A Tasty Suggestion
Bebel’s Ristorante is situated in Milan’s chic Brera – San Marco district. This restaurant is rarely noticed by travel guides, but with its quality of food and sparkling atmosphere, that will change very soon. The restaurant itself is right in the heart of the business area, and when you dine there you will be surrounded by journalists from Italy’s largest newpaper Corriere della Sera. The main dining area is spacious without losing its intimacy. On your way to your table you are taken through a market-like area with a massive array of fresh fish, fruit and cheeses to wet your appetite.
The chef Jean-Paul Belmondo uses his nickname ‘Bebel’ as the inspiration for the restaurant, and fuses traditional Italian cuisine with his own creative designs and combinations to make your meal a wonderful experience. Starters range up to €12 while main courses cost around €20. You can, however, get some fantastic set menus for between €25 and €30. For more information phone +39 (0) 657 1658
www.bebel.it
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JUNE – AUGUST 2008: The Latino Americando is a South American latin festival that thousands flock to see. With music, literature, theatre and film immersing the city into a South American lifestyle it is not to be missed. Visit www.latinoamericando.it to find out more.
… and here are some more great things to see and do in and around Milan…
SEPTEMBER 2008: The Milan annual film festival takes place at the beautiful Piccolo Teatro and the Castello Sforzesco. Attracting young film directors it is the best place to see what Europe has to offer the film industry. To find out more visit www.milanofilmfestival.it/
NOVEMBER 2008: The international cycle and motorcycle exhibition is held at the Milan Exhibition centre and is a must see for any bike enthusiast. Alongside the exhibition bike contests are also held at the indorr arena. For more information go to www.eicma.it/
LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH: One of Milan’s largest antiques fairs takes place at the end of each month along the Naviglio. Stretching for over two kilometres more than 400 dealers set up their stalls. Quality control checks ensure that you will be getting quality products. Go to www.navigliogrande.mi.it/eventi.htm for further information.
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MiArt presents some wicked designs
The international modern art fair is held at the Fiera Milano, close to the centre of the city. Last year it attracted over 30 000 visitors viewing over 200 different exhibits. The gallery is set into four different sections, portraying different genres of art. As well as coming to see some of the best art over the last 100 years, there are also lectures with some of the gallery’s curators and directors. The event is running until March 2008. www.miart.it
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If you’re seeking the romantic charm of Italy’s iconic cities Rome, Florence and Venice, then you may well run the risk of being disappointed by Milan. But the city compensates for this with oodles of attitude and style.
Milan is Italy’s second largest city and the country’s economic hub, located in the plains of Lombardy in the north of Italy. Money and commerce dominate Milan and is reflected in the amenities available.
But to concentrate on Milan’s commercial success is to ignore its historical and intellectual heritage. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the city centre, where the old sits cheek by jowl with the new. The Duomo for example was built in 1386 and is a stone’s throw away from modern and sleek towers.
Milan is synonymous with fashion and has nurtured such ubiquitous names as Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabanna, Prada and Versace. The art scene too is one of the best in the country, boasting a wide range of art, from famous masterpieces to modern and up-and-coming works.
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Milan’s main attractions are largely based in its small and compact city centre making a day of sight seeing easy and enjoyable.
First thing in the morning, visit the Duomo, which is at the heart of the city centre. Admire the marble statues and La Madonnina before climbing up the steps and seeing the panoramic views from the roof. From the Duomo you can walk over to the Castello Sforesco and take in the many pieces of art on view. A trip to Santa Maria delle Grazie should also be top of the list for a cultural morning. Enjoy lunch and soak up the sunshine in one of Milan’s glorious parks.
In the afternoon, visit Brera, north of the city centre for the many galleries and fashionable shopping streets. You could also try the Ring of the Navigli, to the south of the city centre, for more designers and boutiques. Alternatively, visit one of the markets to pick all sorts, from trinkets, to antique furniture, to old records. Finally, wind down in the evening by heading to La Scala to take in opera at its best.
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Accommodation is Milan is geared towards the business traveller and consequently there are few budget hotels. Rooms are also quickly booked up during the summer and during certain periods of the year when major trade fairs are being held.
For extravagant luxury, check into Bulgari (tel +39 02 805 8051), or the Park Hyatt Milan Hotel. www.bulgarihotels.com
For all your hotel needs visit www.flybehotels.com
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By air: Milan’s international airport, Malpensa International Airport (MXP), is located outside of the city and is connected by the Malpensa Express railway service, which operates from Cadorna Station. Linate Airport (LIN), within the city, has European and domestic traffic. Take bus line 73 from S. Babila down town. There is a third airport, Orio Al Serio, close to the city of Bergamo.
www.sea-aeroportimilano.it
www.orioaeroporto.it
By rail: The Suburban Railway Service, which comprises of eight suburban lines with ten more scheduled to open in 2008, operates between Milan and other cities in the region, such as Como and Varese. The Regional Railway Service links Milan with the rest of Lombardy and into the national railway system.
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Milan is well served by a range of trams, trains and subways. An urban ticket for all means of transport costs €1 and is valid for 75 minutes on any line although it cannot be used twice on the Underground.
By subway: Milan Metro has three subway lines – M1 (red), M2 (green) and M3 (yellow). There is also Metro S. Raffaele, which connects the San Raffaele Hospital with Cascina Gobba (M2).
By tram: Greater Milan has one of the most extensive tramway systems in the world with 20 lines
By bus: The local transportation authority (ATM) includes 93 bus lines.
By taxi: Comune di Milano (City of Milan) licenses white taxis. Prices can be high though and finding a taxi during rush hour can be tricky.
By rail: Milan is the second railway hub of Italy and the five major stations are among Italy’s busiest. The main station in Milan is the Stazione Centrale (Central Station), from where the majority of trains to Italy and European destinations leave. The station is served by two underground lines – green and yellow lines. Cadorna, located in the city centre, is used as a base by Ferrovie Nord Milano (North Railways), which operates throughout Lombardy towards the north and consequently is largely used by commuters. www.trenitalia.com
By Radiobus: Radiobus is a new ATM service, which is accessible by reservation only. www.atm-mi.it
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Shopping: Milan is hailed as one of the world’s best shopping locations. It is the centre of the fashion industry and no visit to the city can be without a shopping trip! Go to the ‘Triangle of Gold’ to see some of the world’s most famous designers. www.milano24ore.net/shopping
Football: Italy are current world champions of football, and you can see why when you experience the passion that they have for the game. Why not visit the San Siro, Milan’s biggest football stadium to get a flavour of Italian passion for sport. For fixture lists and welmilano.itcons.com
Lakes: Take a trip out onto Lake Como, where the Bellagio island is home to stunning gardens and fantastic villas. The 19th century, neo-classical designs are some of the best in the country and should not be missed. www.ciaomilano.it
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According to experts, Italy is one of the most desirable places to move to for Britons. It is the appeal of Italian lifestyle that excites most of us to move there. Over the next few years, this could become more of a possibility for many of us.
New property plans in Milan are proposing property developments for the city and are set to provide a large boost for Milan and to attract new buyers to the region. Milan is Italy’s second largest city and new residential and commercial property is being planned by the government to boost the local economy. However, it is still the slightly more rural areas which are being dominated by foreign buyers, and it may be some years before the Milan property boom takes off. www.propertyshowrooms.com/italy
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Duomo: The Duomo is one of the largest cathedrals in the world and has the world’s largest collection of marble statues, with 3,500 statues adorning the outside. It is an immense building, which took five centuries to build. Inside, you will find the golden statue of La Madonnina, and outside, once you have climbed up to the roof, you will be rewarded with spectacular views, which on a clear day, stretch 60 miles to the Alps. Tel +39 02 8646 3456.
La Scala: La Scala is Milan’s world-famous opera house and widely considered to be an important centre for opera lirica. The opera season opens on December 7th, the Festa di Sant’Ambrogio, when the opera aficionados flock to hear the performances. Tickets – watch out, they can be pricey - must be booked up well in advance. www.teatroallascala.org
Milan is renowned for its culture and art and the city has a large number of both private and public art galleries. The contemporary art galleries are the most famous in Milan and are concentrated in the city centre and along Via della Moscova from Garibaldi Station to the Central Station. There are a number of iconic art collections too.
Santa Maria delle Grazie: Tel +39 02 8942 1146, closed Mondays. The church is a vital stop for all art lovers – it houses Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. However, it is well advised to book in advance for the opportunity to view the masterpiece. For more da Vinci, head to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, which contains drawings and notebooks by the artist.
Castello Sforzesco: Tel +39 02 884 63700, closed Mondays. Castello Sforzesco, which is situated in the Parco Sempione, offers panoramic views of Milan and across this particularly idyllic part of the city. It is home to an impressive array of works by Michelangelo, Mantegna, Bellotto and Canaletto. Opposite the castle is the Arco Della Pace in Parco Sempione. The statue, which is made of granite from the Lake Maggiore region, is dedicated to Napoleon.
Pinacoteca Brera: Tel +39 02 722 631, closed Mondays. The art collection is the city’s best with over 700 years of Italian art, including Raphael’s Marriage of the Virgin, Piero della Francesca’s Brera Altarpiece and others by heavyweights Canaletto and Caravaggio. Another prominent gallery is the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, which holds work by Botticelli, Canaletto again and Mantegna.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: The glass-roofed arcade with marble floors is reputed to be the world’s oldest shopping mall. It is a spectacular building, just as suited to shopping on an industrial scale as it is for having a coffee in one of the coffee shops, people watching and generally soaking up the ambiance.
There are many beautiful parks and green spaces to relax in and soak up the sunshine. Two of the best are Giardino Botanico and the city’s public gardens, the largest park in the city.
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There is something for everyone in Milan and its diversity is hard to beat in other Italian cities. La Scala is an obvious choice for evening entertainment and there is a wide range on when the theatre and concert season opens in October. Boccascena Café (tel +39 02 805 5882) is an 18th century palazzo where clientele usually revolve around the Teatro Litta. During the summer, look out for Musica in Metro events. The series of concerts are performed by local music students dressed up in black tie in the subway stations. www.teatroallascala.org
Head to Navigli and Porta Ticinese districts of Milan, which are buzzing with activity and where there is a heavy concentration of beer halls, clubs and sandwich bars. The Milanese are particularly fond of Happy House, which last in the pubs and bars from around 6.30pm until 9pm.
Milan takes it’s clubbing very seriously and there is a wide choice. Hollywood is THE club to visit where you will find yourself mixing with Milanese celebrities (tel +39 02 659 8996). Nuova Idea (tel +39 02 6900 7859) is Milan’s premier gay club, which has ballroom dancing to an orchestra and another devoted to cages with dancers. For live music, head to Magazzini Generali (tel +39 02 552 11313), a former warehouse, which hosts live international acts, DJs and local bands all at good prices.
www.lanuovaidea.com
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Coming soon.
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If Milan is known for one thing, it is it’s shopping. It is widely viewed as the capital of fashion. To name drop, head to vias Borgospesso, Montenapoleone, della Spiga, Sant’Andrea, San Pietro all’Orto, corso Venezia, Verri, and Manzoni, and of course, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, where the original Prada store has been since 1913. New, up-and-coming designers can be found on corso di Porta Ticinese and for more budget purchases, there are designer outlets on via Fratelli Bronzetti.
There is a blossoming antique trade on via Bagutta, via Bigle, via Borgospesso, via della Spiga, via Sant’Andrea, via San Pietro all’Orto, via San Spirito, and corso Venezia. The Ring of the Navigli boasts several highly prestigious boutiques.
There are also many markets in Milan. The Senigallia Fair, which is on every Saturday in via Valenza, sells everything from objects, to second-hand clothes, to records. On the third Saturday of every month, 50 antique dealers and collectors sell crystals, glasses, trinkets, jewels, display and furniture at a market in the Brera area. On Sunday mornings, there is a unique market for stamp and coin collectors in via Armorari.
Milanese shops are closed on Monday mornings and usually Sundays, although some in the city centre stay open.
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