One of the Italian destinations where tourists are increasing is Milan: this isn’t a surprise because Milan is the main financial center in Italy and, above all, the city of fashion, industrial design and contemporary art.
Milan, therefore, isn’t only a destination for conferences and business meetings, but a place where you can spend a pleasant holiday enjoying the futuristic face of Belpaese.
The following itinerary is focused on contemporary design and is realized by the staff of Hotel Windsor, located right in the city center, an ideal starting point for a trip full of wonders.
Triennale Design Museum & Cafe
The city of Milan has the advantage of having an extensive transportation network, so it is very easy to get around without your own car: 4 subway lines, buses, trams, but also cycling lanes allow you to reach the most interesting venues in a short time. To get an overall idea of the importance of design in Milan, I recommend a stop at the Triennale Design Museum, reachable by subway from Cadorna-Triennale stop; isn’t the typical museum that divides the works by author or in chronological order, each year change lay out and invites visitors to be inspired by the exhibited collections, such as the event about the icons of Italian design, the most renowned Made in Italy products.
The Design Library Cafe, at Via Savona, is both a meeting point for designers and enthusiasts of new trends, a research center, a library and a modern café, a cozy place for a drink, maybe during the shopping in the surrounding area, Porta Genova, that is full of interesting shops, from modern art collectors to interior design stores, is a must for the selective traveler.
Fashion, glamour and refinement
Milan is a glamorous city, you’ll feel that walking along Corso Como, the heart of Garibaldi district; an effective summary of what makes this city unique is 10 Corso Como, a place that is both showroom, concept store, lounge bar with garden and art gallery.
Go shopping, visit the exhibitions at Galleria Carla Sozzani, enjoy in this haven of peace in the centre of bustling Milan is a charming experience, because it encloses some of the most wonderful features of the city: the passion for beauty, the attention to detail, the exclusivity of venues.
Diamond Tower at Porta Nuova
The skyscrapers of Milan are one of the major attractions for those who love hi-tech style and the skyline of the metropolis: the Diamond Tower is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Italy and has an irregular geometry; in fact, this stands out on the landscape and amazes who walks through Porta Nuova looking for the most original Milanese sights.
From the top you can enjoy a magnificent view of Milan and have a look at the next stages of the route.
Piazza Gae Aulenti, tribute to creativity
Not far from the Diamond Tower there is a square named after one of the most brilliant Italian designers and architects, Gae Aulenti: the square, created by the designer Cesar Pelli, is surrounded by shops and is the most futuristic place in Milan, since seems to be in New York and at the same time this square is the crossroad of most innovative ideas and strategies of Made in Italy, the brand that everyone knows.
The square hosts different decorations and art installations depending on the time of year; in other words Gae Aulenti Square is a changing venue as the imagination and creativity that characterize the entire surrounding area.
A vertical forest in the heart of the city
In Milan was created a project that has no equal, the Vertical Forest (Bosco Verticale), two residential towers designed by Boeri Studio near Porta Garibald railway station, in the district called Isola.
The name derives from the 900 trees that decorate the terraces of the buildings and play a dual role: they mitigate smog and produce oxygen, thereby optimizing energy growing vertically; in fact the two towers are the equivalent of a forest of 10,000 square meters.
The Bosco Verticale is a fine view, the proof that it is possible to innovate while protecting the environment and taking care of the aesthetic, a sort of visiting card for Milan, a protagonist of the contemporary age alongside other metropolises greater and celebrated.
Thanks to this journey through the design you’ll understand why so many artists and creative people are attracted and inspired by Milan, the place where ideas are naturally realized.
