MILAN
NATURAL STATE.
Milan is the world’s capital for fashion and design. That is quite the reputation. I had the pleasure of visiting this subtle and genius city at least twice a year when I worked in fashion. Being in a city during fashion week is no place for a civilized (or wild) person. However, if you do have to be in one of the cities during this week, Milan is the one. It keeps its charm even amidst the traffic and chaos, if you know where to go. Each fashion week, I would take time out from appointments to walk through the parks or stop by the Planetarium, one of my single favorite buildings in the city. That being said go for the furniture and design (Salone del Mobile) week, I have never been but have friends who go every year. The amount of beautiful and dynamic things to be seen, and anyone can attend! Wander the streets of the old city, and find a number of bars for an apertivo, as well as unfussy restaurants with the world’s best artichokes. The bar seen above is the original, Bar Quadronno, which has a namesake restaurant in New York . One evening, right before I left my job, my boss and I finally stopped in to this joint and enjoyed an easy dinner of their famous sandwiches paired with complex conversations and many glasses of red wine. Fast forward a few years, and here we are, with every experience in between.
DO. WHEN IN MILANO
Via della Spiga, the Madison Avenue of Milan. Take a stroll at anytime of day on these streets for all the designer shops and historic cafes. Great for window shopping or go ham and splurge
Sempione Park, go for a stroll in the Milan’s central park
Santa Maria delle Grazie, Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 20123 Milano MI, Italy stunning Renaissance church and home to The Last Supper
Sforzesco Castle, Piazza Castello, 20121 Milano MI, Italy medieval fortress which holds artworks by the masters Michelangelo and da Vinci to name a few
Ambrosian Library, Piazza Pio XI, 2, 20123 Milano MI, Italy run don’t walk to this incredible cinematic library housing works of da Vinci amongst others
Teatro alla Scala, Via Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy for a fabulous night at the opera
Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Via San Vittore, 21, 20123 Milano MI, Italy science museum with scale engineering models from da Vinci
Bagatti Valsecchi, Via Gesù, 5, 20121 Milano MI, Italy 16th century townhouse featuring the collection of eccentric brothers, Barons Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza del Duomo, 20123 Milano MI, Italy fun to stroll through this glassed in and famous mall, but just a stroll its heavily covered by tourists
Duomo di Milano, Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milano MI, Italy gothic cathedral in the center of the city, when my cell phone would die and I would have to find my way back to the hotel walking I would find the Duomo and make my way from there. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the world, seen below.
Milan Natural History Museum, Corso Venezia, 55, 20121 Milano MI, Italy just a few block from Via Della Spiga, head here for an education on animals, minerals and fossils in this beautiful 19th century building which is literally next to my favorite building Civic Planetarium Ulrico Hoepli, Corso Venezia, 57, 20121 Milano MI, Italy,
absolutely stunning inside and out check the weekly schedule for viewings in the 300 seat planetarium from the 1930’s
OR. STAY HERE
Hotel Manzoni, Via Santo Spirito, 20, 20121 Milano MI, Italy this local hideaway in the old city is a favorite amongst those in the know and doesn’t break the bank
Ostello Bello, Via Medici, 4, 20123 Milano MI, Italy part cool hostel, part cultural center with a fully stoked kitchen
Le Suite di Palazzo Segreti, Via Maurizio Quadrio, 15, 20154 Milano MI, Italy once a palazzo now private apartment style rooms for a hotel with an airbnb feel
Four Seasons Hotel Milan, Via Gesù, 6/8, 20121 Milano MI, Italy the entrance is very discreet which is what I like about this spot, that and the architecture is next level and the spa is epic
Look out onto the Arch of Peace whilst sitting by the fire in this AIRBNB for 2
Fifty Shades of Grey in on the Naviglio Grande via AIRBNB
Ivy Sanctuary on the Naviglio Grande via AIRBNB
The Greenhouse next to the Duomo on AIRBNB
Be in the center of it all and in such a cool style on AIRBNB
EAT. GOOD FOOD ONLY
Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone, Via S. Spirito, 10, Via Gesù, 5, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Ristorante Don Carlos, Via Alessandro Manzoni, 29, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Ristorante la Libera, Via Palermo, 21, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Pizzeria Birra Moretti, Viale Premuda, 11, 20129 Milano MI, Italy
La Latteria, Via S. Marco, 24, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Bar Quadronno, Via Quadronno, 34, 20122 Milano MI, Italy
Bice Restaurant, Via Borgospesso, 12, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
SHOP. MARIO MILANA via PALERMOUNO
SHOP. FASHION
Valextra Boutique, Via Alessandro Manzoni, 3, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Valextra Outlet, Via Cerva, 11, 20122 Milano MI, Italy
Gucci Flagship, Via Monte Napoleone, 5, 20121 Milano MI, Italy even with all the hype, it really is something else.
Max Mara, Piazza Del Liberty, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 4, 20121 Milano MI, Italy get the icon coat here for 1800 versus 3400 in the US + detax = 1600 - its the best coat in the world just do it
Al Bazar, Via Antonio Scarpa, 9, 20145 Milano MI, Italy the perfect gentlemen’s tailoring shop
Antonia, Via Cusani, 5, 20121 Milano MI, Italy cool as hell, expertly curated and only in Milan
Antonioli, Via Pasquale Paoli, 1, 20143 Milano MI, Italy same thing but for men
Biffi Boutiques, Corso Genova, 6, 20123 Milano MI, Italy why is this town so full of cool shops
Cavalli E Nastri, Via Brera, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy epic vintage store
Wait And See, Via Santa Marta, 14, 20123 Milano MI, Italy funkadelic women’s store with an eccentric only found in Milan
Excelsior Milano, Galleria del Corso, 4, 20122 Milano MI, Italy its like Eataly and Barney’s in one
Spectrum, Via Felice Casati, 29, 20124 Milano MI, Italy cool streetwear
SHOP. DESIGN
Mario Milana, info@mariomilana.com by appointment only for the coolest furniture designs
Palermouno, Via Mecenate 84/10 20138 Milano created by Sophie Wannenes and featuring Mario Milana furniture. For a unique apartment experience of new and antique Milanese design. It will also support new designers and be a cool focus during the design week.
Rossana Orlandi, Via Matteo Bandello, 14/16, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Apparatus, Via Santa Marta, 14, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Nilufar Depot, Viale Vincenzo Lancetti, 34, 20158 Milano MI, Italy
Six Gallery, Via Scaldasole, 7, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Raimondo Garau, Viale Francesco Crispi, 5b, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
