Unique spots you’ll want to see in Milan
In April 2018 I visited Milan for the first time for the annual Design Week. You definitely need at least one week to see almost everything that the Design Week has to offer. I didn’t explore everything, as I also wanted to see a bit more of Milan,
Besides seeing a bit more of Milan, I also went on a daytrip to Como.
My Milan tips are:
Bosco Verticale – for green archicture
Parco Sempione – for a day in the park
City Life Milano – for Zaha Hadid architecture
Piazza Gae Aulenti – for when you love food & drinks
Rossana Orlandi – for art lovers
Lake Como – for a short daytrip
Rho Fiera – for unexpected architeture
Bosco Verticale
During my short stay in Milan I fell in love with Bosco Verticale. It is a pair of residential towers and on every level/balcony there are plants and trees. In others words: Vertical Forest. I was in awe when I saw it for the first time. I am still in awe whenever I see a photo of it.

Parco Sempione
I spent quite a few hours in Parco Sempione. If you need an escapism from the busy Milan city centre, then you have this park around the corner for a bit of quietness. I enjoyed eating my lunch here, listening to a live rock band and reading a book in the sun.

City Life Milano
If you like architecture just like me, then City Life will be on your must visit list. It is a modern new district in Milan. You will find architecture by Zaha Hadid, Arata Isozaki and Daniel Libeskind. Also, don\’t forget to walk inside the beautifully designed shopping and food centre.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
So, you like architecture, food and drinks? You will feel at home at Piazza Gae Aulenti. Outside you are surrounded by a lot of nice architecture. Bosco Verticale is literally around the corner. Downstairs there are some restaurants, breakfast/lunch café’s and a supermarket. Are you a fan of matcha, then visit the Macha Cafe.

Rossana Orlandi
Rossana Orlandi is the godmother of design. Just a little bit outside of the city centre she owns a villa with a beautiful garden. Inside and outside you\’ll find a nice mix of design and art from upcoming designers. If you are lucky, you might event spot Rossana herself.

Lake Como
Fancy a day trip whilst staying in Milan? Lake Como is only an hour away by train. So, just perfect for a daytrip. Within a day you can explore Como, go up the hills with a little train and enjoy the beautiful lake and view,

Rho Fiera
If you are planning to visit Rho Fierra during the Design Week? Don’t go! In my opinion it is not worth it. But, if you like architecture, do visit Rho Fiera when there isn’t an exhibition on.

What are your Milan tips?
I’d love to hear from you about your tips and hidden gems.