Neighbourhoods
Walk the Navigli canals at aperitivo time
Milan · Lombardy
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Neighbourhoods
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Milan · Lombardy
- DURATION
- An evening
- DIFFICULTY
- Easy, level walking along the canal banks.
- BEST TIME
- Year-round; the aperitivo is most lively in spring and autumn.
ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE
The Navigli is the canal quarter southwest of Milan’s centre, the last surviving stretch of the canal system that once linked the city to the rivers and lakes of the Po valley — and that was partly redesigned by Leonardo da Vinci, who worked on the locks in the late 15th century. Today the Naviglio Grande and the Naviglio Pavese are lined with bars, restaurants, antique shops and artists’ studios, and the quarter is where Milan goes for the aperitivo, the early-evening drink with a plate of food that is the city’s most loved ritual. Coming here at sunset, taking a table by the water and ordering a Negroni or a glass of Franciacorta, is the most Milanese way to spend an evening.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
What you’ll experience
THE EXPERIENCE IN DETAIL
What it’s really like
HIGHLIGHTS
Moments worth savouring
The Naviglio Grande — the oldest of the canals, lined with the old washermen’s houses and the evening bars.
The aperitivo — the early-evening drink with a buffet of food, the ritual that defines Milanese social life.
The Vicolo dei Lavandai — the preserved alley of the washermen’s cooperative on the Naviglio Grande.
The Darsena — the old harbour at the confluence of the two canals, redeveloped as a public waterfront.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Good to know before you go
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Walk the Navigli canals at aperitivo time
Walk the Navigli canals at aperitivo time, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
45.4514, 9.1747
ATTRACTIONS NEARBY
Pair it with these sights
MORE EXPERIENCES
More to do in Milan
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Trattoria Milanese — a historic trattoria for the classic risotto alla Milanese and ossobuco, since 1933
Marchesi 1824 — one of Milan’s oldest pasticcerie, for breakfast pastries and coffee in the Brera quarter
Ristorante Cracco — Carlo Cracco’s celebrated modern Milanese restaurant in the Galleria, book well ahead
Luini — the famous panzerotto fry-shop near the Duomo, a Milanese street-food institution since 1888
Trattoria del Nuovo Macello — a buzzy modern trattoria near Porta Romana, honest cooking and a great wine list
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Bulgari Hotel Milano — a luxury hotel in a quiet quarter near La Scala, with a garden and a spa
Armani Hotel Milano — Giorgio Armani’s design hotel in the fashion quadrilateral, with a rooftop restaurant
Hotel Spadari al Duomo — a design hotel a short walk from the Duomo, good value for a central base
Room Mate Giulia — a stylish hotel beside the Duomo, designed by Patricia Urquiola
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
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INTERESTS
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