design, there is certainly a buzz about the city. International fashionistas, designers, supermodels and paparazzi descend upon Milan twice a year for its spring and autumn fairs. Many high-end designers still use the city’s trusted producers and it remains one of the best places in the world to shop.
Despite the air of modern flair, there is a rich history here too. Cut through the modern metropolitan bustle, and you will stumble across countless impressive churches and palaces. Start with the breath-taking Duomo di Milano in the city centre, a colossal Gothic cathedral, one of the largest in the world. Then there’s the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, which houses Da Vinci’s restored Last Supper painting, and survived bombing raids in WWII.
There is plenty to see near the Duomo too, including the city’s fabled opera house, La Scala, and Sforza Castle, a grand medieval fortress. Nearby is Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an ancient and glamorous arcaded shopping gallery.
Not all of Milan’s aesthetic appeal lies in the historic centre. The pretty Navigli area in the south has become popular for its many bars and restaurants, as has the chic Brera district and lively university quarter.
Meanwhile, former industrial areas are undergoing urban renewal schemes, such as the old Fiera area, which includes new apartments, a park, a contemporary art museum and a trio of futuristic skyscrapers. It’s bold reinvention like this which reminds us that Milan is truly Italy’s most dynamic city.
Milan’s history stretches back to a Celtic settlement in 400BC. It was conquered by the Romans in 222BC and later became the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
As the Empire declined over subsequent centuries, the city was invaded by many different groups, including the Visigoths, Huns and Lombards.
During the Middle Ages, Milan flourished as a trade hub. From the 13th and 15th centuries, the powerful Visconti family ruled and brought a period of glory and wealth to the city. Under them, the magnificent Duomo cathedral was built in 1386.
Although Milan grew as in important Renaissance city from the 15th century, it would have to put up with French, Spanish and Austrian rulers until Italian unification in 1871.
The Kingdom of Italy had, in fact, been declared by Napoleon at the turn of the 19th century, but when his occupation ended in 1814, the Lombard region, including its capital of Milan, came under Austrian control. The Austrians were finally given the boot in 1859 after numerous Milanese rebellions.
Although Rome was appointed the capital after the final phase of unification, Milan swiftly became the real economic and cultural leader. It developed into a pivotal industrial base, with rail links expanding out from the city, and Milanese banks gaining financial dominance over the country.
It was here that the fascist leader Benito Mussolini rose to prominence in the early 20th century. He and his followers marched on Rome in 1922, seizing control of the country. As a centre of Italian fascism, Milan was bombed heavily by the Allies during WWII. It’s a miracle that so many historic treasures survived from this period, including La Scala opera house, Castello Sforzesco and The Last Supper by Da Vinci.
After the war, the population increased as southern migrants came seeking work, and modern skyscrapers such as the Velasca and Pirelli Towers began to pop up. By the 1980s, many fashion houses that were based in the city (including Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabanna) became globally successful and Milan was transformed into one of the world’s leading fashion capitals.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper suffered a direct hit from an Allied bombing raid, but survived because the wall it adorned in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie was sandbagged.
Although he has gone down in history as one of the world’s most infamous fascists, Mussolini was originally a prominent figure in the Italian Socialist Party and the editor of its newspapers. He was ousted for his vociferous support for Italian military intervention in WWI.
Work may have started on Il Duomo in 1386, but construction continued for hundreds of years afterwards, with additions and ornamental detail being added to the façade as recently as the 19th century.
Milan has a humid subtropical climate characterised by hot summers and cold, foggy winters. Fashionistas arrive en masse to attend the semi-annual Milan Fashion Week in February and September respectively. There are also numerous trade fairs throughout the year that might pique your interest.
Spring (March to May) is mild but wet. Temperatures gradually increase from 10°C (50°F) in March to 19°C (66°F) in May
Summer (June to August) promises hot and sunny weather, though it can be humid. The average temperature in August is 25°C (77°F).
Autumn (September to November) starts off warm but rain starts to fall in October, so pack a raincoat with you.
Winter (December to February) is mild but foggy. Bring warm clothes as temperatures can drop to 4°C (39°F) in December. Many shops also offer very tempting discounts during the Christmas season.
Getting around Milan
Milan has a comprehensive transport network run by
Azienda Trasporti Milanesi (
ATM )
Telephone:
+39 02 4860 7607
Website:
www.atm.it
Its integrated ticketing system connects the metro, bus, tram and trolleybus.
The metro has four lines (red M1, green M2, yellow M3 and purple M5) which converge at Duomo, Centrale FS, Loreto, Garibaldi FS, Lotto and Cadorna. and Cadorna.Tickets must be validated by punching them in the SITAM machines onboard buses or at metro stations. Tickets are available from newsagents, tobacconists, automatic vending machines at major metro and bus stops, plus some cafés.
Passes, valid for one or two days, are available from ATM railway offices at Cadorna, Centrale FS, Duomo, Loreto and Romolo. A carnet of 10 tickets is also available. You can load fares and passes onto RicaricaMi smartcards.
You can pick up taxis (usually white or yellow) at ranks outside railway stations or book them by phone. The main firms are;
Radiotaxi
Telephone: +39 02 8585
Taxiblu 024040
Telephone: +39 02 4040
Tipping is not expected. Expect to pay another euro for each item of luggage.
You should avoid driving in Milan if possible. Its streets are congested day and night, and parking is very difficult. Roadside parking in the historic centre is limited to a maximum of two hours within the blue lines marked by sostaapagamento (pay to stop) signs. A city toll is mandatory on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 0730 until 1930. On Thursday, the toll is mandatory from 0730 until 1800.
The best option is to head to one of the parkand-ride schemes run by ATM. If you’re determined to drive into the city, try the Autosilo Borgospesso 24-hour car park, Via Borgospesso 18, for somewhere to leave your car.
Milanese are enthusiastic cyclists and a bicycle sharing scheme called
CYCLE Milan
Address: Via Tofane, 33, 20125 Milano.
Telephone: +39 348 499 1680
Website: www.cycle.eco
Rossignoli Bicycles
Address: Corso Garibaldi, 71, 20121 Milano.
Telephone: +39 02 804 960
Website: www.rossignoli.it
Operates nearly 5,000 bikes in more than 200 stations. You can get a one-day or one-week subscription, after which the first 30 minutes of any journey are free.
Benefit from Travoley’s great deals available all year round for a seamless car hire experience in Milan. Travel your way by choosing from our collection of brand new cars. Whether you are looking for car rental in Milan as part of a vacation, or renting a car for a special event, you will be sure to find a car to suit your needs from our wide range of economy and luxury models.
In order to hire a car, drivers must be at least 21 years old, depending on company policy. All drivers without an EU licence must carry an International Driving Permit.
Our simple booking system makes it easy to reserve online before you go, offering flexible short- and long-term rental, all at great prices with no hidden charges, so when you arrive all that’s left is to discover the best of this exciting city.
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Things to see in Milan
Attractions
Begun in 1386, Milan’s Duomo is the world’s largest gothic cathedral, taking over 500 years to complete. The best time to visit is in bright sunshine, when the windows create a kaleidoscope of colour through the cavernous interior. Climb the steps to the roof to admire the forest of 135 spires and 3,600 statues.
Address:
Piazza del Duomo, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 7202 3375
Opening times: Daily 09:00-19:00 (terraces 09:00-19:00).
Website:
www.duomomilano.it
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Santa Maria delle Grazie and The Last Supper
The Last Supper is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is painted directly onto the wall of the refectory adjoining the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.Centuries of repainting were stripped back at the end of the last century to reveal what is close to the original work.
Address:
Corso Magenta, Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 9280 0360
Opening times: Tue-Sun 08:15-18:45.
Website:
www.cenacolovinciano.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
- Museo d’Arte Antica, Castello Sforzesco (Museum of Historic Art, Sforza Castle)
On the edge of the Parco Sempione, three municipal museums compete for attention within the 15th-century red brick Sforza Castle. The most venerable is the Museum of Historic Art which holds Michelangelo’s last sculpture, the unfinished Rondanini Pietà, depicting the Virgin cradling the body of Christ.
Address:
Piazza Castello, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 8846 3700
Opening times: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30.
Website:
www.arteantica.milanocastello.it
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Museo Teatrale alla Scala (Theatre Museum at La Scala)
Opera lovers will adore this museum, crammed with rich mementoes of the celebrated opera house, La Scala. Two collections are devoted to Milan’s darling Giuseppe Verdi, whose Slaves Chorus from Nabucco remains the unofficial Italian anthem. Memorabilia include handwritten scores and the jewel-encrusted baton presented to Verdi after a triumphal reception of Aida.
Address:
Largo Antonio Ghiringhelli 1, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 8879 7473
Opening times: Daily 09:30-17:30.
Website:
www.teatroallascala.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro Stadium)
This world-famous stadium is home to Milan’s two main football teams: AC Milan and Internazionale. The San Siro Museum tells the histories of both clubs and showcases memorabilia such as cups, medals and shirts as well as lifesize replicas of players. Guided tours of this 80,018 capacity ground are available too.
Address:
Piazzale Angelo Moratti, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 4879 8201
Opening times: Daily 09:30-17:00.
Website:
www.sansiro.net
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
This museum in the Palazzo dell’Arengario is now the permanent home for Milan’s collection of modern and contemporary art. Some of the works are grouped thematically, in areas like Futurism, the Novecento, Spatialism and Arte Povera, while others showcase outstanding artistic personalities such as Boccioni, Carrà, Soffici and Martini.
Address:
Piazza del Duomo, Via Guglielmo Marconi, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 8844 4061
Opening times: Tue-Sun 10:00-19:30, Mon-Closed.
Website:
www.museodelnovecento.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Built by two brothers in 1883 as their ideal Renaissance household, the Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi is furnished with their vast collections of antiques from the 15th and 16th centuries. The result is a fascinating insight into the mentality of 19th-century Milan, which was nostalgically longing for the days of the Sforza.
Address:
Via Gesù 5, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 7600 6132
Opening times: Wed-Sun 13:00-17:45.
Website:
www.museobagattivalsecchi.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum)
Devoted to the history of science, most visit this museum to see the Leonardo Gallery, which showcases a host of models (both static and functioning) by Leonardo da Vinci. Illustrating his intuitive genius, designs for war machines, flying contraptions and architecture display da Vinci’s incredible foresight.
Address:
Via San Vittore 21, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 485 551
Opening times: Tue-Thu 09:30-17:00, Fri-Sun 09:30-18:30.
Website:
www.museoscienza.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Picture Gallery)
Napoleon, whose statue by Canova stands in the courtyard, opened Milan’s Brera Picture Gallery in 1809 – a collection enriched by objects confiscated on his Italian campaigns. Don’t miss the lyrical Pietà by Giovanni Bellini, depicting the death of Christ, and Mantegna’s virtuoso treatment of the same subject, the body foreshortened and viewed from the soles upward.
Address:
Via Brera 28, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 722 63 264 /229
Opening times: Tue-Sun 08:30-18:00.
Website:
www.brera.beniculturali.it
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
The 19th-century aristocrat, Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, put together this varied collection of art. It also includes some exquisite furnishings and historic arms. Even Antonio Pollaiolo’s Portrait of a Lady, Milan’s second favourite painting after The Last Supper, hangs here. Look out for works by Andrea Mantegna and Sandro Botticelli.
Address:
Via Alessandro Manzoni 12, Milan.
Telephone: +39 02 79 4889 / 6334
Opening times: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00.
Website:
www.museopoldipezzoli.it
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Address:
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 8845 5555
Opening times: Mon-Sun 09:00-19:00.
Website:
www.turismo.milano.it
InfoMilano offers all kinds of information of the city as well as maps and advice on guided tours, museums and places to stay. There is another tourist information office in Stazione Centrale, in front of platform 21.
Tourist passes
Website:
www.milanocard.it offers free public transport and discounts on selected museums, monuments, restaurants and bike rental. You can buy either a one-day or three-day card online or from the tourist information office in Milan.
Website: www.themilanpass.com is a 48-hour city card that, once purchased, offers free entry to many of the major sights and comes with a book of vouchers for further discounts.
Things to do in Milan
- Dress up for a night at the opera
La Scala
Telephone:
+39 02 8879 7473
Website:
www.teatroallascala.org
One of the world’s principal opera houses. Its performances are eagerly anticipated and a major event on the Milan social calendar. The venue’s looming red and gilt boxes are so sought after they are considered a highlight of the opera’s behind-thescenes tour.
- Get the best views of the city from the cathedral roof
Grandly gothic, Milan Cathedral
Telephone:
+39 02 7202 2656
Website:
www.duomomilano.it
Is perhaps the most striking of all of the city’s religious buildings. Constructed using light-pink Candoglia marble, the Duomo’s most famous features are its pointed roof top pinnacles. Those with a head for heights can walk among them.
- See a game at the San Siro stadium
Inter Milan and A.C. Milan, two giants of European football, call the
San Siro stadium
Telephone:
+39 02 4879 8201
Website:
www.sansiro.net
Home Tours explore the changing rooms and visitors can walk through the tunnel, and although the museum offers an insight into the rich history of these clubs, nothing beats the atmosphere of a game.
- Take a seat at The Last Supper
As a destination, Basilica di Santa Maria
Telephone:
+39 02 467 6111
Website:
www.legraziemilano.it is a triple threat.
Leonardo Di Vinci’s The Last Supper is its biggest draw, but visitors shouldn’t miss Codex Atlanticus, a collection of 1700 drawings by the artist. Both are housed in a splendid UNESCOlisted building with exceptional Bramante dome.
- Walk the Via Ferrata routes in the Dolomites
A natural playground for hikers and bikers in the summer (and skiers and boarders in the winter), the Dolomites are three hours from Milan by car. Here, limestone peaks rise above green valleys and glacial lakes. Adventurers should try the Via Ferrata trails equipped with ladders, bridges and iron ropes.
Milan tours and excursions
Milan tours
Footie fans will appreciate the opportunity to visit Milan’s San Siro Stadium where they can enjoy a guided tour of the 90-year-old building, a visit to the museum to gawp at memorabilia and trophies and to learn more about the history of the city’s two football teams.
Telephone:
+39 02 404 2432
Website:
www.sansiro.net
The only way to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper without advance reservations is via a three-hour Autostradale bus tour.
Departing from Piazza del Duomo at 0930, the tour includes the cathedral and Sforza Castle, plus entry to Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan (to see The Last Supper), the Brera National Gallery and the Scala Museum.
Telephone:
+39 02 3008 9000
Website:
www.autostradale.it
Zoom around Milan on a segway for a unique perspective of the city. Segway Tour Milan offers several different tours including a Downtown one, which zips around the main sights, a Churches tour, a Leonardo da Vinci tour, and a Shopping tour.
Milan excursions
Only 50km (31 miles) from Milan, the walled hilltop town of Bergamo enchants with a wealth of medieval, Renaissance and baroque architecture. Highlights include the Piazza Vecchia, in the heart of the upper town (Bergamo Alta), alongside the Palazzo della Ragione and the Torre della Civica.
In the nearby Piazetta del Duomo, the Romanesque church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which includes a 19th-century memorial to the native composer Gaetano Donizetti, overshadows the cathedral. The best views are from the Castello on the summit of San Vigilio.
Telephone:
+39 035 320 402
Website:
www.visitbergamo.net/en
The Carthusian Monastery of Pavia is a living museum, an architectural treasure box containing prized artworks and run by the monks who produce excellent Chartreuse liqueurs. Located 34km (21 miles) south of Milan, the monastery is reachable by bus or train.
The Certosa di Pavia is a 15-minute walk (skirting the Certosa walls) from the station.
Telephone:
+39 03 8292 5613
Website:
www.certosadipavia.comShopping in Milan
Home to Armani and Versace, Milan is a temple to fashion. Naturally it delights the high priests and priestesses of style with all manner of labels, stores, boutiques and independent shops.
Top of the list for fashion lovers in Milan is the Quadrilaterod’Oro (Golden Quad), formed by Via Monte Napoleone, Via Sant’Andrea, Via Monzani, Gesù and Via della Spiga. Names such as Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Prada, Valentino and Versace read like an ABC of Italian chic. L’Armadio de Laura, Via Voghera 25, has some fine offbeat thrift and end-of-season returns, while the pedestrianised Via Fiori Chiari is a particularly pleasant spot for browsing galleries, with a number of good cafés along the way.
For those who prefer the bustle of street markets, Viale Papiniano (metro San Agostino) is open all day Saturday and from 0800 to 1400 on Tuesday mornings. The flea market at Fiera di Sinigaglia takes place along the Darsena basin on Saturdays. Antique fairs are popular at the weekends around the Naviglio Grande.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a 19th-century glass-roofed four-storey arcade, is one of the oldest shopping malls in the world. Locals come to browse the exclusive shops and sip Campari and soda in the bars. Prada has had its flagship store here since 1913 and was joined recently by Louis Vuitton and Gucci. 10 Corso Como, a design emporium with clothes, books and even its own bed and breakfast is a haven for fashionistas.
Visit outlet malls for hefty discounts: try Il Salvagente at Via Fratelli Bronzetti, 16 and the Dmagazine Outlet (locally known as DMAG) at Via Manzoni, 44.
Shops are generally open 09:30-12:30 and 15:30-19:30 from Tuesday to Sunday, although bigger stores stay open all day. Some shops close on Sunday and reopen on Monday afternoon from about 15:30-19:30. Many shops close for much of August.
If you can’t afford high fashion, opt for smaller leather items such as gloves, shoes, wallets, belts and purses.
Value added tax is 22%. Non-EU citizens can reclaim VAT on their larger purchases from a single shop displaying a ‘tax-free shopping’ sign and in duty free shops. ( Value added tax is 22%. Travellers from outside the EU can claim back sales tax on purchases over €155 if they have bought from shops displaying the ‘tax free’ shopping sign.)
Restaurants in Milan
With a reputation for fashion over food, Milan has long been in the shadow of its contemporaries when it comes to good cooking. However, that’s changed in recent years and the city is now garnished with a smorgasbord of decent dining options that accompany its long-toothed espresso scene.
The Milan restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over €100)
Moderate (€30 to €100)
Cheap (up to €30)
These prices are for a three-course meal for one with a half bottle of house wine or equivalent.
Milan restaurant prices are subject to IVA (value added tax) at 10%, but this is always included within the prices given. A 15% service charge is sometimes added to the bill at the end. It is customary to round up the bill and leave a tip of a couple of euros tip if the meal and service have been good.
Expensive
Cuisine: Italian
The fabulous old-style Italian dining room in the luxurious Hotel Principe di Savoia comes complete with Murano glass chandeliers, a huge dessert trolley and top-notch sommeliers. The food is exquisite classic Italian, so expect dishes like turbot with artichoke cream and apple vinegar or guinea fowl with Madeira wine. Book a window table for garden views.
Address:
Piazza della Repubblica, 17, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 6230 2026
Website:
www.dorchestercollection.com
Cuisine: Modern Italian
With two Michelin stars above the door, and wine cellars of 2,000 labels, this eponymous fine dining establishment near the Duomo showcases the talents of chef Carlo Cracco. The interior may look like an airport lounge, but with innovations like pasta with sea urchins and coffee, the most tasteful elements are left on the plate.
Address:
Via Victor Hugo 4 (off Via Orefici), Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 876 774
Website:
www.ristorantecracco.it
Cuisine: Italian
Steak, ribs, pasta & risotto at a horse racing-themed, family-run institution with a shady garden. We live in a world where everything changes, constantly. And it’s nice to know that certain things always remain the same, in their identity and in their essence: points of reference for people.
Address:
Via Marco Cremosano, Milano.
Telephone:
+39 02 3300 1646
Website:
www.ribotmilano.it
Moderate
Cuisine: Italian
DA NOI IN’s executive chef, Fulvio Siccardi, is on his way to a third Michelin star for his excellent modern twists on traditional Italian cuisine. Located in the trendy Forcella district, the dining room is a clinical take on home comforts with old books and two open fires. Try uovo in gabbia (egg in a cage), the chef’s signature dish.
Address:
Via Vincenzo Forcella 6, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 837 8111
Website:
www.magnapars-suitesmilano.it
Cuisine: Italian
El Brellin serves up classic Milanese cooking, with fresh pasta, delicious wine, and tasty home-cooked desserts. Take a table upstairs and you’ll have views over the canal. There’s a sumptuous buffet on Sundays.
Address:
Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 14, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 5810 1351 / 8940 2700
Website:
www.brellin.com
Cuisine: Italian
There’s no pretence at this simple osteria which serves up delicious, exquisitely cooked dishes such as risotto aifrutti di bosco e zola dolce (risotto with wild berries and sweet gorgonzola) and daube di manzo al vino in civet con polenta (beef daube in red wine with polenta). Decorated by bottle-lined shelves and ancient black and white photos, this is a real picture of an Italia of old.
Address: Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 61, Milano.
Telephone: +39 02 5811 3224
Website: www.levigneristorante.com
- Cheap Alla Fontana Pizzeria
Cuisine: Italian
Located in the trendy Isola district, this cheap and cheerful restaurant is hugely popular with locals. Its colossal plates of gnocchi, crisp roast chicken and well-topped pizzas will induce envy if eaten on the outside tables. Half portions are available.
Address:
Via Thaon di Revel, 28, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 668 4735
Cuisine: Italian
Modern Milanese fare, seasonal ingredients & an extensive wine list in a breezy garden setting. For tasty and affordable food, you won’t go far wrong at this self-service restaurant.Hearty pastas, fresh pizza, assorted salads, healthy fruit juices and gargantuan desserts are just some of the belly- fillers on offer at Ratana.
Address:
Via Gaetano de Castillia, Milano.
Telephone:
+39 02 8712 8855
Website:
www.ratana.it
Cuisine: Italian
In need of a quick bite and a caffeine hit while dashing around Centro, the heart of Milan? This vegetarian and vegan friendly café offers cheap paninis and sandwiches in a bustling yet friendly environment.
Address:
Via Ulrico Hoepli, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 863 446Milan Nightlife
Young, cosmopolitan Milan has a vibrant, lively nightlife and cultural scene. Most bars and restaurants serve aperitivo (a buffet of antipasti, free with drinks) between 1800 and 2100, which is a Milanese institution. They stay open until late (0100), after which the energetic move on to the nightclubs (discoteca), which stay open till 0400 (most shut Mondays).
Milan’s cultural scene boasts excellent music and theatre performances all year round. Top venues include the prestigious, world-famous La Scala and Piccolo Teatro. The redeveloped Navigli district has a vibrant nightlife scene alongside the atmospheric canal.
English language entertainment and cultural listings can be found in:
Website:
www.wheremilan.com
A free magazine found in most hotel rooms. The free English-language
Website:
www.thisishello.it
Has a calendar of entertainment and events and is available from hotels, bars and the Duomo tourist office. Event tickets are available from
Website:
www.ticketone.it
Bars in Milan
It’s difficult to tell whether you’re outdoors or in at Milan’s hottest bar. Comprehensively influenced by the East, with Shoji screens and slick leather furniture, plants crop up everywhere as natural light beams through its windows. Head to the terrace early, cocktail bible in hand, as this place comes alive after sunset.
Address:
Corso Como 10, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 2901 3581
Website:
www.10corsocomo.com
With exposed wood board, an assorted accumulation of mismatched chairs, and fairy lights wrapped around hanging bikes, Le Biciclette is a chilled, ultra-chic café-cum-bar. It’s hard to tell what’s more fabled, its aperitivo or its selection of spirits, but one thing is sure: its Sunday morning brunch sorts out any fuzzy heads it creates on a Saturday.
Address:
Via Giovanni Battista Torti 2, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 5810 4325
Website:
www.lebiciclette.com
Inspired by the 1950s, this lounge bar on the 12th floor of the Brian and Barry building (a concept store with a range of fashion labels and a couple of restaurants run by Eataly) serves 12 unique cocktails. A place to impress, it boasts a stunning 360-degree view of Milan’s skyline.
Address:
Via Durini 28, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 9285 3303
Website:
www.ariccionemilano.it
Clubs in Milan
Straddling the sphere between nightclub and live music centre, this vast industrial space is one of Milan’s cherished musical enterprises. While international acts like Liam Gallagher, Macklemore and Mika play live, Fabrique really comes into its own with late night rave-ups fronted by the likes of Paul van Dyk and Sven Vath.
Address:
Via Gaudenzio Fantoli 9, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 5801 8197
Website:
www.fabriquemilano.it
Il Gattopardo Café Disco, in a deconsecrated church in the upwardly mobile northwest of Milan, is a beautiful people haunt. The bouncers are discerning, so dress to impress if you want to get in. Music is usually mainstream pop with occasional live performances, and if you arrive early enough they do a happy hour aperitivo.
Address:
Via Piero della Francesca, 47, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 3453 7699
Website:
www.ilgattopardocafe.it
Milan’s foremost techno venue can be found below Milano Central station’s rails. Big-name techno DJs regularly fly into town to all but obliterate this intimate sweatbox. With their electronic DJ-sets, niche live music shows, indie-rock, and hip-hop concerts, the Tunnel has everything you could ever want.
Address:
Via Giovanni Battista Sammartini, 30, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 33 9403 2702
Website:
www.tunnel-milano.it
Live music in Milan
This huge events space hosts fashion shows, parties and club nights as well as a lively programme of live music that swings from big names to cover bands. If you are feeling nostalgic, their popular Welcome to the Jungle club night blasts out music from the 1980s and 90s.
Address:
Via Valtellina 25, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 6901 6352
Website:
www.alcatrazmilano.it
Blue Note is the place for live jazz in Milan. It has an international pedigree and draws artists from around the globe. It even offers refined Italian cuisine, which can be enjoyed during performances.
Address:
Via Pietro Borsieri, 37, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 02 6901 6888
Website:
www.bluenotemilano.com
Housed in an old building near the Porta Ticinese, this Milanese institution hosts a slew of funk, soul, rock and reggae acts. It offers live music at the weekends and on the occasional weekday too, while its terrace allows visitors to spill outside on balmy evenings.
Address:
Piazza XXIV Maggio 1, Milan.
Telephone:
+39 34 0129 4288
Website:
www.letrottoir.itMilan Food And Drink
10 Best Local Dishes In Milan
Many of the best local dishes from Milan have strong ties to Milanese farming traditions and the era of
cucina povera – ‘poor kitchen’. That was when humble Italian cooks had to use whatever was available. As such, many local specialities use rice, polenta, butter, pork, and other produce grown and farmed on the city’s surrounding farmlands.
Unlike the rest of Italy, you won’t find olive oil and tomato-based cuisine in Milan. Instead, restaurants serve creamy risotto, veal cutlets fried in butter, veal and mortadella meatballs, and tripe and bean soup. Vegetarians can enjoy a steaming bowl of veggie-packed Minestrone Milanese. Keep reading to discover more famous foods locals love to eat in Milan.
- Risotto alla Milanese Milan’s signature dish
Surrounded by rice fields, it’s no wonder that Milan’s most iconic dish is
risotto alla Milanese. This quintessential dish consists of creamy, golden, slow-cooked rice prepared with white rice, butter, onions, beef marrow, and a healthy dose of Parmigiano cheese. The key ingredient that gives Milan’s risotto its signature yellow colour is saffron – a spice that is sometimes pricier than gold. According to legend, the risotto was invented in Milan in the 16th century when an apprentice who used saffron to stain the Duomo’s windows yellow decided to add the spice to white rice.
- Minestrone Milanese A thick, vegetarian-friendly soup
Minestrone Milanese is a traditional hearty vegetable soup locals love to eat year-round. There is no proper recipe – the soup is made with whatever vegetables are in season and readily available. But the basics usually include onions, beans, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Some Milanese like to add grated Parmigiano cheese on top for extra flavour. What sets this soup apart from the rest of Italy is that Minestrone Milanese has rice instead of pasta. Restaurants serve cold, refreshing minestrone in the summer and hot soup in the winter.
Milan Hotels
In spite of being home to some incredible art, including da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and some incredible museums and architecture, Milan isn’t really a tourist city. Shoppers, foodies, art fans, and football, fashion and opera-lovers adore it, but it’s not quite beautiful. About 80 per cent of the Italian headquarters for international companies are based here, or in the immediate surrounding area, so it makes sense that there are a lot of business hotels in Milan, and that the best places to stay in Milan are geared towards executives travelling on high end expense accounts. Milan’s other main claim to fame, design, is also really well represented amongst its hotels, and Milan has some of the hippest, coolest design hotels in Italy. Our Gurus have discovered some fantastic fashion hotels, elegant apartment and spacious suite hotels, some beautifully converted palazzos, a couple of grand dames, and a collection of great value city centre options.
If you’re here to see The Last Supper, or have an amazing supper, you’ll find some of the best places to stay in Milan are in the the Sant’Ambrogio area, close to the Corso Magenta, with its trendy wine bars and chic shopping. This is an elegant, affluent neighbourhood, so if your holiday meal budget is modest you’re advised to walk a few blocks before choosing a restaurant. Opera-lovers should base themselves close to La Scala, which is in the Duomo neighbourhood — also called the Centro Storico. Here you’ll also find the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, arguably the oldest shopping mall in Europe, and a large clutch of Milan’s principal museums and galleries. For fashionistas, the places to be is in Brera, which is also one of the prettiest district in Milan, and arty and trendy too. Porta Venezia is similar, but with more Art Nouveau period architecture.
If you’re planning a romantic break, Navigli, which is run through with canals, makes a charming backdrop for a stroll or a drink of an evening. It also has great antique and vintage shops. And for great value accommodation check out the Cita Studi area, which is also popular with students, and is vibrant and lively. While bargains in this city are thin on the ground, a handful of the best places to stay in Milan are delightful small hotels where it’s not de rigeur to be dressed in head-to-toe black Prada crowned with a massive pair of dark glasses; we have listed our favourites below!