Milan

We love Sicily: the blood oranges, granitas in the summer, the slow pace. But, once in a while we crave a city. We miss public transportation and taxis. We miss the hustle and bustle. We miss large museums and sophisticated boutiques. Luckily, it’s easy to hop on a direct flight to Milan (1.5 hour flight). Here are some hot spots in the city. Truthfully, this post is more directed to girlfriends wanting a weekend away than a family va-kay. You can definitely go to Milan as a fam, but we’d have different recommendations.

Favorite areas:

Navigli:
The origins of the Navigli date back to about 1100, but today the Naviglio Grande makes up one of the most charming neighborhoods in Milan. There are the old, typical “case di ringhiera” houses around the “river.” From April to September, there are open-air tables and a great market the last Sunday of the month. There’s great sushi and Indian nearby. We also recommend Brellin in alzaia Naviglio Grande for an authentic Italian brunch.


Brera and Bastioni (Corso Garibaldi and Corso Como): You almost feel like you are in Paris with its many coffee shops and unique boutiques. Parts have a more Bohemian feel with several artists displaying their work and many fortunetellers ready to read your palm. Grab a drink at Radetzky or simply walk through Via Breraand and sit outside in one of the bars (Jamaica is a famous one). During the day there is a very famous museum to visit named Pinacoteca di Brera.


Parco Sempione
 is a park behind Castello Sforzesco. It is huge and beautiful with lakes, meadows and little bridges. It is the ideal place to spend a Sunday afternoon unless you visit Milan in winter.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
 was built around 1870 and is called the “salotto di Milano” (The Milan Lounge). Its amazing glass and iron structure filled with coffee shops, restaurants, high-end boutiques and historical bookshops.

Favorite places to eat:

Milan is quite popular for aperitifs where you can have a drink and eat for free during the so called "happy hour" which lasts from 6.30 p.m. till 9.Via Savona has many nice bars and pubs, and it's a the new fashion area of Milan. Locals love "Osteria del Binari" in via Tortona. It's a big place very close to an old railroad with the fireplace and superb Italian typical cuisine. If you are in mood for sushi, head to Nobu on Via Gastone. If you like kosher meat, try Salmone on Via Washington.


Favorite place for a hair cut and blow-dry:

There’s a hair salon on the top floor of Rinascente in the city center (Corso Vittorio Emanuele) near the beautiful Duomo. Locals prefer Intrecci in Via Larga which is open late at night. We got a fabulous blow-dry from a drag queen who looked like Madonna from her Blond Ambition Tour. Intrecci Via Larga 2, Milano Tel. 02.72022316

Favorite Spa:

Steeping into Baglioni Hotel’s spa, you immediately want to say “ommmmmmm.” That’s the sound of complete relaxation. They have great massages and a comfy white couch-beds to sit on while you wait. It’s pricier than a Sicilian massage, but when will you be back in Milan? It's a true 5-star hotel. We'd love to stay there, but we'd go broke. It was nice to spend an hour there thought.

Make a reservation:

Even in January, we suggest making a reservation on-line to see Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. We used this website: http://www.tickitaly.com. You can use this website to reserve several galleries throughout Italy.