Navigli: the Milanese neighborhood where to get lost
It is not the Duomo, nor the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, nor the Sforzesco castle; neither the vertical forest, nor the Frenchified aftertaste of the city nor the prohibitive Dolce & Gabbana boutiques that dot it.
The reason that will make you unable to think of anything other than buying a plane ticket to Milan is called Navigli, the most alternative neighborhood in the city in which you will want to lose yourself, especially at night.
Is he canal district, and it is only a few metro stops or a half hour walk from the center of Milan. Yes, we said well, channels.
Because Although Milan has no sea or navigable river, the brilliant minds of the past caused a network of canals to be built that were more or less passable by boat.
Day and night plans with views of the canals
This has been going on for a long time, because although there are those who think that Navigli is a modernity, it has standing since the end of the 12th century.
Its canals served, among many other necessities of the time, to transporting the stones with which the Milan Cathedral was built.
Of course, the construction of the canals was not completely fine until a genius put his hand on them, back in the fifteenth century: Leonardo da Vinci.
Thanks to him, the canals became authentic paths to the center of Milan, connecting the city with the rest of the world. So it was until the railway arrived in the 19th century to steal their protagonism and utility.
Of the entire network of channels today only two remain: Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavesse, which are the ones that make up the Navigli neighborhood that has stolen our hearts.
Naviglio Grande, the meeting point of the Milanese canal district
TWO CHANNELS FOR TWO AGES
The kids prefer the atmosphere of Naviglio Pavese, with a dot more undergorund and fifteen-year-old.
But if you have already crossed the barrier of adolescence, you will appreciate the atmosphere of Naviglio Grande and its two main streets, on one side and the other of the canal: Alzaia Naviglio Grande and Ludovico Il Moro.
Terraceo, antique markets (last Sunday of each month) , restaurants for all tastes and even boats to have a drink in the middle of the canal when night falls.
Naviglio Pavese, the favorite of the youngest
Of course, if what you want is quiet dinner, what is recommended is Reserve because the demand in this area is high and the premises are limited.
A good starting point can be ** Posto di Conversazione ,** authentic regional cuisine and a star dish: the authentic Risotto alla Milanese.
If you have never tried it, you may be surprised by its yellowish color and its flavor; quiet, it is saffron. And if the march goes to you, It is usually accompanied by ossobuco.
Berberè: long fermentation artisan dough pizzas, buon appetito!
who prefers something more casual like a pizza, You can get lost in one of the surrounding streets and reach ** Berberè ,** where they make them from long-fermented artisan dough.
What should not be missing in any case, whether with a heavy or light dinner, is a bit of a party And you don't have to go far. This area is full of bars to have a drink on the street (or the classic aperitivi) .
If you need a reference to break the ice, ** Ral 8022 Concept Bar .** Pureta DJ, good music and signature cocktails.
Past and present coexist in harmony in Navigli
And one last recommendation. If you haven't noticed before, do it now: the alley of the washerwomen. An old laundry room that was used until the middle of the 20th century to wash clothes in the street and that is practically completely preserved.
Sitting down to contemplate it, copazo in hand, is almost like a trip to the past in just a few square meters.
It sounds like a cliché, but here past and present coexist in total harmony. And good vibes, at any time of the day.
Restaurants overlooking the canal and even boats to have a drink from the water