Introduction

Tours

Entertainment

Bars and Restaurants

History

Introduction

Milan is divided into 20 distinct zones that are identified numerically by the local council, but which also have names. Although every area is not listed here, each plays its own special role in the history of Milan; from the importantissimo historical centre to the modern “dormitory quarters” of San Siro.

The Historical Centre, incorporates the fashion district, and
Castello Sforzesco, the glorious Piazza della Scala and other areas of historical interest. Many people actually live in the city centre, but they find that there are some disadvantages involved in living there e.g. lack of parking spaces, supermarkets and dry cleaner's, the rent can also be incredibly high. On the upside, there is always plenty to do; there are many excellent restaurants and bars within walking distance, and a summer's evening stroll through this area is absolute bliss.

North of the centre are some well-known streets, which are popular with residents, businessmen and visitors: Corso Venezia and its intersecting roads are lined with noblemen's palaces; in some cases these are still used as residences, in others, they have been converted into luxury offices. The gardens of Porta Venezia make up a small, enclosed park, which is one of the most beautiful in Milan. Further north, is Corso Buenos Aires, one of the largest commercial main roads, which is easy to reach and is well served by the metro; it has a cosmopolitan feel, many immigrants live here, and because of this, there are many different ethnic restaurants.

Corso Magenta is in the Magenta district and leads into the centre; this corso is 'healthy and wealthy', one half has hardly any shops, but many gorgeous palazzi with exquisite, hidden gardens while the other half has a multitude of shops, some of which are very prestigious. The corso is well served by public transport; it has lots of traffic and few parking spaces during the day, but becomes a great deal more peaceful at night-time.

Southwest of Milan stands the Ticinese-Navigli area, this quarter is a mixture of old and new. Many of the original residents (or their descendants) still live in Ticinese and there are many case di ringhiera - apartments with wrought-iron balconies that face inwards. Blue-collar workers lived here at the beginning of the twentieth century. The apartments have undergone renovation and some now house architects, artists, fashion designers et al. This area is full of bars and shops selling clothes and basic necessities to meet the needs of employees and residents. Via Chiesa Rossa, (which is on the Naviglio, the city's canal system), is characterized by the wave of immigration which took place here in the '50s and '60s. The area by Il Naviglio teems with nightclubs, which means that it is always lively and chaotic. The Naviglio leads to the autostrada for Genova. The Assago complex, where the FilaForum Milanofiori is situated, can be seen on the motorway. The FilaForum is home to concerts, exhibitions and all kinds of events.

Another district that is famous for its exhibitions and Trade Fairs is Amendola-Fiera; this is a residential area as well, with many tree-lined streets and tall palazzi, most of these palazzi were constructed after 1930, and so they are still in good condition. Vittoria is also a popular residential area that has a working/middle-class feel; Viale Lazio (one of the streets in this area) is predominantly made up of residential, leafy avenues; Corso Lodi reverberates with the hum of commercial activity; Viale Umbria is residential and Corso XXII Marzo is filled with shops. Some fashion houses have their headquarters in Vittoria, between Viale Umbri and Corso Lodi. Further east, between Forlanini's verdant park and Taliedo, (heading towards Linate airport) is the Idroscalo, a large dock filled with water where you can swim, sunbathe, and sail. There is still some industrial activity further east on Viale Mugello and towards Viale Molise (the large complex of Macello Comunale) and further out, beyond the station of Porta Vittoria, is the famous wholesale market, Mercato Ortofrutticolo.

Città Studi (Study city) is located in the east of Milan and as the name suggests, is the University district, home to the Polytechnic and several chemistry, biology and pharmaceuticals departments. Many of the buildings here were constructed in the '20s, '30s and '40s and the overall feel is that of a charming residential area with trees on every street.

To the north of the city lies Isola, located just behind the main station (Stazione Centrale), other zones in the vicinity are home to large hospital complexes, such as Ospedale Maggiore and CTO.

San Siro is famous for its stadio S. Siro football ground and its Monte stella, stadium. This area sums up Milan as it combines a love for music, media, glamour and football!



Tours

There are many different areas in Milan to explore, but a great place to start is Brera, because it is a district that is famed for its nightlife and restaurants, but also has art galleries to visit in the day and glorious palaces that played an important role in Milan's history. Even if you cannot enter these palaces (because they are still private residences or offices), you can still drink in their beauty from the outside, as you wander down the narrow streets. It is best to take the Metro to reach Brera. The nearest stops are Lanza, Moscova (line 2) and Cairoli (line 1).

There are a number of things to do during the day in Brera, such as visit the
Pinacoteca, which is found in the same building as the Academy of Brera, Milan's fine art school. This gallery has 30 rooms of paintings from different eras. Don't miss Mantegna's 'Dead Christ', 'Madonna and the Saints' by Piero della Francesca, or the 'Wedding of the Virgin' by Raffaello. Those who prefer to occupy their time with 'lighter' pursuits can visit various art galleries around the Via Centrale and surrounding streets of Via Ciovasso and Monte di Pietà. There are some exquisite boutiques to browse in along Via Solferino and Corso Garibaldi. There are antique, shops and shops selling quality handmade goods - check out Il Bisonte at Via Madonnina, 13, which specializes in Florentine leather. Don't miss the 'edible' soaps in Lush, or the huge selection of candles in Candele Mum in the same street. La Vetrina di Beryl in Via Statuto specializes in beautiful, fashionable shoes. Real shopaholics should go to the Boffi Solferino showroom in the courtyard of Via Solferino, number 11. If you feel guilty about all the purchases you have made, indulge in your shopper's remorse whilst wandering alongside the peaceful Martesana canal (Leonardo da Vinci allegedly designed the locks for this canal). As mentioned before, the real attraction of Brera is its nightlife; once made up of piano bars, the district is now full of bars and restaurants. The Giamaica, at the end of Via Brera, was popular with intellectuals in the 1960's, and is still a good place for an aperitif. There's also Moscatelli, a small bar with a huge choice of wines, and el Tombon de San Marc, the first English pub in Milan, which also serves sandwiches, cold dishes and salads. Moving towards Via Bramante, you'll see the new Frescobar - a good place for an evening drink or Sunday brunch. The tiny ice-cream parlour at 14, Via Solferino is perfect for those with a sweet tooth – there are no seats but the great flavours more than compensate for that. More international ice cream is sold at Haagen Dazs, opposite Giamaica; try the hazelnut, walnut, vanilla and cookie flavours.

Brera also has good restaurants, which thankfully stay open until late. An excellent restaurant (Santini) recently opened at 3, Via San Marco; they serve delicious but expensive Venetian cuisine. In the same street at number 24 is the Latteria, a very famous and very crowded small Lombardy restaurant, that is much more affordable. Amongst the many trattorias, in Via Fiori Chiari, the Torre di Pisa at number 21 stands out; it offers good Tuscan food and is always busy. Also popular is La Libera in Via Palermo, which serves traditional Italian food, and La Briciola on the corner of Via Solferino and Via Marsala, which serves outstanding soup, something which Milanese restaurants are not often commended for! Brera also has a wide choice of international cuisine. Sogo Brera, is a good Japanese restaurant with excellent service; Rangoli, at 36, Via Solferino, has good service and great Indian food; Sherazad, on the corner of Via Marsala, is an affordable alcohol-free Islamic restaurant; and the Fondaco dei Mori, owned by the same people, is also alcohol free.

There are some excellent, economical pizzerias in this area, including the Grand'Italia (Via Marsala and Corso Garibaldi), which sells thin, soft crust pizza by the slice. If you get hungry later on, you can always try Giallo in Via Milazzo for traditional food, or Bandiere, at the corner of Via Marsala and Corso Garibaldi.

Brera is a definitely a gem of a district waiting to be discovered by night owls and 'morning people' alike.



Entertainment

Milan has plenty to offer in terms of great entertainment, culture and art… Need a little persuasion? The city has the famous Brera Art Gallery and the Cenacolo Museum, which houses artefacts relating to the Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper (more of his works can be found in the Science Museum). There are a host of museums spread out all over the city. It would take a long time to explore all of them; the Museum of Science and Technology is a definite must for boffins and future Einsteins, and will take a good two hours to see everything. The Civic Educational Naval Museum and a permanent Criminal and Ancient Arms Exhibition stand close to each other, just in case you are thinking of putting together your own convict ship to get across the channel! If you only have time to visit the city centre, there are plenty of museums to see, in fact, there is a circuit of five museums known as the “Museums of the Centre”. These museums cover everything from the Revival period (Museum of the Risorgimento) to contemporary history, stopping at the history of the Milan and the famous Scala opera house along the way. Piazza Duomo itself has the Duomo Museum, filled with tapestries, stained glass and clerical vestments, and the Contemporary Art Museum has an excellent contemporary Italian art section – an absolute “must see!”

Milan is rich with history, close to the centre stands the Sforzesco Castle which has interesting archaeological and numismatic collections, again this can be quite time-consuming, but you can take advantage of the gorgeous park behind to sit and have a picnic before pressing on. There are also two private homes (Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi and Poldi Pezzoli), perhaps not quite as grand as the Castle but just as interesting; these have been turned into museums and display textiles, furnishings and paintings.

If you prefer art, there are many art galleries here e.g. Ambrosiana Art Gallery, the Modern Art Gallery, and the Contemporary Art Centre, you are bound to find paintings, sculptures and sketches to suit your tastes and you will always find a new exhibition somewhere. You should definitely visit the Pinacoteca in the fashionable Brera area to see works by Mantegna, Raffaello and the wonderful Piero della Francesca. If you are more interested in the theatre and opera, one name springs to mind…the world-famous Scala, but the city has many other theatres, offering hundreds of shows. The principle theatres include: the traditional S. Babila Theatre, the Piccolo, founded by Strehler, and the Franco Parenti, which has devoted recent seasons to European culture. Milan has also recently rediscovered its passion for ballet, and musicals such as Singing in the Rain, Blues Brothers and the eternal Rocky Horror Show. Many of these are staged at the Nazionale and Smeraldo theatres.

Cinema is also very popular in Milan; the centre is filled with multi-screens, which are always busy. There are also multiplexes on the outskirts (with much better parking facilities than the centre) these cinemas show blockbusters, but there are also many independents that show original language and experimental films, and you can be sure that cinemas such as these have a charm and a decor all their own!

Milan is a city of music too, if you like classical music, then the Scala is home to a major symphony orchestra. Both the Conservatorio and the Chiostro host lyrical concerts. Jazz and Blues can be heard wafting down the Navigli canal from places such as Scimmie, home to modern jazz, or Capolinea, a place where many jazz legends have played. For the more youthful, there are lots of discotheques, often playing live music, and many of the stadiums outside the city are used for major concerts.

There is a huge amount of choice when it comes to clubs. Thursdays are best at Madame de Sade, Friday is the day to go to Shocking Club and Hollywood is cool any time, any day!

Milan has a lively, dynamic atmosphere day and night. The most crowded and trendiest nightspots are in the Brera, Ticinese and Navigli districts. Most of the fashionable bars are in Ticinese. The Navigli area is considered by some to be slightly retro, but is still adored by many; filled with lots of “boho” bars, it is just the place to go with a group of friends or in the company of your paramour. Brera is known as Milan's original hotspot; every bar here is fantastic. Glamour oozes from every door and this is a great area for an evening stroll.

Milan is so cosmopolitan that it has something for everyone; you are strongly advised to go and explore this incredible city.



Restaurants and Bars

Milan may be famous for its shopping, trading, and amazing designers, but it is also a great place to enjoy a good meal. There are many ethnic restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias in the city, and during the summer months, it is not unusual to see groups of friends enjoying their pizza margherita as they sit outside under white parasols.

In the fifties, many people came to Milan from other regions in Italy, to escape unemployment in their cities. Some of them decided to open simple "trattorias" (traditional Italian restaurants), offering the cuisine of their home town, which was mainly Tuscan and Southern Italian. A number of these restaurants grew in quality over the years, transforming themselves into excellent and often outstanding restaurants: places such as Trattoria Toscana K2, which has now become so popular that you need to book in advance in order to sample their tasty pasta dishes or fresh fish recipes; or the mythical
Antica Trattoria Milano which opened a few years after the end of the second world war and serves good, hearty food alla Milanese!

Pizzerias are popular in Milan (and everywhere else in Italy!!) Many restaurants serve traditional pizzas cooked in wood fuelled ovens, giving the dough a delicious smoked taste. Some of the pizzerias have traditional checked table clothes, some have outdoor seating, and some have 'cool' paper tablecloths and provide you with pencils so you can amuse yourself while you are waiting for your pizza or for your bill. Why not try the Grand'Italia, a pizzeria in the fashionable Brera district, or Pane e Farina, a restaurant popular with both young and old. If you want traditional Neapolitan-style pizza, then head for La Cuccuma, which will also serenade you with piano music on certain evenings.

A wonderful view of the city can be seen from Bistrot Duomo, this is a great place to try if you want a quick snack and cappuccino while shopping or a more substantial meal before going on to the cinema, it is located at the top of the glorious Rinascente department store, which gives you another reason to visit!! A special mention must also go to Savini, a restaurant situated close to Rinascente, in the breath-taking Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II galleria which is known as the best restaurant in Milan by people over a certain age. The prices are high, but it is worth a visit if only to enjoy an old-world charm and steep yourself in Milanese elegance.

In the eighties and nineties, a new wave of immigration brought thousands of people from the Third World; this led to the growth of the best ethnic restaurant network in Italy. In Milan you'll find restaurants serving delights from almost every country: from Sri Lanka to Brazil (excellent Brazilian cuisine is to be found in Porcao), Korea to Senegal. In the last couple of years Japanese cuisine has rocked the city, Yume is a testimony to this - it is the place to come to have a truly Japanese experience and to meet like minded individuals who probably have a passion for being glamorous and wearing black!! - Who knows what new food sensation the millennium will bring?

It may sound strange, but there is no better way to round off a meal than to stroll through the central streets of Milan eating ice cream and watching the world go by, especially if the evening is a warm summer's one; a personal favourite is Marghera delicious ice creams and desserts are sold here, and there are often long queues (always a good sign); or you could try the excellent Umberto where the ice cream is praised to the skies!!



History

Milan's history is a story of wealth, intrigue and conflict. Throughout its existence, Milan has known failure and incredible success and has faced both with a spirit and verve that makes this city one of the most famous in the world.

The first known inhabitants of Milan date back to the Bronze Age; the Gauls settled here in the 4th century B.C. and may have given the area the name place in the middle. The magnificent Romans conquered “Mediolanum” at the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. and it became an autonomous province (Municipium) under the control of Rome. Its importance grew considerably during the Imperial Age. Thanks to its geographical position at the centre of the Padana Plain, merchants and travellers would stop here en-route to the north of the Italian Peninsula, and the city became an important military defence against the blood-thirsty Barbarians who attacked from northern Europe. Milan was significant enough to become an Imperial residence in the 3rd century A.D. and halfway through the 4th century it became the most powerful city in Europe, after Rome. Christianity spread rapidly in the city, and Milan became one of the most important centres of the Christian faith. Traces of the Roman Empire can be found in places such as Piazza Cordusio.

Although Milan became less important as the Roman Empire declined and suffered an invasion by the Longobards in the 4th century, its rebirth began with Carolingian rule in the 8th century A.D. and the city went from strength to strength. Milan became an autonomous city and an increase in trade helped enormously. As a result of Milan's wealth, importance and expansion, a new wall with six gateways was built and some of these gates are still visible today. The city acquired a canal system, which was destined for defensive and agricultural purposes. The birth of this Navigli (Canal) system still defines the city's physiognomy today.

In the 15th century, power passed from the Visconti signoria to the Sforza signoria. The economy boomed, especially in terms of crafts, trade and agriculture. Architectural additions at this time include the
Ospedale Maggiore (today the seat of the State University), the Lazzaretto (which holds the Rotonda della Besana and which is an open air cinema in the summer), and Castello Sforzesco, a listed building which exhibits works by Bramante and Filarete. Also of great historic importance is Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper,"(1498) a fresco at the Convent of Maria delle Grazie.

Prosperity can often bring jealousy and conflict; Milan found itself at the centre of continuous battles between France and the Austrian House of Hapsburg. The Sforza family came and went, and the city was finally reduced to a province under Spanish rule. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Black Death greatly reduced the population and threw the city into economic decline. The architectural highlight of this century was the construction of the Spanish Walls, which today surround Milan's historical centre.

At the beginning of the 18th century, control of the city passed from the Spanish to the House of Hapsburg. Milan began a new phase of expansion, characterized by fiscal and ecclesiastic reform, which culminated in exceptionally rich cultural activity around 1770. Milan fell under Napoleon Bonaparte's control, and the population boomed. It became the capital of the Cisalpine Republic and reaffirmed its cultural and economic importance. As part of Napoleon's architectural and urbanization plans the cerchia dei bastoni ring road was built around the historic centre. Other new roads were also built following Paris' system; these are still used today.

The Austrians again took control of Milan in the 19th century. Neither the educated middle classes nor the lower classes were happy about Austrian rule and in 1848 there was a popular insurrection, which ended with much bloodshed. The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861.

A great deal of the city centre dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when many areas were redesigned and rebuilt – the city is filled with Fascist “minimalist” houses in impressive tree-lined avenues; workers' houses and “dormitory districts”, which were immense apartment blocks with no real shops or services nearby - these estates soon fell into disrepair.

Fortunately, Milan is being transformed from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan! Economic revival has made it a rich and interesting city. The "moral capital" of Italy is very different from all the artistic cities dotted around the country. It is the centre of economic activity in Italy; the country's Stock Exchange is based here. Milan's fame is also boosted by its role in the world of fashion, by the presence of many industries, its high-tech service sector, and its cultural innovation. Most of Italy's press are situated here. One of the major TV networks - the largest private network in Italy - has its headquarters at the gates of Milan.