The Wellness Reporter Escapes: Wellness Travel to Milan
Healthy, active conscious things to do, see, eat, learn and where to stay the weekend.
Best time to go in
The best time to visit Milan would be during Spring and Summer time (April- September). Alternatively, fashion weeks in: September, November, February and June and during Salone del Mobile (usually in Spring or Summer time), are always fun and are also great times to visit the capital city of fashion.
Language:
Italian!
Currency:
Euros, €
Transportation
The best way to move around Milan is by feet as the city is very small. However, scooters, bicycles and cars are very practical, specifically at night if you do not feel like walking home alone during late hours.
Taxi services and ubers are also efficient in the city. Nevertheless, during fashion and design weeks, finding a taxi in Milan can result quite challenging! Having said this, make sure that if you need to attend to an important event, you book a cab in advance. What also works very well in Milan, is the tube!
What to take
Depending on what time period you decide to visit the city, I would recommend to always bring some nice clothes for evening events and dinners.
I would also definitely pack in my suitcase, the most fashionable outfits to wear duringfashion weeks and my favorite gym clothes, as I always enjoy a nice walk or run in the Parco Sempione, or a morning workout in the Vita Pilates gym!
Sun creams and swimming suits are needed, if you want to visit the closest and nicest sea!
Hiking shoes together with some warmer jumpers are recommended, if you would like to head towards the mountains in Switzerland and take some time off.
Books to read if are planning to leave the city for the weekend and head off to the Lakes. No better place to unwind, calm down and dive into your new and favorite novel!
What to know before you go ?
Milan is a small city, however, it has a lot to offer ! It has a beautiful culture and beautiful and charming historical buildings and museums, many restaurants and bars where you canenjoy evening aperitivo’s and outdoor al fresco dining. Amazing fashion parties where you can meet your favorite models, singers and celebrities if you happen to be lucky enough!
Design weeks are booming more than ever, and the installations and events that the city offers during this time are great!
Even though the city is small, it is becoming increasingly popular, so I would recommend to book in advance: hotels, restaurants and getaway weekend escapes in your favorite places in order to make sure that you can live up your best Milanese experience!
Breakfast:
Biancolatte (my favorite bar and restaurant since I was a kid. All of my friends and family know how much I love this place, as I would sometime go there for literally breakfast, lunch and dinner as they offer great and healthy food options. Their ice-cream is a must have, and so is their tomato paccheri pasta, chicken and avocado salad, quiche of the day, and oven-baked roasted salmon!). Pasticceria Sissi (best breakfast place if you love sweet breakfasts. Pasticceria Sissi hasby far the best croissants available in the city! If you do not have a sweet tooth, delicious salted croissant filled in with ham and cheese are also available!).
Pasticceria Cucchi (one of the most historical breakfast places in Milan! It always puts me in a great mood to go there early in the morning and order a good quality coffee with a nice ham and cheese toast. I do not have a sweet tooth, but their pastries have been famous for many years, so I would definitely recommend to try them! Cucchi also offers delicious lunch options and nice cocktails in the evening for great aperitivo’s!
Marchesi (I dare you to find a better and more dreamy coffee place than Marchesi in Milan! I love this place so much. Their coffee, their pastries and most of all their cakes and Christmas chocolate panettone are to die for! There are different Marchesi’s around Milan. The original one is in Via Meravigli. Since Prada bought it, Marchesi opened two new amazing stores in the central part of the city: one in Monte Napoleone and one on top of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
Bar Luce (designed by Wes Anderson and located within the Fondazione Prada, this bar is a beautiful and delicious place to be, that must be visited before or after your museum tour! The style is similar to the Marchesi caffè (as it is owned by the same family), but it has however, a special touch because of its unique vintage pinball machines!
Lunch:
Lubar (lovely restaurant situated in a beautiful location next to the Palestro park in Milan. The menu is great just as the atmosphere! Must orders: avocado toast, eggplant parmigiana, seasonal salads or signature Sicilian “pasta alla norma”, with tomatoes, aubergines and ricotta cheese.
Il Salumaio (situated in one of the most glamorous streets of Milan, Il Salumaio offers a wonderful terrace and service. The food quality is very high, and so is its wine selection. My recommendations are: mozzarella, prawns or chicken salad, Milanese risotto and sea bass with grilled vegetables).
IYO (one-star Michelin sushi restaurant. A must try Japanese sushi experience!)
The Bar at Ralph Lauren (a new yet incredible entry in Milan. We needed a RL restaurant in the capital city of fashion too! Signature dishes just like the ones that you can only have in New York or Paris such as: the iconic RL burger, the lobster rolls, and salmon tarts can be all savored and enjoyed in a lovely outdoor terrace!
Consolare (one of the best fish places in Milan situated in the historical center of Brera).
Dim Sum (if you want to experience some oriental cuisine, this is the best dumplings and fried rice and noodles restaurant in Milan. I crave it even when I am in London!).
Dinner:
La Brisa (I love this restaurant because even though it has been there for many years now, not everybody knows it. For this specific reason, I always book a table here, when I do not feel too social, but still want to dine out with some friends in a beautiful courtyard. Their service is impeccable and the food is refined and very good!).
Dal Bolognese (my favorite restaurant in Milan. Make sure that you book your table in advance in the outdoor area, as they are always fully booked! The terrace outside is beautiful and quite…and the food is the best! I always start with a selection of hams, raw tartare’s and artichoke salad and have their signature “Bolognese” pasta or sea bass with cooked tomatoes and olives to follow!
Giacomo Arengario (one of the most beautiful views of Milan. Make sure that you book a nice table outdoors, so that you can dine, while enjoying high quality foods overlooking at the iconic Duomo of Milano and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
al Garghet (slightly outside of Milan, this restaurant is a true and unique experience. The best time to go would be around Christmas time, where you will feel like you are in wonderland. A must try is their signature fried meat also known as “cotoletta alla Milanese”. I dare you to finish it, the size is quite challenging!
Langosteria (the best fancy and fresh fish in town! Must have: raw tartares, spaghetti with vongole and yellow tomatoes and to finish with style and taste.. their fruit and dried fruit ice-creams!).
Cantine Piemontesi (lovely outdoor in the center of Milan. If you happen to be there around November/ December make sure that you try their White Truffle Pasta. The truffle that they will serve you, will come from where the restaurant gets its name from, Piemonte, a Northern region in Italy also known as the “capital city of white truffle”.
Drinks:
Terrazza Triennale (ideal to go there if you plan to make a visit to their fun museum. The Terrazza Triennale is a nice place to be as it overlooks the Sempione park and you can relax with a good Aperol spritz!)
Terrazza Brian e Berry (Lovely terrace to have a drink while seeing Milan from a nice rooftop in the city center).
Bulgari Hotel (the Bulgari hotel offers a lovely garden during the spring and summer time to enjoy a great cocktail with really good food!).
Four Seasons Garden (one of the most charming gardens in Milan for me! I love going there for a drink before dinner and then eventually always end up eating there! Food quality is really good and they offer many different seasonal options. Must try: club sandwich!).
WHERE TO BUY FRESH FOODS, FRUITS OR VEGETABLES. MARKETS OR ORGANIC FARMS
Healthy Supermarkets:
Naturasi
Centro Botanico
Bio C’ Bon
Esselunga
Erbet
Il Viaggiator Goloso
Eataly
Local Markets:
Mercato San Marco
Mercato Cambini
Mercato Trechi
Mercato Cesariano
Must- See in the city:
Il Duomo
Piazza Castello
Palazzo Reale
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
La Scala
Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio
Navigli Canals
Museums:
Museo del Novecento
Fondazione Prada
Pinacoteca di Brera
Triennale
Cenacolo Vinciano where you can visit Leonardo da Vinci “last supper” painting
MUDEC- Museo delle Culture
Museo del Duomo
Quick and Unique escapes from the city:
Lago di Como – 1 hour car drive
Lago Maggiore- 1 hour and 20 minutes car drive
Genova- 1 hour 30 minutes car drive
Santa Margherita/ Portofino – 2.30 hour car drive
Cinque Terre- 3 hours car drive
St Moritz - 2.30/3 hours car drive
Best Yoga Studios and Gyms:
City Zen (yoga)
Kriya Yoga Ashram (yoga)
Nalu Yoga (yoga)
Mot Studios (pilates, barre, personal training, TRX)
Vita Pilates (pilates)
Virgin Active (gym, personal training and scheduled group classes)
Best Spas:
Palazzo Parigi Spa
Bulgari Spa
Mandarin Oriental Spa
Four Seasons Spa
Armani Spa
Best Parks and Gardens for a morning/ evening run or relaxing walk:
Parco Sempione
Parco Palestro
Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli
City Life Park
Guastalla Garden
Leonardo’s Vineyard
Brera Botanical Garden
Close-by Beaches to enjoy the sun, the sand and a lovely lunch with a sea view:
Bagni Fiore, Paraggi
Baia Cannone, Portofino
Beach of Minaglia, Santa Margherita
Bocadasse, Genova
Where to stay
Palazzo Parigi
Four Seasons
Bulgari Hotel
Matilde Boutique Hotel
Maison Borella
Streets to stroll in and shop till you drop:
Via della Spiga– High Street and International Chain Brands Shopping
Via Monte Napoleone– High Street and International Chain Brands Shopping
Via Manzoni- Luxury Shopping
Via Sant’Andrea- Luxury Shopping
Via Brera- Jewelry and Antiques
Via Torino- Multi-brand Shopping
Corso Vittorio Emanuele- Multi-brand Shopping
Stores:
La Rinascente (Multi-Brand and Luxury Store)
Wait and See (This is a great and colorful store to buy presents for your loved ones and for yourself! From nice jewellery selections, to home and stationary gadgets, to fun clothes and shoes, Wait and See… to find your new best clothing garment or house ornament!).
Antonia (Luxury Brand Concept Store)
Al Bazar (if you love exclusiveness, elegance, quality and style this is the store where you will want to shop!)
Peck (finest food and wine selection)
10 Corso Como (Concept Store)
Why do you love this place and why would you recommend it to a friend? What's your relationship to it?
I love Milan because I was born and raised here and I have seen this city radically change: from being a very small and limited town, to still being a small city, that now however, has many beautiful things to offer!
From fashion, to interior design and architecture, to international studies, to culture, to embracing great culinary experiences everywhere you go around the city, to getting in touch with very interesting businesses which have different realities and objectives, Milan is the best city to be in Italy, if you are looking for motivation and academic and work drive!
Additionally, Milan is very well positioned (geographical wise). In fact, in just 2 or more hours by car or train you can reach: the mountains in Switzerland, the sea in Liguria, the countryside in Tuscany, Venice in 2 hours and with only 4 hours of stunning car drive, you can live the beauty of Southern France!
When I was younger, I did not appreciate the city as much as I do now. I always say: Milan is ideal if you want to have a very nice and easy life. The quality of the life that the city offers is amazing, and the town is so small that you will never get too tired (physically and mentally) when you are there!
What’s more, is that the city is becoming very international and dynamic. This means that every month there is a different happening going on or a new person visiting or moving in the city! This allows people to feel like there is a constant positive change going on, and it allows them to stay motivated and to constantly find new inspirations!