Milan's Epicenter of Cool

Take a spin through the city’s Navigli neighborhood

Is Milan the leisure destination of the future? Long described as Italy’s industrial center, and the nation’s undisputed fashion and design hub, Milan has recently become a draw for visitors who appreciate style, creativity, terrific cuisine and culture riches in a cosmopolitan setting. The Navigli neighborhood in particular, anchored by the sensually stylish Nhow Milan hotel (see page 250), has emerged as the city’s epicenter of cool, with boutiques, restaurants and bars that are as hip as they come.

The Navigli were once a series of navigable canals in and around Milan, with historical links to Leonardo da Vinci, who back in the late 15th century ambitiously thought of using the canals (originally built between the years 1177 and 1257) to ferry goods and people to the city. While most of the canals have since been entirely covered, the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese are still in use, most notably by visitors wishing to experience Milan while on a scenic boat tour. The twin canals branch out of the Darsena (the dock of Milan) and are dotted with attractions along each of their banks.

In terms of culture, you’ve got the breathtaking Museo delle Culture di Milano (MUDEC) on Via Tortona, set inside the magnificently renovated and repurposed old Ansaldo industrial plant and now featuring permanent and changing exhibits about world culture. Walking along the canals, you’ll also spot dozens of small art galleries, either on the main streets or hidden in narrow alleyways and secret gardens, offering works by both established and up-andcoming artists.

Monuments in Navigli include the fourth-century Basilica di Sant’Eustorgio, one of Milan’s most ancient churches and once home to the relics of the Three Wise Men. Another fourth-century church, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, near the medieval Porta Ticinese, was renovated as recently as the 20th century. The architectural masterpiece houses the remains of St. Lawrence (after whom it is named), in addition to various Byzantine features. Be sure to visit the lush Parco delle Basiliche behind the church and view the park’s different species of maple trees.

Milan is renowned as a shopper’s paradise, particularly when it comes to fashion and design. While Via Montenapoleone and the Duomo area have the well-known Italian brands, Navigli is the place to go for vintage fashion and hard-to-find treasures.

Pourquoi Moi is one of the area’s best-loved vintage fashion boutiques. You can also check out Tenoha Milano, a mini shopping and entertainment center serving and carrying all things Japanese. There’s a lifestyle store where you can find accessories, homeware, tableware, stationary and Japanese candy (including Japanese Kit-Kat), a co-working space and food outlets serving Japanese cuisine.

Since you’re along Milan’s scenic waterways, you’ve of course got innumerable restaurants, bars and cafés to enjoy at any hour of the day. For Italy’s illustrious aperitivi, try Spritz, housed in a vaulted 19th-century red-brick space, or the 20-year-old but still fashionable Capetown Café. For lunch or dinner, try Ristorante El Brellin, located on the historic Viccolo dei Lavandai (Washerwoman’s Alley), where up until the 1950s, Milanese women used to come to wash their clothes. Steak lovers can try Antica Marmeria di Mirko, set inside a former marble workshop and now offering some of the city’s best cuts of meats.

Whether you’re visiting Navigli during the day, when the shops, galleries and churches are open, or at night, when the neighborhood is rife with revelers hopping from bar to bar, strolling along the glistening canals, admiring the pedestrian bridges that gracefully curve over the water and discovering hidden gems nestled behind ancient buildings is a magical experience that’s sure to leave lasting memories.

Words Marwan Naaman