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Italy : Milan - May 2010

Country Code: Dial for Italy

In May, Milan’s pavement culture is getting back into full swing, while for culture, Goya e il Mondo Moderno at the Palazzo Reale on Piazza Duomo is a large-scale examination of the Spanish artist’s influence on modern art. Matt Barker forms an orderly queue

Getting around

The nearest airport is Malpensa, 48km from the city centre.

Bus: A shuttle-bus runs from the airport to Centrale station. The 50-minute journey costs €4,50, with buses leaving every 20 minutes between 4.30am and 12.15am.
Train: The Malpensa Express runs from the airport to central Milan, taking around 40 minutes and costing €11.
Taxi: A taxi into central Milan takes about an hour and costs €75.
Tourist information: The main office is at 19a Piazza Duomo ( , milanoinfo.eu).

TICINESE

Once the port, with the nearby Darsena (basin) and canals, Ticinese is a nautical echo of the area’s water-based past.

Must eat – Gelateria Ecologica (40 Corso di Porta Ticinese, ) makes gelati with natural ingredients; the whipped cream and strawberry variety is the stuff of legend. Bell’aria (43 Via Giuseppe Meda, ) is a seafood specialist with outside seating. Try the fettuccine with salmon sauce.

Must drink – The new Romeo Gigli Cafè (6 Via Angelo Fumagalli) has got the fashionistas in a tizz, while nearby Bond (2 Via Pasquale Paoli) is a favourite with hip locals for its cocktail hours and DJs.

Shop til you drop – The Mercato Papiniano (Viale Papiniano) is a Milanese institution and a great place to buy fresh cheese and vegetables (and learn a few new swear words from the lively market traders).

PORTA NUOVA

A brisk stroll from Brera, this buzzy area is devoid of tourist traps.

Sleep soundly – The Radisson Blu (24 Via Villapizzone, tel. , radissonblu.com, rooms from €112) is a new hotel where Italian sophistication meets Indonesian style, and is well located for business or pleasure.

Must eat – Giallo (6 Via Milazzo, tel. , closed Sunday) is a bistro affair; try house speciality pennette al giallo, made with pancetta and brandy. Nearby Osteria Brunello (117 Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, tel. , closed Sunday) features a traditional menu with a strong Tuscan accent; the Sienese pici pasta with three ragù sauces is belt-looseningly good.

SAN BABILA

On the way from Duomo to Venezia, this busy little quarter is worth a detour.

Sleep soundly – The Foresteria Monforte (2 Piazza Tricolore, , foresteriamonforte.it, rooms from €150) is a chic designer B&B with breakfast served in-room and a Centrale suite looking out over the piazza.

Must eat – Here since 1929, Santa Lucia (4 Via San Pietro All’orto, ) is a big favourite for pizza and other Neapolitan delicacies; go for the scampi or a pizza alla napoletana. The Salsamenteria di Parma (9 Via San Pietro All’orto, ) is a flag-waver for classic cucina emiliana, such as stinco di prosciutto (shin of pork) or a nice bit of tripe parmigiana.

Must drink – The Panino Giusto (4 Piazza Cesare Beccaria) was the city’s first ever paninoteca (basically a sandwich bar), and it remains a fun and happening place to linger over a beer or glass of wine.

CASTELLO

Make time to explore this busy bar-hopping and shopping district in the shadow of the Castello Sforzesco.

Culture vultures – The Triennale di Milano (6 Viale Alemagna), just around the corner from the castle, is currently playing host to an excellent Lichtenstein retrospective, Roy Lichtenstein: Meditations on Art (until 30 May).

Must drink – Obikà (8 Via Mercato) is a self-styled mozzarella bar, where you can nibble Italy’s favourite cheese while glugging your way through the wine list. For a more traditional experience, Sea Level Bar (41 Via Broletto) is a chic little cocktail bar with jazz on Wednesdays.

Shop til you drop – Head to the flagship Blunauta (11 Via Dante) store for natty basics. Image-conscious infants should drag their parents to Meroni Sì (10 Via Madonnina), with its racks of stylish kids’ clobber and accessories.

Compiled by Matt Barker