Travel guide to Milan

Milan is a divisive destination. As Italy’s financial capital, many find it too marked by big business and large banks (which the old saying “for every church in Rome, there is a bank in Milan” is a reflection of). These travellers prefer either quainter towns (like Florence) or something more bombastic (think Hong Kong).

Then there are those who can’t get enough of the specific type of bourgeois elegance and refinery only found in Milan – the Milanese savoir-faire, wide variety of restaurants, and excellent shopping. These visitors yearn to come here to experience the forefront of fashion, art, and Italian cuisine.

In 222 BC, the Romans named what is now Milan “Mediolanum”, meaning “central place”. This makes sense – Milan has a strategic location, close to Lake Garda and Lake Como, the Ligurian Riviera, and the south of France. Florence is only a few hours away by train, as is Venice.

Throughout the centuries, Milan has been coveted by many invading armies, which has benefited business and trade.

The wealth of Milan is expressed through the sumptuousness of its Gothic cathedral, which took a staggering five hundred years (1386–1810) to complete (and designed to impress German and French merchants). The cathedral was a favourite project for the ruling Visconti Family. After the Visconti clan lost power, the Sforza family seized reign, transforming Milan into a dukedom.

In 1805, Napoleon was crowned ruler of the short-lived Kingdom of Italy in Milan’s Duomo.

When Italy was unified in 1871, Milan became an important centre for industrial growth. Some decades later, it was in Milan that the first gathering of Mussolini’s fascist party took place. Perhaps for this sentimental reason, Mussolini paid great attention to Milan, developing several large projects in the city, such as the massive central train station.

The city was heavily damaged in the Second World War bombings, but the Pirelli Tower, erected in 1959, has since become a symbol of the new, modern era that Milan transitioned into after its turbulent past.

Milanese Fashion

Ten years after Armani’s debut, Miuccia Prada took over the family business, then a prestigious but small firm specialised in travel commodities and small leather goods. Prada, having a PhD in political science and being an avid art collector, understood the postmodern zeitgeist of the 1980s. A trademark of postmodernity is the combination of things that traditionally haven’t been put together, creating a blurred area between (for example) luxury and the everyday.

When shipping their precious leather bags, they would be wrapped in nylon, for protection. What Miuccia Prada did was to replace the leather with nylon, in the process creating the first postmodern "it”-bag. Since then, Prada has grown into an international lifestyle empire, but still with its roots firmly planted in Milan.

In fact, Prada’s brand story is almost indistinguishable from the city of Milan; their first store is still open, at the same address as ever, in Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II.

Prada now owns one of Milan’s finest pastry shops, Pasticceria Marchesi 1824, and the brand’s fashion shows take place here, several times a year.

If Armani and Prada are typical of Milano’s understated elegance, typical of Northern Italy, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace represent fashion’s complete opposite. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana met in 1982 in Milan, presenting their first womenswear collection a few years later. In 1990, they opened their first boutique in Milan, on Via Sant’Andrea.

Their vivacious designs quickly made them a household name, often mentioned in the same context as Versace. Gianni Versace was originally from the south of Italy, a heritage reflected in the design of his eponymous fashion house, but he made Milan the base of his business, today run by his sister, Donatella Versace.

Together, these brands represent the four cornerstones of Milanese fashion, and their respective shops can be found in Milan’s famous fashion district, Quadrilatero della moda (or Via Montenapoleone fashion district). Here you also find Marni’s flagship store, where often local artists present site-specific artworks. The shop is worth visiting for the interiors alone.

Located in the centre of Milan, the area is characterised by prestigious shops and elegant restaurants. All the world’s major fashion houses are represented here. The sides of the square are marked by the arches of Porta Nuova, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia.

Inside this area is perfect for strolling, people-watching or, should the mood strike, shopping.

Milanese Design

Nilufar has been a reference point in interior design since the late 1970s, when Nina Yashar first established Nilufar Gallery, then specialized in antique carpets but now also a seller of great interior design.

Nilufar Depot, on viale Lancetti, overlaps in many ways with Nilufar Gallery, but operates more as the platform’s archive.

Piero Fornasetti is a name forever associated with Milan. The world he created is a universe in and of itself, which the flagship store in Milan, on Corso Venezia, clearly demonstrates.

Painstakingly painted by hand, the scope of the production is limited to what the atelier can create without compromising the finished product.

Technically not a design museum, many who are interested in aesthetics nevertheless take time to visit Mudec, a centre dedicated to interdisciplinary research on world cultures, as well as art, design and costume. Designed by David Chipperfield Architects, Mudec is a site worth visiting both for its sleek architecture and excellent exhibitions.

Another museum dedicated to interiors and architecture is the former private home Villa Necchi Campiglio, designed by Piero Portaluppi, one of Italy’s most renowned modern architects. Completed in 1935, the rationalist villa is one of the architect’s masterpieces. A few blocks away, you will find another art museum housed in a Portaluppi building.

Casa Museo Boschi Di Stefano is located in a formerly private apartment that belonged to two art collectors. A visit to the museum (which is free of charge) will allow you to become better acquainted both with Modern Italian art and with Portaluppi’s elegant 1930s design.

Art in Milan

Everyone knows that Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in Milan for 17 years, painted The Last Supper in Milan, where it remains on display in Santa Maria delle Grazie. But the city is home to much more when it comes to art.

Pinacoteca Brera is one of the foremost art museums in Milan, as is Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, home to the world’s largest collection of drawings and texts by da Vinci. The two museums are not far from one another, and so it is perfectly feasible to combine the two, if having an art-themed Milan visit.

In addition, Brera is a charming neighbourhood, popular both among locals and visitors. It is famous for its many smaller and more unique shops, lesser-known brands, great restaurants, and picturesque cafés.

In the centre of Milan, on the Piazza del Duomo, is the famous art museum Novecento, home to a great collection of Modern Italian art. It also offers unobstructed views of Duomo. Here, both the building and the art are masterpieces, reflecting a dynamic period in Italian culture.

Just a few blocks away lies another important Milanese institution, Teatro alla Scala, more commonly known as “La Scala”.

One of the leading opera and ballet theatres of the world, La Scala is for many opera aficionados a destination in itself.

Two of the most prominent platforms for modern art are not exactly found in Milan per se, but just outside of the central town. The most famous of the two is Fondazione Prada, designed by architect studio OMA and host to many bold, temporary exhibitions on contemporary art. The restaurant and bar (designed by OMA’s Rem Koolhaas, and with a spectacular view of the city) as well as the café (planned by Wes Anderson) alone are worth a visit.

The other, no less extraordinary, is the Pirelli HangarBicocca. Here, it is more or less mandatory to visit the site-specific and permanent display made by Anselm Kiefer, “The Seven Heavenly Palaces”.

One of Milan’s greatest art experiences, Kiefer’s piece holds a transformative power, as the mere scale of the artwork, while you walk around inside of it, will fill the visitor with awe.

To Eat and Drink

The most iconic of all Milanese restaurants is Da Giacomo. The green walls of the main dining hall even inspired Miuccia Prada, a regular guest, to use this particular shade of light green as her brand’s signature colour.

If you are in the mood for something more informal, we recommend you instead head around the corner to Bistrot Da Giacomo.

At the centre of the fashion district is the elegant Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone, a true Milanese classic, in operation since 1957. If you’re not a local, chances are the services will be less than ideal, but the beauty of the place and the quality of the food will make you overlook the nonchalant attitude of the waiters.Make sure to make a reservation well in advance, (and to double-check the reservation before going).

Lùbar, decorated like an 18th century greenhouse, is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. Its informal and bohemian vibe is matched by great food and amazing wine. Once a transit porch for carriages of the Royal Villa, today the restaurant looks out over the inner courtyard of the Gallery of Modern Art.

A stone’s throw from Quadrilatero della moda is Ristorante Valentino Vintage, a great restaurant, serving excellent food in a charming setting.

For those who prefer a minimalist aperitivo, the Bamboo bar of Armani Hotel comes with a view. If you prefer, you can stay for dinner, just move over to the restaurant section of the hotel’s 7th floor, and enjoy fine dining served by chef Francesco Mascheroni.

A more eclectic crowd, often with connections to the fashion industry, can be found at Milanese institution Bar Basso, where the concept of the “aperitivo” was first invented. The drink of choice is Negroni Sbagliato, which you drink in huge glasses, with 6cm x 8 cm hand cut ice-cubes inside.

To Stay

Even though Milan is a very popular crowd amongst experienced travellers, there are not that many truly excellent hotels in the city.

Armani Hotel has a great location and design, and recently Ferragamo opened a new hotel that promises a combination of comfort and discrete luxury, called Portrait Milano – part of the now seven hotels that the Ferragamo family owns through their hotel group the Lungarno Collection.

If you have had enough fashion, you might instead want to experience a true classic. If that is the case, we recommend Grand Hotel et de Milan, the grande dame of Milan’s luxury hotels.

Links

Fashion

Armani

Via Sant’Andrea, 9

Dolce & Gabbana

Via Montenapoleone, 4

Marni

Via Montenapoleone, 26

Prada

Via Montenapoleone, 8

Versace

Via Montenapoleone, 11