If your Instagram is anything like mine, the past few weeks of your feed have been filled with images from Milan, where the international style set recently made their annual pilgrimage to Fashion Week for the Spring 2019 shows. That said, Milan draws crowds year-round thanks to its world-renowned fashion and design industries and has experience in hosting some of the globe’s most distinguished guests. Here are some of the city’s chicest cultural, culinary and style destinations.
The sophisticated Armani Hotel Milano, in the heart of the fashion district, is the place to see and be seen. The hotel opened in 2011 and has been a fixture on the scene ever since. The hotel occupies seven floors above its namesake flagship store at the entrance of the famed shopping street Via Montenapoleone. The design of the hotel is very sexy and minimalist, and every detail has been meticulously thought-out by Giorgio himself… including the fact the property was tailor-made in the shape of an A if you’re viewing it from the window of an airplane. If ever there was a hotel that fully embodies the aesthetic of a fashion icon, it would be the Armani Hotel Milano. The property made a huge splash when it first debuted and remains one of the most difficult Milan hotels to book, especially during the high season, so make reservations well in advance of your travels.
Instead of checking in on the ground floor, guests are ushered up to the seventh-floor lounge where panoramic windows showcase expansive city views, all the way towards the Duomo. As stylishly outfitted as any Italian fashion-plate, the property earns its spot on the best-dressed list thanks to lustrous interiors by Armani Casa. The 95 rooms and suites are located on floors two through six and are quite sizeable by city standards starting at 480 square feet. The massive bathrooms are the real standouts in each of the room categories, with their heated stone floors, sunken bathtubs and sleek showers. Some of the rooms on the sixth floor come with balconies that have vistas of the city and the duplex Signature Suites offer either a private cinema or an in-room gym. The color palette of the property consists of muted blacks, beiges, grays and dark greens. It all works to give guests an ultra-refined and very Zen feel the moment they step into the hotel.
Public spaces are equally as impressive as the rooms, in particular, the 13,000-square-foot Armani Spa located on the Penthouse level. There’s a glass-enclosed relaxation pool (no children or cell phones allowed), state-of-the-art fitness center, six treatment rooms and ultra-plush lounge chairs set in front of the windowed walls, surely one of the best vantage points from which to see the city. The Bamboo Bar, which is a very popular place for a cocktail during Milan Fashion Week, also has panoramic views and is one of the swankiest spots to have an aperitif or sample some of the chef’s small plates. The hotel’s main restaurant, Armani Ristorante, was awarded a Michelin star in 2015 and does not disappoint.
Another hot spot, just off of Via Montenapoleone, is Il Salumaio, which is wonderful for people watching at its finest. This traditional Italian trattoria that has been a favorite with locals and jet-setters since the ‘50s and still remains one of the most coveted tables in the city. The restaurant is an iconic destination with a fabulous courtyard and excellent pasta. It is family owned and has been managed through three generations. Dine al fresco or in the wood-paneled dining room and afterward, be sure to stop by the adjacent shop to take away homemade pasta.
You simply cannot visit the fashion metropolis without indulging in a shopping spree. The Armani Hotel Milano is located on Via Montenapoleone, the most upscale shopping street in Milan and in 2018, this boulevard was named Europe’s most expensive shopping street. Via Montenapoleone is home to Armani, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. When you eventually find your way off this shopping mecca, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which connects the Teatro Alla Scala to the Duomo, is Italy’s oldest shopping arcade and is covered by an impressive glass architecture and cast-iron roof. Be sure to book tickets for the Duomo in advance to avoid hours waiting in line to see the very impressive structure. On a clear day, beyond the urban landscape of the city, you can see the glimmering Alps in the distance. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is arguably one of the world’s most famous paintings. The availability of tickets is very limited, so the advance reservation is considered “mandatory'. Tickets to see this masterpiece can be booked online.
Milan’s contrast of history and modernity is infectious and remains the undisputed Italian fashion and design capital and a must-visit stop for any trip to Italy. In a city full of cafes, restaurants, shops and historical landmarks, a walk-through Milan, any time of year, is simply unforgettable.
