09:00The early hours are the only time you can order a cappuccino or latte in Milan without people laughing at you. Pasticceria Cova, a beautiful old cafe in the historic centre sells good coffee at insanely inflated prices – you are paying for the atmosphere and the real estate! Book …
A. Pasticceria Cova
Via Montenapoleone 8,
20121 Milan, Italy
10:00If you’re skipping the Duomo, consider undertaking a different sort of pilgrimage to the studio of Milanese furniture designer Achille Castiglioni. Note that visits are by appointment only so do plan ahead.
B. Studio Museo Achille Castiglioni
Piazza Castello, 27
20121 Milano
12:00Triennale di Milano is the city’s leading art and design spaces, this impressive building hosts the usual revolving exhibits of local and international artists. Don’t forget to have a coffee at the cafe outside in the sculpture garden where you can enjoy the park. If you want lunch there’s a …
C. Triennale di Milano
Viale Alemagna, 6 20121
Milano
Tel: +39.02.724341
Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 20.30
Thursday 10.30 - 23.00
Monday closed
13:00Post cathedral you can get an efficient but nonetheless satisfying lunch from (the fast-expanding) Obika Mozzarella Bar in Duomo Plaza. It’s in the Rinascente shopping mall (underground, it ain’t) but it has spectacular views onto the Duomo Cathedral.
D. La Rinascente Duomo (Shopping Mall)
Floor 7 (Food Market)
via S. Radegonda 1 corner Piazza Duomo Milano
Open daily from 9:30 am to midnight.
14:00As far as traditional sight-seeing goes it seems fair to say that Milan just has the one, sight that is. It took 600 years to build this marble cathedral in all its mad gargoyle-festooned glory. Go early or go late to avoid the tourist hoards – and don’t forget to …
E. Duomo
Piazza del Duomo,
18, Milano, Italy
15:00This sublime 1930’s modernist villa was built by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi for the wealthy Necchi sisters. Reserve a guided tour in advance; and do pay a supplement so you can photograph the interior.
F. Villa Necchi Campiglio
via Mozart, 14 - 20122 Milano, Italia
Tel: +39 02 76340121
Open Wed to Sun, 10am-6pm - check on public holidays.
18:30In Milan, apero entails drinking up over gratuitous amounts of free snacks. (That’s what we call a happy hour!) The combined restaurant/gallery/concept store called Corso Como with roof-top garden is a lovely spot to kick off your evening …
F. Corso Como
Via Tazzoli 3
Milan
Tel: +39 2 29 00 26 74
20:30Slow food Milanese style! Headed by the young chef Cesare Battisti, Ratana restaurant has a relaxed but buzzy atmosphere and a fashionable crowd. Rice dishes are their speciality – try the saffron risotto, a Milan classic. The child-friendly garden makes it popular with families on weekends though the location – …
G. Ratanà
Via de Castilla 28
Milano
Tel: 0287128855
22:30For after dark activities ask the Zero guide based in Milan. It’s in Italian, but we figure you can decipher what’s going on from the pictures, failing that, there’s always google translator. ;-)
G.