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!
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.
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.
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!!
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.