MILAN WITH CHLOE HILL

NAME: Chloe Hill

WHAT DO YOU DO: I’m a stylist but also a slashie coz I take photos and do other things too!

STAR SIGN: Virgo

LIVING: I don’t have a home at the moment, I just float around to different locations.

SLEEP

Lower Brera is the best suburb as it’s packed with bars, restaurants and boutiques. It can be quite tricky finding accomodation so in Summer, find cheaper AirBnB options down by the Navigli canals, or really anywhere within a 40 minute walk of Duomo. As long as you’re on a tram line or close to a metro you’re sorted!

Hotels can be 4 times the price of a great spacious AirBnB so avoid them if you can! Every host I’ve had has been so super friendly and they’ll fill you in on the best local spots to visit

Milan isn’t huge so even if you stay a bit out of town you’ll be fine, as long as it’s not the middle of winter it’s so easy to walk and use public transport anywhere…

EAT

Breakfast isn’t a big thing in Milan and there is not such thing as takeaway coffee (a plus for the environment, I wish Sydney had this culture!). So eat at home or pop to any espresso bar of cafe that is open, order a pastry and an espresso, consume standing at the bar and you’re ready for the day!

The other thing I should note is Italian’s love their sweets so pastries are always covered in powdered sugar or chocolate, finding a plain croissant is surprisingly hard!

From lunch time onwards it’s SPRITZ O’CLOCK. Pop to the pedestrianised area of Brera and nab a table outside so you can enjoy a pasta and spritz in the sun. If it’s cold stay cosy inside at Trattoria Torre di Pisa. For a more low key bite pop to Trame in Brera for really cheap Venetian sandwich, their spritzes are the cheapest I have found in Milan!

I also love the amazing platters at La Prosciutteria in Brera, order a 3 euro glass of wine and a platter of your choice (meat, cheese, antipasto, plus there’s vegetarian options) and you’ll be full for hours.

Milan is famous for it’s aperitivo which is in the early evening when you get free snacks with your drink. It will fill you up so much you won’t need dinner until super late, which is how the Italians like it anyway.

So at 10pm head to a pasta restaurant (obvs), my favourite is kinda daggy but does a great Cacio e Pepe – Rovello 18 in Brera. On the other side of town Isola Dei Sapori is great for seafood and pasta, and when the carb loading gets to much pop to Macha cafe (there are 2 locations) for a healthy Japanese style salads and bowls.

DO

Clearly the best thing to do is EAT. But in between meals it’s worth popping to the Duomo and climbing to the top. The church is seriously amazing and the view is insane.

A bit further out of town is the Fondazione Prada which houses amazing and ever changing contemporary exhibitions (stop for refreshments at Bar Luce). Look up Armani Silos as they often have exhibitions on too. Also go explore Sforzesco Castle and the surrounding grounds.

Bulgari Hotel

Armani Silos – Sarah Moon Exhibition

SHOP

Obviously Italian brands are next level so pop to your favourites, mine are Prada and Missoni. It’s worth Mentioning the Prada store in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II still retains some of the original fittings from 1913 which Miuccia’s grandfather Mario Prada first founded the brand!

Then get into the vintage! Vintage Delirium is my number 1 stop, it’s tucked away off the road so don’t be discouraged when you don’t see any signs from the street. Head in through the courtyard and to the right. Other vintage sho

ps worth visiting within walking distance are Madame Pauline Vintage and Cavalli e Nastri.

The Navigli canals hold antiques markets 1 Sunday a month so if your trip falls on this date don’t miss it.

PACK

It gets really hot in summer and quite cold in winter so be practical, but take into account the fact Italians are SUPER STYLISH. So skip skimpy shorts and tank tops when the mercury is high and go for a beautiful longer length cotton dress, or anything that looks pulled together and is respectful to their fashionable culture. You ain’t in Bondi anymore okay.

******

Before you arrive also download the ATM Milano app on your iphone and MyTaxi too. There’s no such thing as Uber X or Pool, only much more exxy Uber Black’s are legal in Milan. Also it’s illegal to hail a cab from the street, you have to find a marked taxi rank or ask a hotel or restaurant to call one.

So if you need a car book a taxi via My Taxi. During busy times they can be unavailable so wherever possible I get public transport. Just buy a 4.50 euro ticket on the ATM milan app and activate it when you get on a tram or bus, and swipe the barcode to get through the metro turnstiles. It will give you unlimited travel for 24 hours so why would you need to get taxis anyway! Google maps’ public transport setting will tell you exactly which tram/bus/train to jump on.