As someone who comes to life in places that evoke a sense of inspired creativity, Milan is definitely a fun place for me to be. Taking a look at some of the places I love in a city I adore, I’m thrilled for my inner aesthete to share just a moment of reverence + appreciation for the parts of Milan that, in all their glory don’t really need to be explained but simply cherished, those contemporary touches that ignite a deep love of design + something only the Italians can do so tastefully.
I’ve been blessed to visit this playful city many times. Most recently, my Love + I spent a few nights, late this summer, one of which was with loved ones after a beautiful few weeks in Lake Como + the remaining just the two of us before catching the train up to Venice - something I absolutely recommend. Each time I visit Milan, I find another part of it I love, another corner previously undiscovered to me + somehow a somewhat deeper appreciation of it’s immensely rich culture + the incomparable vibrancy that makes it so current. What I love most about Milan perhaps are it’s modern touches. The parts of it that speak the beautiful language of contemporary design amid some of it’s more ancient expressions + backdrops. To me, in the most elegant of ways, Milan feels like the bold + more daring little sister to Rome’s more traditional heritage. It is the cooler, more fun one you want to have at your party.
I’ve stayed in several hotels over the years, but one we love + have returned to several times is Room Mate Giulia which was a recommendation from one of my best friends. It is a perfect base thanks to it’s central location while it’s amazing price point + cute vibe make for the ideal place from which to embark upon your Milanese adventure. From here everything is pretty much within walking distance (I walk a lot on city breaks so perhaps check out your own tolerance on maps) + Milan, like any city, is best enjoyed on foot, taking in the Italian capital of fashion be it on sunnier summer days or chic-ly wrapped up in your winter layers.
I always start my days in Milan at a local tabaccaio - those idyllic neighbourhood cafés where locals routinely pop in for their elegant morning espresso + a quick chat before heading off to capture their day. This most recent trip was spent taking in some of my favourite museums, coffee stops + simply strolling endlessly with my Love. In alignment with the very minimalist perspective + way of living, some of the most incredible places for me to visit are always Fondazione Prada + Armani/Silos. Both of these incredible museums warrant unlimited time to explore, relax into + soak up the endless inspired energy each is so bursting with. And then when it comes to a more old-world Italian vibe, Villa Necchi + Casa degli Atellani definitely bring the Italiano energy.
Of course there are the local masterpieces too; the famous Gothic Duomo cathedral, La Scala + Da Vinci’s The Last Supper mural are all part of the Milan experience - that wonderful aspect of Europe I love so much where ancient creations are simply just there.. to be enjoyed + embraced but without that intense commercialization of modern living. There’s an unspoken sense of cool in the coolness of it all. From the old to the new, Milan has it all. And it’s deservedly unapologetic about it too.
The HAUTE so FABULOUS Milan List
H O T E L S // ARMANI Hotel (see my piece on it HERE) // Room Mate Giulia // Senato Hotel Milano // Magna Pars L'Hotel à Parfum // Hotel Viu Milano // Vico Milano
A R T + M U S E U M S // Fondazione Prada // Armani/Silos // Villa Necchi // Pirelli HangarBicocca // Mudec, Museum of Culture // Triennale di Milano // Villa Panza // La Vigna di Leonardo (da Vinci’s vineyard) // Casa degli Atellani
C O F F E E + G E L A T O // Sant Ambroeus // Bar Luce (see my piece on this HERE) // Pasticceria Marchesi // Emporio Armani Café // Il Massimo del Gelato // Ciacco // Gelateria Paganelli //
W I N E + D I N E // Carlo e Camilla in Segheria // Seta // Bar Basso (where the Negroni Sbagliato, a close relative of the Negroni, originated) // Trippa // UGO cocktail bar // 10 Corso Como (best for lunch in the sunshine) // Dolce + Gabbana Martini Bar (see my piece HERE) // Ceresio 7 // Bice //
S H O P S // 10 Corso Como // Antonia // Armani Libri // Nilufar Depot // Richard Ginori // Excelsior // L’Arabesque // Biffi // Antonioli // Slam Jam // Acqua di Parma // La Rinascente // GUM
