While there are dozens of noteworthy spots to visit in Italy, we’re adding one to the top of our list: Milan! Our resident travel aficionado, Aida Mollenkamp of Salt & Wind, is sharing her tips on how to make the most of a trip to Milan, Italy today, and it sure is making us wish we had an Aperol Spritz with a view right about now. Keep scrolling to read all of Aida’s recommendations on this Italian hot-spot, and get ready to book your ticket! Here we go…
Hi, dears! Aida from Salt & Wind to share a City Guide and travel-inspired recipe of a place high on my love list: Milan, Italy. Milan is a shy city, in that it doesn’t come right out and reveal itself the minute you meet, but put in a little effort and it will quickly become apparent that it’s one of the most interesting cities in Italy at this moment.
Milan often gets written off as more European than Italian, but when you spend a few days there and you’ll see it’s a mix of both. The city is a bit more organized and has fewer antiquities than other parts of the country, but it’s home to total treasures from La Scala theater and the Sforza Castle, to Da Vinci’s Last Supper and the Duomo. And, thanks to the 2015 Expo that brought nearly 20 million visitors to Milan, the city has entered the spotlight. There are a ton of urban renewal projects, new businesses, and developed ones across the city to make it thoroughly modern.
Give yourself a few days in Milan so you can not only shop and sightsee in the city center, but also explore the less touristy (but equally interesting) neighborhoods, from the chic Brera shopping district to the quirky Chinatown and the always-on Navigli neighborhood.
Here are my recs on what to do, where to eat, and, of course, where to shop in Milan:
WHERE TO STAY
Milan is not nearly as touristy as the other major Italian cities—Florence, Rome, and Venice—so you can stay in the center of town without feeling overwhelmed. Here are a few choice spots:
Room Mate Giulia
This Spanish boutique hotel chain is one we turn to time and again when we’re traveling in Europe but their Milan property is one of my favorites. With mod-meets-neon décor and a can’t-be-beat location just steps from the Duomo, it’s worth every euro.
Hotel Viu
In the past few years the Porta Volta neighborhood—just steps from fashionable Brera, a stone’s throw from the noteworthy Cimitero Monumentale, and near modern Isola—has been modernized and green-ified thanks largely to the Feltrinelli Porta Volta project, and is one of the best places outside the historical city center to stay. Just a 15 minute walk from the Duomo, the Hotel Viu is a modern boutique hotel with all sorts of perks from a pool, to a spa, to great food and even a rooftop with a 360°view of the city.
Palazzo Segreti
For something a bit smaller—as in just 18 rooms—and smack dab in the city center, check out the Palazzo Segreti. This affordable boutique hotel is minimal in its offerings but has tasteful décor and great service.
WHERE TO EAT
Since the Milan Expo in 2015, the food scene in Milan has gotten way more attention. New restaurants have opened and older places have finally gotten the accolades they deserve. Here are a few places I like right now:
Spazio Milano
Tucked into the top of the Mercato del Duomo, it can feel a bit like you might be heading into a food court when you take the escalators up from the Galleria to Spazio. But when you arrive, it’s anything but. The restaurant is associated with the prestigious Romito culinary school and is staffed by young chefs from the program whose cooking feels anything but amateur. Not to mention the view out onto the Piazza del Duomo is only rivaled by the Aperol Terrace (below).
Alice
Yes, this restaurant is located on the top floor of an old theater. And, yes, that theater is now Eataly Milan but that’s all the more reason to go. The restaurant was originally opened in 2007 by chef Viviana Varese and sommelier Sandra Ciciriello, but relocated to Eataly in 2014. The one-star Michelin restaurant focuses on farm-to-table produce but never takes itself too seriously.
Taglio
One of the things that Milan does best? Riding that line between old school Italian traditions and modern mentality. Taglio is a restaurant that does just that with dishes that are familiar—from Risotto Milanese to stuffed zucchini blossoms—updated with farm-fresh produce and contemporary twists.
WHERE TO APERITIVO
Aperitivo isn’t merely the Italian answer to Happy Hour but really a total ritual, and Milan leans into the tradition. Come Happy Hour, you can head to many bars for a drink (often served with a few choice appetizers) but here are my picks:
Aperol Terrace
Look, if you’re visiting Milan and it’s warm out, you’re probably going to want two things: an Aperol Spritz and an alfresco view of the Duomo. The folks at Aperol made both those things a possibility with the chic, albeit often packed and a bit pricey, Aperol Terrace—but it’s hard to pass up the view.
Bar Basso
Opened right after World War II, Bar Basso is a classic Milanese Bar. It’s also credited with making my favorite twist on the Negroni, the Negroni Sbagliato or the “incorrect Negroni,” which is a Negroni made with prosecco instead of gin. So, obviously the play is to head to Bar Basso and try the drink where it was created.
Mag Cafe
The Navigli neighborhood is pretty much always busy come night time with everyone from university students to professionals hopping between bars and restaurants. For aperitivo in the area, it’s hard to do better than the Mag Café, where the Parisian chic atmosphere is only topped by the quality of the cocktails.
WHERE TO SHOP
It’s pretty much sacrilege to head to a fashion capital like Milan and not shop. You could (and should) hit up the high end stores on Via Montenapoleone or in the Galleria, but definitely make time to go here, too:
10 Corso Como
Credited as the O.G. concept store, 10 Corso Como has been around more than 25 years and yet is every bit as interesting as ever. Hanging out among the art gallery, restaurant, store, and the mini hotel, you could spend hours here and love every minute.
Cavalli e Nastri
If you’re going to shop in Milan, you pretty much have to shop at the vintage mecca that is Cavalli e Nastri. And make sure you give yourself plenty of time to wander the surrounding neighborhood of Brera because it is one of our favorite places for boutique shopping in the city.
Excelsior
If you only shop in one spot in Milan, make it Excelsior. To call this place a department store is accurate, but also deceiving, as it is way more design-forward than any department store we’ve seen. We love it just as much for the vibes as we do the massive gourmet store.
WHERE TO GET A VIEW
If you too swoon over Gray’s gorgeous Italy works then you probably love a good view as much as I do. Here are the places you can get a spectacular view of Milan:
Ceresio 7
At the top of the DSquared2 offices, Ceresio 7 has a view that spans from the city center to the newer Isola neighborhood. With a pool and stunning décor, it’s as perfect a place for a light summer lunch as for a full aperitivo.
Radio Rooftop Milan
Set on the roof of the ME Il Duca Melia hotel in Piazza della Repubblica, Radio Rooftop is continuously one of the most sought-after aperitivo spots in town. Yes, the scene can get to be a bit much and the drinks a bit too pricey, but the views make it all worth while.
Caffe Triennale
At the edge of the Parco Sempione is the modern art space known as Triennale and the rooftop has a great view over the majority of the park. Go for a coffee break during the day or reserve a spot at the Terrazza Triennale for dinner.
INSPIRED EATS
In a class all its own, Milanese cuisine is a bit more European than traditionally Italian—meaning that butter and rice are used where you’d normally see olive oil, tomatoes, and pasta in other parts of Italy. Part of that is because Milan is in the Po River Valley which is the prime rice growing region in the country.
And what do we have to thank for it? Risotto Milanese. Considered one of the more luxe dishes in Italian cuisine (thanks to the use of costly ingredients like butter, cheese, and saffron), it’s so simple to make but hard to make well. The key is lots of stirring and high-quality ingredients and a few key techniques, all of which I share in my classic Risotto Milanese recipe.
ANDIAMO IN ITALIA
So, yes, I have a total crush on all things Milan right this very moment. And that’s why I’ll be leading small boutique trips to Lombardy (including Milan, Brescia, and Lake Iseo) starting this October. Click here to learn more and I hope to see you there!
Are you dreaming of a trip to Milan now like we are? For more travel tips and travel-inspired recipes, head to Salt & Windor follow Aida on Instagram.
Xx Team GM