A hub of fashion, design and glamour, Milan is often overlooked if you’re not in town for business. But scratch beneath the catwalks and conventions, and you’ll soon discover the city’s playful underbelly. June sees patrons spilling out of bars during aperitivo hour; during summer’s peak, the action moves to the nearby lakes, as residents flee the intense August heat. Laze through an autumn weekend in Bergamo’s Città Alta, a medieval town 5km from the airport, or Christmas shop in Milan’s Quadrilatero d'Oro, jam-packed with the likes of Prada and Armani. Buzzing, vibrant and achingly hip, Milan keeps its visitors busy all year round.
bestplace to eat on your feet: Da Claudio Head to Milan’s top fishmongery, the turquoise-tiled Da Claudio, for a glass of fizzy white wine (on tap) and a plate of Italian-style sushi (oysters, salmon and shrimp, all raw of course). You’ll have to balance your plate on of one of the fish counters and the fluorescent lights are hardly flattering, but the succulent slices of fish are absolutely worth it. Closed Sun. Where >Da Claudio, Via Ponte Vetero 16, Milan, Tel: +39 02 805 6857. view map
bestfresh pasta: Pastificio Pellegrini Ricotta and spinach tortellini, ravioli bursting with potatoes and cheese, fettucine made from fresh radicchio, stained a deep purpley-red… Pop into family-run Pastificio Pellegrini for a couple of trays of melt-in-your-mouth pasta. Peek into the glass preparation area in the store, or watch the skilled stuffing and folding from the street window. Where >Pastificio Pellegrini, Via Cadore 48, Milan, Tel: +39 02 55 18 42 07. view map
bestview: The cathedral (Duomo) The world’s third largest cathedral, Milan’s massive white marble Duomo took close to 500 years to build, and was the city’s tallest structure until the 1950s. Stand in the vast piazza out front and feast your eyes on its shimmering façade, gloriously unveiled in spring 2008 after (yet another) five-year bout of deep cleaning. Then take the lift (€7) or clamber up the 160-odd steps (€5) to the panoramic rooftop. Wind your way around the rambling terraces, or examine La Madonnina, the golden cherry on the Duomo’s pinnacle, up close. On a clear day, you’ll see the city’s fringe of snow-topped Alps in the distance. (Open 9am-5.20pm summer; 9am-4.20pm winter) Where >Duomo, Piazza Duomo (Cathedral Square), Milan, Tel: +39 02 72 02 26 56. view map
bestpicnic food: Peck Peck, Milan’s heavenly delicatessen, has been a local institution since 1883. Pick up a hamper of perfect picnic goodies, selecting from the gourmet counters spread over three massive floors. Try the artichokes preserved in olive oil; a hunk of parmigiano; a few hundred grams of salami, thinly-sliced on the spot…. or grab a bunch of tomatoes, still clinging to their fragrant stem. Round off your shop with a dive into Peck’s extensive wine cellar to grab a bottle of Barolo. Where >Peck, via Spadari 9, Milan, Tel: +39 02 80 23 161. view map Website > www.peck.it
bestbizarre architecture: Monumental Cemetery Both totally wacky and utterly enchanting, Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) was inaugurated in 1866, shortly after Italian unification. Pick up a free map at the entrance and start wandering: the weird and wonderful giant tombstones range from traditional art deco to Lucio Fontana’s abstract angels. Don’t miss the Giuseppe Bruni family tomb, a miniature pyramid flanked by a sphinx. Open Tues-Sun 8am-6pm.
Where >Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery), Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale, Milan, Tel: +39 02 88 46 56 00. view map Website > www.monumentale.net
bestsecret garden: Orto Botanico Little visited, not least because of the minimal opening hours, Milan’s Orto Botanico (botanical gardens) overflows with vegetable patches, the occasional statue and a haphazard collection of Mediterranean and Antipodean plants. Head to the southeast corner to visit two of Europe’s oldest ginkgo trees, brought back from China at the beginning of the 18th century. Open 9am-noon Mon-Fri. Where >Orto Botanico, entrance through the Accademia di Belle Arti, Via Brera 28, Milan, Tel: +39 02 50 31 46 80. view map
Compiled by Kathryn Tomasetti
besttrivia
One of the city’s two superclubs, Inter Milan, started life with primarily Swiss players, whose chose to band together against the predominance of Italians in the AC Milan squad!
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