The hidden side of Milan: #Altercities weekend

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been to Milan, The first thing that came to mind about this city was luxury, design, the plaza del Duomo with its sumptuous cathedral and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, An indisputable temple of haute couture and shopping. iDBUS, The new bus service launched by SNCF has taken us to Milan with the challenge of creating a new kind of tourist circuit, more alternative and original, that allows you to get out of the usual tourist routes and immerse yourself in the city. This weekend express was the opportunity to discover a part of the »hidden side» of Milan…. The project #Altercities begins.

That’s the start; we are on Friday, June 14, 2013; I leave work, Capu comes to pick me up and we head to the bus station. Terminal 1 of the Nice airport where the bus and the drivers are iDBUS They are waiting for us. It is 4:00 p.m., we are stuck in the traffic jams on the Promenade des Anglais And the departure is in 30 minutes…! In the end we manage to get out and arrive 10 minutes before the bus departure.

Upon arrival, the driver greeted us warmly and provided us with a wealth of information about this new bus travel service. Hooray, our luggage is stowed in the trunk; we board the bus and identify our seat numbers. Yes, just like on the train or plane! In fact, we really feel like we’re there: there’s a comprehensive explanation manual in the front mesh, we get all the safety instructions before departure, and the dress code is perfect for the drivers, who are true ambassadors of iDBUS. A big surprise that makes all the difference: there’s Wi-Fi and an electrical outlet for our everyday gadgets. The perfect opportunity to charge our iPads and iPhones for the umpteenth time of the day (ah the batteries…grrr) and of Twitter and to throw in a few photos Instagram (@travelmehappy).

There we go, not a minute late. Hooray, I lean back in my seat, settle down comfortably, and as usual, the first turns send me flying into the arms of Morpheus… 4 hours later I wake up, and we have only 2 hours left before we arrive at Milan. Throughout the journey, the bus stopped several times for 20-minute breaks, allowing us to stretch our legs and have a coffee. These breaks make the journey much less long, just enough!

It is 22:30, the driver drops us off at the LAMPUGNANO metro station, located a few stops from that of the Piazza del Duomo, the heart of Milan. We take the metro to the REPUBLICA stop to reach our hotel, the NH Milano Touring.

We wake up on Saturday morning in our lovely room and go out for lunch; the buffet is simply gigantic! Then, we set off on foot to reach the Duomo Square, armed with our cameras; we are ready for our mission!

Once we arrived in the square, like everyone else we were impressed by the architecture of the cathedral and by the beauty of the surrounding area. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This is followed by the usual sightseeing tour of the city center during the early hours, surrounded by a crowd of tourists. We recommend that you make a stop at Via Montenapoleone, behind the Piazza del Duomo, where the headquarters of the biggest names in Italian fashion are located. Even if you’re not a big fan of shopping, it’s definitely worth a look!
But I reassure you, there are options for all budgets! You can enjoy the pleasures of Milanese shopping without having to break the bank: come and visit us at The Rinascente, sort of Galeries Lafayettes, Located near the Piazza del Duomo (Don't miss the view from the top floor!).

Visit the neighborhoods too Corso Genova or Corso Buenos Aires, where you can indulge yourself.

Since we weren’t there to go shopping, we started actively searching for places. Atypical and alternative. 

A week before departure, friends had advised us to go to the neighborhood of Navigli, We remembered this valuable information and went there.

We get off the metro at the station Porta Genova, And in 2 minutes on foot we arrive in a completely different neighborhood from the city center. How to describe it? A mix of Amsterdam with its canals, Soho / Greenwich Village in NYC with its boutiques, galleries and atypical bars; Portobello in London with its thrift stores and rows of vintage items; St Germain des Prés for its trendy and trendy side…? Actually, we can’t compare this neighborhood with another, because it’s unique; it’s the soul of Milan. We discovered many original boutiques where young designers excel. From vintage shopping to art galleries and designer shops, to bars and restaurants where young Milanese meet in the evening. We feel like we’re in a family village where everyone knows everyone. We walked through the neighborhood on foot, but we strongly recommend renting a bike to discover the Navigli district from a different angle.

Here are our «heart-warming» discoveries:

– The Canottiere,Alzaia Naviglio Grande 4, 20144 Milan.

– Anthropology, Alzaia Naviglio Grande 4.

– Brandstorming, Via Corsico 3.

Brandstorming is a new concept of »temporary» store, created by the communication agency » Borderline« .

At the moment you will find the temporary concept there. StorEvolution focused on recycling and the «marine» universe.

– Meet2Biz, showroom, concept store, alzaia naviglio grande, 14.

It is 6:30 p.m., the decor changes, the shops gradually empty out, and the whole little group gathers to watch the show.’aperitivo in the many popular and trendy bars located on both sides of the canal.

Back at the hotel, we prepare to go out in one of the most festive neighborhoods of Milan, where we will spend the best nights, we were told: the Corso Como.

Unfortunately, the corso wasn’t full of people; a bit disappointed… It started around 11:30 PM, and clubbers flooded the Corso Como to head to the best nightclubs in Milan. We already miss the Navigli neighborhood; we should have spent the evening there!

The next morning we set out to wander around the Parco Sempione (magnificent) passing by the Castello Sforzesco. To the east of the park is the Design Museum «Triennale di Milano» that we would have liked to visit but time was running out… Last stop at the hotel to pack our bags, the departure is near… On the way back we passed by a very modern neighborhood where the architecture is surprising. «Eco-buildings», a kind of green towers are flourishing everywhere, as part of the BioMilano urban redevelopment project. It’s worth a look! More info here

This express weekend ends here...

One thing is certain: we will return again soon to take the time to explore in depth these Milan neighborhoods, each of which has its own identity.