Milano
Sharp-dressed and always moving. Do the Duomo and the castle, enjoy the shopping, then retire to Brera or the Navigli when it's time to eat. The old trattorias are the city at its best - waiters who have been there for decades and no interest in trends - and there's a rooftop with a proper cocktail list for when the evening picks up. Finish it at golden hour. Wander up to the corporate quarter in the north and you'll find a very different Milan - a city of glass and the vertical gardens. The metro is excellent and reliable - tap in and tap out, just like the London Underground. Taxis are trickier; ask at a hotel desk or similar.
15 recs
A good hotel for work - quite corporate, but that's rather the point. Central, comfortable and easy.
Had lunch here at the countertop - unfussy, generous, fairly priced, and eating at the counter is the way to do it. Would go back without thinking about it.
Sat outside and solo dined in Brera. The food was good, if a little touristy - a pleasant way to spend an evening on your own.
A beautiful restaurant that's fantastic for a very 'Milan' lunch or a romantic dinner. Book ahead to sit in the courtyard and dress sharp - the setting is lovely.
A great casual restaurant with great food. It's very large, so there's a high chance of being accommodated as a walk-in - and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Flawless. The kind of neighbourhood Italian that quietly ruins other restaurants for you.
Seafood with a fantastic selection across the menu - built for a long but light lunch.
Exactly what you want from an old Milanese trattoria - classic dishes, waiters who have clearly been there for decades, zero interest in trends. Perfect.
Small, bustling and independent - popular with the morning rush crowd for a reason. Great coffee and good energy.
A French-style café doing serious croissants and coffee under a painting of Napoleon. Milan doing Paris better than it has any right to.
A cosy café with outside seating in the heart of a residential area - nicely busy and very much a locals' spot.
Rooftop bar with pools and a proper cocktail list. Go at golden hour and dress up a little.
A buzzing brewhouse with a long rotation of guest beers from all over Europe. Nicely busy, fairly decent bar food, and a great meeting spot for casual drinks.
A haircut as a piece of history - a proper old Milanese barbershop where everything is done the slow way. Book ahead.
Walked the grounds and courtyards - a good wander even without going into the museums.
Know somewhere in Milano I should go? .