Traveling without tasting the local delicacies is almost like not leaving home at all. Therefore, any self-proclaimed globetrotting gourmet not only has to try a city’s most famous dish but also try it in the establishment where it tastes the best.

And that is possible in Milan’s los Panzerotti di Luini, whose small  venue is located between the Doumo and the impressive Galleria Victor Emmanuel II. It is quite normal at lunchtime to encounter a long line of locals and visitors waiting there to try some of their delicacies for the price of 3 euros or less. Yes, you may need to then lick your fingers (literally) in the street. But who cares?

Panzerotti

Casa Luini is world-famous for its panzerotti. These are small or medium-sized pastries that are made from a dough much like that used for pizza and stuffed with all kinds of ingredients. We are in Italy, so tomatoes (raw or cooked) are included and items like soft cheese, basil, oregano and meat are also common. Since the panzerotti are fried, they do have a few more calories than a standard pizza.

As always, the secret lies in the preparation and the dough’s ingredients. Each company (just like every housewife or cook) has its own special touch that is kept absolutely secret. And Milan’s Luini make them especially crispy and tasty.

The panzerotti can be filled with vegetables, fish, meat and can even be sweet. The latter are a delight for children and those with a sweet tooth.

The history of Luini

But who is Luini? After World War II, Giuseppina Luini moved from Puglia, a poor area in southern Italy, to the prosperous and industrialized Milan. The year was 1949, and this entrepreneurial businesswoman began making the most delicious bread in the city that was preferred by the best restaurants Milanese to the delight of their customers.

It seems that Giuseppina wasn’t content with the noble art of baking bread. One day, she came across a recipe from her grandmother that explained the secrets of this delicacy so typical of her village and a new spark was lit. Then, drawing on her experience as a baker, she began to make her unique and rich panzerotti.

The exquisite pastries were so successful that the Milanese gourmands gave it the title of “food for kings”. And from those humble beginnings in a depressed Italy, which struggled greatly after the war, Luini’s panzerotti have become a hallmark of the city. Even if the city’s is not their birthplace, they are the legacy of a remarkable woman. Giuseppina and her descendants have since filled the streets around the Doumo with the pleasant aromas of panzerotti.

Remember that we are here in Milan where the use of butter and animal fats are more common than olive oil in traditional cooking. I only mention this so that you know panzoretti are exactly diet food. But why not live a little when you’re on vacation?

Candela Vizcaíno

If you don´t like eating on the street, you can take your panzerotti di Luini back to your apartments in Milan city center  and enjoy them in style. Buon appetito!

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When it comes to culinary preferences, Milan seems to be the exact opposite of Rome. Whilst the people of the capital prefer their delicious plates of pasta with large quantities of olive oil, the Milanese prefer the classic risottos and meat dishes with butter as the base. The gastronomy in Milan is usually golden due to the ingredients used in this region, such as cornflour, parmesan, saffron, courgette flowers and orange pumpkin, bringing a special Milanese touch with these lively and bright colours.

Milanese Risotto

This classic Milanese dish is known worldwide and it´s made with saffron rice with osso buco, a Milanese dish which consists in veal shanks braised with white wine and broth, with added herbs, gremolata and a mix of garlic, lemon and parsley. They think that the dish was invented by a young apprentice who was responsible for the colouring of the glass of the main window of Milan Cathedral back in 1574. As a joke, he added the saffron that he was using for colouring to the rice that was prepared for his boss´ wedding. The guests loved the rice so much that the recipe of the dish quickly dispersed around the city and later became Milanese risotto as we know it today.

Polenta?

Polenta is a traditional northern Italian dish made out of boiled cornflour. Cooked for over an hour in a copper pot known as a paiolo, it´s popular under different names in countries such as Switzerland, Serbia, Argentina and Mexico. In Lombardy, the place of its creation, it´s prepared in many different ways. Uncia polenta, polenta concia and polenta e gorgonzola are all cooked with different types of cheeses and butters. Polenta de e Missultin has fish from Lake Como. Mushrooms, rapini and other vegetables are also usually added to the dish. Just like the Milanese risotto, the polenta is usually accompanied by hot osso buco. 

Salame di Milano?

The name salame comes from the Italian verb salare which means salt. Salame di Milano is probably the most famous variety of this traditional Italian sausage. It´s made up of finely minced meat and pork. The secret to its quality lies in the mincing procedure and in the perfect mix of ingredients. Depending on the size, the sausage is cured for 60 or 120 days. When it´s ready, it characterizes itself for having a rich red colour inside and a unique sweet flavour. It´s similar to the traditional Hungarian sausage both in flavour and appearance.

Sugolo

Sugolo is a traditional dessert during the grape harvest in Lombardy. It constitutes one of the many ways of using grapes after the end of the winemaking process. It´s made with a large amount of clear grape juice and flour. After being cooked and having thickened, it acquired the texture of a soft pastry cream. It´s served cold and sugolo is a favourite dessert among northern Italian children in summer. 

Negroni Sbagliato

The Negroni is one of the most famous and popular cocktails in Italy, made out of Campari, vermouth and gin. The popular twist to this classic was created in Milan, the negroni sbagliato, which means the Wrong Negroni. One night, a waiter at Bar Basso in the city was preparing a negroni for a client and he wrongly picked up a bottle of sweet sparkling wine instead of gin, and that´s how one of the most popular northern cocktails was created. It´s usually served with a lot of ice and a slice of orange.

Cornejo

So, find apartment accommodation in Milan  and expand your senses.

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Milan is hosting until February 17 this controversy and itinerant exhibition that has passed through countries as diverse as South Africa, Turkey, Mexico City or Tokyo, an exhibition laced with the admiration, awe and controversy of its viewers, which already are over 35 million.

It all begins in 1977, when doctor Gunther von Hagens ideas another conservation technique of biological remains, Plastination, which allows a better study of human anatomy and scientific dissemination. Thus, actual bodies are preserved through a process that extracts, firstly, body fluids with acetone and replaced by silicone or polyester. The organs are subsequently hardened by freezing and do not require any additional process to be preserved. It is a laborious process and for the conservation of a full human body but the results are amazing due to the similarity that bodies keep with their real appearance in life.

The controversy comes from using real bodies and sectors of society have rejected this, as with cloning, based on ethical and religious grounds, but, in general, it has been very well accepted by the scientific community and the grand public, as it lets us learn about our anatomy.

The exhibition focuses on the heart, considered the engine of life, and allows visitors to learn about the human body in an extraordinary way. The viewer can see without  any filters inside the human body, how diseases affect it, the complexity of our bodies and its similarity to some animals. The star of the show pieces are the rider and his horse and the poker players, emulating a scene from the movie Casino Royal and has been made possible by donations from over 10,000 people who have collaborated with the German Institute for Plastination.

The goal: to educate ourselves on maintaining our well being and a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, and we can see what exactly happens when we are not careful as we should. In any case, the vision you have of your body will change completely after attending this exhibition.

The headquarters of the sample is the Fabbrica del Vapore, a Milanese culture center designed to promote the creativity of younger audiences and usually with interesting program workshops, concerts, exhibitions, cinema and plays. The building was constructed in 1899 as a factory of railway materials and is a key player in the industrial history of Milan.

Address: Fabbrica del Vapore, via Procaccini 4

Prices: 15 euros for adults, 14 for students, 12 euros for children 6 to 18 and 40 euros is the family rate.

Hours: Daily from 10am to 20pm. Guided tours are on Thursday at 19h and Sundays at 11:30 h, with an additional cost of 6 euros.

Tickets can be purchased online by visiting the website: Vivaticket.

Elena Alvarez

And when it comes to sleeping, if you are looking for a central and affordable place during your stay in Milan, just take a look at our apartments by days in Milan .

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I spent my honeymoon in Milan and I was surprised of the amount of flea markets that this beautiful Italian city has.

Milan characterizes itself for being one of the most influential cities when it comes to fashion. It has a variety of boutiques that sell fashion items at high prices, but it´s also true that the Milanese love a good flea market, something that I wasn´t aware of.

Here´s a list of Milan´s most famous flea and food markets.

Via Fauch Market

This market is dedicated to all fashion lovers. You can find quality clothes and shoes here from the best Italian designers at excellent prices. It´s the most popular one amongst tourists. It´s located on the homonymous street, one of the most commercial areas of Milan and it opens every day.

Market Dell’ Antiquariato

It´s the biggest in Milan! 400 stalls along the Naviglio Grande, the most oldest, most charming and popular market in Milan. It sells furniture, antiques, jewellery, toys, old books, home items, general junk and clothes. It opens every last Sunday of the month, from 8.30am to 6pm in the historical district of Milan, surrounded by canals and a romantic environment.

Market dell’Antiguariato di Brera

Located between Via Fiori Chiari and Via Madonnina, it´s the same antiques market as the one in Naviglio Grande but set up on the third Saturday of every month. It´s more commercial and smaller.

Senigallia Market

It´s a fair along the small Darsena Lake that´s organized every Saturday morning, selling crafts from Africa, India and South America. Located on Via D´Anunzio, it opens from 8am until 5pm, not only offering art but also music, comic books, candles, second-hand clothes, military items, old furniture, perfumes and books. All in all, a proper flea market.

Via Papiniano Market

It gets the name from the street where it takes place, every Tuesday morning and the whole of Saturday. It´s the busiest market so I recommend to go there early in the morning or at midday, since the crowd of people dies down. There are also homemade Italian cuisine stalls, the best places to buy gifts for the family. There is also well-priced clothes, plants, shoes and even fabrics.

Obej Obej Market

Known as the classic Milan Christmas Fair, it´s an open-air market that I wasn´t able to go to. It takes place from the 7th to the 10th of December from 8.30am until 9pm at the Piazza del Castello Sforzesco. It sells decoration items and Christmas decorations as well as toys and crafts made out of metal, glass and wood, as well as comic books and jewellery. It´s a tradition that Milanese people eat bread with baked chestnuts, sweet mulled wine, corn on the cob, sweet doughnuts, nougats and aniseed Brigidini, a typical Milanese dessert.

Armorari Market

Dedicated especially for collectors of coins, stamps, tin toys, postcards, etc. Open every Sunday mornings close to Piazza Cordusio, on Via Armorari.

Market delle Piante or Flower Market

From mid-March to December the Flower and Plant Market takes place, set up in the open air next to the Duomo.

Via Lorenzini Market

Open-air bazar where you can find old costumes, books and old furniture. Open Sundays from 9am until 1pm.

Wapitu

Rent Milan accommodation and you´ll see the best Italian flea markets.

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Cities throughout Italy celebrate the Epiphany each year with massive celebrations, parades and a national holiday. Every city celebrates the story of the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem, but nowhere is the holiday so impressively celebrated than in Milan. The entire city comes out in force for a large-scale reenactment of the procession of the Magi, complete with fabulous costumes.

On the 6^th of January , the procession sets out from the Piazza di Duomo at around 11 in the morning and wends through the streets of Milan until it reaches the Basilica de Sant’Eustorgio, where a number of the Magi’s relics reside. Three people are chosen each year to play the roles of the Wise men (typically, an old man, a young man, and a Moor). The Wise men are the focal point of the procession, dressed in full finery and riding richly decorated horses.

The Corteo is often led by many bands playing Epiphany tunes on Italian bagpipes. Following the pipers, come actors portraying the shepherds and residents of ancient Bethlehem. Next, the Magi make their way one at a time, accompanied by a vast, vibrant retinue. A small cavalry typically brings up the rear, also dressed in full finery.

Halfway through the procession, the crowd stops at the Basilica di San Lorenzo, which is specially decorated as a makeshift court for King Herod. The Magi reenact the meeting between the Wise men and Herod while the procession waits and watches.

Once the meeting is finished, the crowd moves on until it reaches Sant’Eustorgio, where the Holy Family waits in a stable surrounded by live sheep, cattle, donkeys and other animals. The Magi enter and pay homage to the Christ Child, offering their traditional gifts representing gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby in the manger. Once the procession is over, speeches are made and celebrations are held. Often the Magi distribute gifts to poor children attending the event. After the celebration is over, the three Wise men hand their crowns and scepters to the sexton of the Church, putting aside their royal vestiges until the celebration resumes the following year.

Interestingly, the final destination at the Basilica de Sant’Eustorgio bears a historical connection to the original Magi. According to legend, Sant’Eustorgio, traveled to the court of Emperor Constantine where he was elected fourth century bishop of Milan. In a gesture of friendship, Constantine gave Sant’Eustorgio a number of relics of the three Magi. Sant’Eustorgio brought the relics home to Milan and had them enshrined in the Basilica.

The remains are purportedly held in an urn at the Basilica de Sant’Eustorgio, next to an empty bronze tomb. While the relics don’t typically play any role in the festivities of the Corteo de Rei Magi, many take a moment to pay homage to the ancient King travelers.

Hans

Corteo de Rei Magi is a festival that you don’t want to miss while discovering the most representative Italian traditions. Another way to discover these traditions is to rent one of the apartments in Milan city center . Enjoy Corteo de Rei Magi!  

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Perhaps it´s a bold statement, but this city, or more specifically, these four main streets that bring to life the religion of fashion, is not affected by global recession or austerity and cuts.

It´s a world, at this point, almost unaccessible for mere mortals, but fashion is wrapped in this halo of impeccable and divine glamour. So much so that even a ´sale´ sign would be a vulgarity. However, this is the world of unwritten appearances where sales stay in the interior and, due to the mediocrity that it implies, they aren´t announced with signs on the street but exist inside the shop so that they can go as unnoticed as possible.

Among the four streets that make up the quadrilatero della moda, the quadrilateral of fashion, all the most exquisite fashion wheeling and dealing takes place. Strategically placed in the centre of Milan, these streets draw up an imaginary quadrilateral on which the best fashion shops are lined up: Via Montenapoleone, Via Alessandro Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Via Sant´Andrea.

The access to this area is total and thanks to its strategic location, these stores are visited regularly by window shoppers and buyers. This Quadrilateral is the profane temple that cannot be left unvisited, the Mount Olympus of fashion. It is probably the most characteristic aspect of this city, even more so than its artistic legacy, since its famous list of shoe shops, jewellery stores, fashion boutiques and other unique and luxurious services sell goods that would be worthy of being part of collections of connoisseurs. For this reason, the capital of Lombardy bears the title of being one of the most influential and prosperous industries of this field.

In this city, cradle of fashion, live many Italian designers that give their name to most of the important labels. Like in art, many of these designers were born here, live here or have spent a few years here to absorb all the necessary things that Milan has to offer in this field, the university of fashion.

In Milan there´s a settled and consolidated shopping industry. You can window shop as well, but it´s hard not to give up to the most exquisite charms of Italian fashion, all those you can imagine.

Here´s a small guide to start with. The rest you can discover for yourself by walking around that famous milanese quadrilateral of fashion. 

Brief guide:

Prada, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Ermenegildo Zegna and Bvlgari, on Via Montenapoleone.

Tiffany & Co, Acqua di Parma and Santoni can be found on Gesú.

Armani and Chanel are on Via Sant´Andrea 

Dolce&Gabbana and Uomo on Corso Venezia.

emejota

This is just a brief guide of what you can find. These are days to relax and shop. In order not to cram it all in a single day, you can spend a few days in apartments in Milan city center . If the holidays allow you more time, make the most of this flexible accommodation and go and watch some ´calcio´, the word Italians use for football, and go to the San Siro stadium to watch AC Milan or Inter Milan. You choose who to support.

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The original painting by Leonardo da Vinci known by the name of The Last Supper is one of the great treasures, as well as one of the great enigmas, that the city of Milan holds, a city that is both rich and enigmatic. Towards the middle of the twentieth century Salvador Dali, inspired by Leonardo, created a work that turned the room where the meeting would have occurred into one that resembles a spacecraft with views of nature, which is very representative of the atomic period of the surrealist artist.

Since about midway through the last century there has been an abundance of theories that identify the figure of Jesus Christ with an alien that arrived from outer space to relay a message. They go as far as to suggest that spaceships directed the three wise men toBethlehemto worship the baby Jesus. Within these heterodox movements the astounding vertical ascent of the magnificent cathedral of Milan has always been regarded as one of the most perfect astronomical observatories of all time, but for those who prefer the fundamentals and figures of science, the city also boasts a neoclassical building from 1930 that has harmonious dimensions and beautiful color combinations of gray, orange and green where you can look at the stars more accurately and dream of distant meta-human worlds out somewhere in the universe.

This is the beautiful Ulrico Hoepli planetarium (http://www.comune.milano.it/dseserver/webcity/Documenti.nsf/webHomePage?OpenForm&settore=SVIY-5HNGA3_HP), which can claim not only to be the oldest in Italy but also the largest. And this is despite the fact that it has been open to the public for more than eighty years.

This was all made possible by the decisive intervention of the person who the observatory was named after, Ulrico Hoepli, who was born in German-speaking Switzerland. He had wanted to celebrate his eightieth birthday by donating a building dedicated to his inspiring and powerful passion for the science of astronomy to the city he had chosen to be his home since 1870. This passion had previously led him to found a prestigious scientific publishing house which began distributing the important work of the renowned Italian astrophysicist Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli and to publish a good number of essays written at the School of Astronomy of Bera.

The building was significantly damaged during World War II but was then restored in 1955, so that the extraordinary work that has been carried out since the Planetarium’s founding was only temporarily interrupted. 

Paul Oilzum

Watching the projections of the night sky inside this memorable dome while sitting in chairs inspired by early 20th-century barbershops or taking part in courses and lectures for all ages are just some of the many attractions at this observatory you can engage in when you rent apartments in Milan .

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Like all leading European cities, there are times when you travel and visit major cities such as Milan, it involves an economic investment for accommodation, flights and tourist spots to visit.

In this post we bring Milan to every budget, proposing a series of ideas of things to do in Milan that do not cost any money, for  they are free.

Take note:

Leonardo da Vinci Horse

This statue that simulates a  horse is made of bronze, it is one of the largest ones in the world, It was  built based on designs and drawings dating from the XV, from the hand of Leonardo, and is exposed for free to be seen.

The Golden Quadrilateral

Located in a purely stylistic, fashion street, where we find the most prestigious shops and boutiques of Italian couture.

In the Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via del Corso, Via Senato, Via della Spiga and Via Sant´Andrea streets you can see the windows of shops with names like Versace or Dolce Gabanna, the only activity that will cost is the investment of time to walk around and see the shops and shop window decoration.

 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The shopping area near the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, is  in an area with prestigious shops like Prada and Gucci, in a location dating from the nineteenth where  artistic details like colorful tiles make it a free pleasant gallery to visit

The Duomo

The Cathedral, or Duomo, one of the largest churches in the world, is one of the obligatory stops on any visit to Milan.

The interior of the cathedral is simply wonderful, first its size and artistic aspects, among which we can count 52 pillars, an eighteenth century sundial, beautiful stained glass windows and the statue of St. Bartholomew.

Entering the Cathedral  is free, only that there is a cost associated with a visit the roof which is a strategic and very attractive view to see the spires of the cathedral, statues and gargoyles  as well as  the city skyline.

Sforzesco Castle

The Castello Sforzesco, takes its name from a Francesco Sforza Duke of Milan. The castle is vast  and extensive as well as very artistic, it is located northwest of the Cathedral.

It was built in the mid-fifteenth century by the Duke Sforza, who used it as his residence and built it on a medieval fortress, curiously this fort belonged to the Visconti in the fourteenth century.

Things you can enjoy whilst visiting  the Sforza Castle, are among many other, the large patio, a variety of water fountains, ditches, bridges, towers and paintings within the castle.

Today, the castle is home to several museums and shelter to  the Archaeological Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Furthermore, in its installation concerts and exhibitions are hosted and held throughout the year.

Wandering  around the Castello Sforzesco is free, but if you want to access to museums, there may be a cost for buying tickets.

Milan Parks

Another plan is to walk freely through the Milan  parks, where we can escape the noise and stress of a city like Milan.

Some of these parks, or at least those that can be considered as the most accessible, are the Parco Sempione and the Public Gardens.

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It´s the seventh edition of the Yoga Festival in Milan and the theme that this year´s event will cover is ´Yoga and Future´. For that, the best schools and teachers in the world will congregate during a whole weekend along with the participants and lovers of this ancestral discipline to discuss, practice, teach and share experiences and views of the future and especially on the evolution of yoga.

In the six previous editions of the festival, it enjoyed the presence of important academies from around the world and this new edition will follow in the same footsteps as its predecessors. The main idea behind the festival is to meditate about the great changes that mankind is experimenting and those that it will have to endure in the future. Through yoga, people experiment a special and unique connection with the world, which brings them to think in a different and deeper way about these changes. Through this special conscience, they search for solutions that improve the wellbeing of mankind in the future. This is the main idea of this festival and different activities in the programme will revolve around it.

The programme is still under construction, since they can always add a new activity due to the large amount of attendants and specialists on the subject, but the ones that have already been confirmed are: seminars, lectures, free classes, presentations and meetings on the most interesting views of the subjects at hand from around the world.

The festival will take place on the 12th, 13th and 14th of October at the Superstudio Più in Milan. If you´re interested in taking part, you just have to write to the address that appears on the official website of the event and choose your field of participation. I can tell you now that this is an enriching experience that is not only thought out for experts but also for everyone who wants come closer to yoga. It´s never late to learn and start practicing!

For more information visit: http://www.yogafestival.it/

Luz Obscura

If you practice yoga or you´re interested in starting to, this is a great chance for you. Rent apartments in Milan and take part in the Yoga Festival in October.

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When it comes to art, we always debate its importance, it´s true use in society, what defines art and who can be considered an artist, amongst other subjects. The debates about art in contemporary culture are long ones, sometimes considering that art is related with the upper classes in society or the rich ones. Perhaps a hundred years ago, during times that many avant-garde artists were supported by patrons and collectors, the presence of rich people was essential for the survival of art. Today, this isn´t like this anymore, all the opposite in fact; art is made by and for everyone in our everyday life. To understand this, you just have to check out the many social networks we use every day: today, we all produce art, whether it´s for fun, interests, politics, etc. Art is in everyone´s hands.

In the case of the Boschi Di Stefano House-Museum, art is also for everyone and has been for a long time, since the works that are exhibited in this house belonged to Antonio Boschi (1896-1988) and Marieda Di Stefano (1901-1968), art collectors in Milan who donated their works of art to the city in 1974. The permanent exhibition is made up of 300 items, a small part of the overall collection, which is actually 2000 works of art. This collection is mainly made up by paintings, sculptures and sketches, and it´s a very important legacy of Italian art of the 20th century, from the beginning of the century until the 1960s.

The 300 pieces in this exhibition right now have been selected exclusively to be exhibited in the locations in the house, which also was the home of these important collectors. The works of art at the Boschi Di Stefano House-Museum are exhibited chronologically in ten exhibition areas inside the house. Amongst the artists that you can find in this important foundation are Severini, Boccioni, Funi, Marussig, Tozzi, Carrà, Casorati, Sironi, Martini, Morandi and De Pisis.

This project was born in 1998 after a long dispute between the heirs of the couple and the city of Milan, with the premise of fulfilling the wishes of Antonio Boschi above everything. Today, the foundation is administered by part of the family of the collectors and the city of Milan. It´s important to point out the importance of a project like this one to preserve art in Italy; an adequately selected art exhibition is always attractive to locals, students, travellers, tourists and, especially, to other artists. To find out more about the foundation, its opening times and artists, visit its official webpage here: http://www.fondazioneboschidistefano.it/ws/en/

Alexa Ray

Get apartments in Milan and discover this important museum as well as the different attractions that this important Italian city has to offer. Milan awaits you this autumn with the best in Italian art, fashion and entertainment.

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