• Navigli & around
• Porta Romana
• Duomo & Montenapoleone
• Porta Venezia
• Repubblica
• Chinatown & around

On bustling Ripa di Porta Ticinese, this lively spot is a café by day, morphing into one of the city’s most popular hangouts in the evenings, with seating pouring out onto the canalside in summer. Interiors have bags of character, with dim lighting, vintage prints and an eclectic mix of curios and furnishings that exude a boho vibe. Giappone is a favourite, a deliciously refreshing drink made with gin, shiso, sage, cardamom, lime, absinthe and ginger beer. If you’re lucky, you may be given the password to access their speakeasy near Cinque Giornate.

Contact: farmily.webflow.io/locali/mag
Nearest Metro: Porta Genova
Prices: ££

The bartenders here travel the world for inspiration to create exciting new drinks using novel techniques and ingredients. Try their popular Fusettone, a refreshing drink made with pink grapefruit soda and Fusetti, an artisanal bitters made with aromatic plants and fruits including gentian and rhubarb. The eclectic furnishings are a nod to the world of travel, with globes, hats and books adorning shelves and walls. Every six months a new country is the star of the show, with themed drinks, dishes and décor; countries so far have ranged from Morocco to Panama.

Contact: farmily.webflow.io/locali/iter
Nearest Metro: Porta Genova
Prices: ££

Measuring only 43 square feet, this watering hole is one of the world’s smallest whisky bars. Seating only four, it oozes plenty of character and charm, with concoctions in glass phials lining wooden apothecary shelves and old tracks from a Marshall radio setting the mood (you can pick and change according to your musical flavour). You’ll have to book a seat at this itsy-bitsy space, although if you haven’t managed to bag a spot you can knock at the small window for a drink on the go. You’ll see no more than a hand and a V for Vendetta mask, intriguing you to know what lies within. 

Contact: backdoor43.dinesuperb.com
Nearest Metro: Porta Genova
Prices: ££
Getting in: Reservations are essential. Book your 1.5hr slot via the website.

Tucked away off the Naviglio Grande, this welcoming spot has firmly established itself on the Milanese nightlife scene as a favourite for aperitivo. Experienced mixologists shake up some of the best cocktails in town, while finger food and small tasting dishes are made fresh on the spot: expect toasted bread with anchovies and mascarpone cheese; traditional Milanese meat balls; and homemade hummus. Sit back at the caramel-coloured bar and watch the barmen at work as you sip on a Gin Zen, the bar’s signature drink made with crushed ice, gin, fresh ginger, lime and soda.

Contact: ritacocktails.com
Nearest Metro: Porta Genova
Prices: ££

Award-winning mixologists prepare creative cocktails at this hipster bar. It’s packed to the brim with curios and sporting memorabilia, from riding boots to vintage hatboxes, with heavy drapery and low lighting adding to the cosy feel. Try the bar’s signature Negroni, reimagined with mezcal aged in oak barrels, or sip on a velvety Same Old Mistakes made with gin, lime, egg white, bergamot and Maraschino cherry liqueur, and soak up the atmosphere over a jazz performance.

Contact: dopingbar.it
Nearest Metro: Porta Genova
Prices: ££

This lively bar is named after a Futurist Italian literary journal, with prints by Futurist painter Fortunato Depero, colourful geometric wallpaper designs and early 20th-century advertising posters for Campari. Vaulted ceilings with exposed beams, retro Seventies armchairs and original 18th-century floors add a welcoming touch. Sip on classic or vintage cocktails, from an Old Fashioned to a Martini, lovingly prepared following traditional recipes from the Twenties – or try one of the barmen’s latest daring creations as you nibble on freshly prepared finger food such as tomato bruschetta and tramezzini (Italian cold sandwiches).

Contact: lacerba.it
Nearest Metro: Crocetta
Prices: £

Milan’s most iconic aperitivo institution has been serving up chilled Campari Seltz since 1915. The place gets packed come early evening – at Bar di Passo, patrons jostle for space around the wooden and marble counter (it’s standing only on the ground floor), sipping post-work snifters before they head out for supper. Head upstairs to the quieter Sala Spiritello and enjoy your preferred tipple accompanied by light bites such as beef carpaccio and polenta buns with pulled pork and cabbage, as you peer down into Milan’s most famous shopping arcade and do a little people watching from one of the window seats.

Contact: camparino.com
Nearest Metro: Duomo
Prices: ££

Fashionable, sophisticated, and attracting Milan’s beau monde, Il Bar at Bulgari Hotel Milano has become something of an institution for its superb aperitivo (which predictably does not come cheap). With its high ceilings and stylish oval resin counter, the bar looks out onto a leafy garden, a haven of peace that draws crowds in summer. Milanesi sit back al fresco on cushioned wicker sofas to upbeat tunes with cocktail in hand – a zesty summer drink with gin, Aperol, lime, pineapple and orange juice – while savouring finger food by acclaimed Chef Niko Romito. Try the ricotta and anchovy tart and the culatello ham. 

Contact: bulgarihotels.com
Nearest Metro: Montenapoleone
Prices: £££

This wonderfully cosy wine bar and bistro is styled as a vintage living room, with comfy sofas, candle-lit tables and books dotted about; laidback jazzy tunes add to the ambience. The wine list is extensive, with 800 types personally selected from small independent producers in Italy and beyond, while nibbles (foie gras; cheese platters) and mains (Roman-style gnocchi with mortadella ham and artichokes) are available. Alongside a comprehensive selection of oxidative wines, there are macerated wines, pét-nats and bubblies from all over Europe. Regular events include wine tastings, food pairings and presentations by independent producers.

Contact: bicerinmilano.com
Nearest Metro: Porta Venezia
Prices: ££

This quirky little place is set out to resemble a Japanese izakaya, with Japanese signage, video installations showing pop images, and a black and white mural depicting a Tokyo alley. Resident barmen come up with inventive creations mostly based on Japanese whisky, gin and shōchū – try the Calpis Fizz, prepared with mezcal, sweet potato shōchū, soda, a splash of tangerine juice and Calpis (a milky Japanese soft drink similar to yoghurt). It even offers bottle-keep just like in Japan, where you can store your own personal bottle until your next visit. Oh, and listen in for the recorded voices from the Tokyo metro when you pop to the loo.

Contact: kanpaimilano.it
Nearest Metro: Porta Venezia
Prices: ££

Part cocktail bar, part bistro and part restaurant, this industrial inspired space set in a former textile warehouse is all exposed pipes, bare brick walls and towering ceilings, with light flooding in through all-glass windows. Take a seat at the counter where experienced mixologists rustle up a tipple of your choice, best enjoyed with inventive tapas-style finger food such as bao with oxtail ragù, and celeriac tacos filled with raw tuna, mezcal herbs, wasabi mayo and onion. Served with chunky flakes of Parmesan cheese, the Pesto Martini is the bar’s much-loved libation, made with vodka, vermouth, homemade pesto and white vinegar.

Contact: moebiusmilano.it
Nearest Metro: Stazione Centrale or Repubblica
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££

Ceresio 7 is sleek, with its stylish rooftop swimming pools and fashionable vibe. During the day, fashionistas hang out by the poolside in designer bikinis, while in the evenings a smart Milanese crowd flocks here to sip on creative drinks and watch the sun go down. The cocktail list recalls the city’s sartorial heritage, with homemade cordials and spirits echoing textiles and textures. The Purple Velvet drink combines a cream of Chianti with citrus sherbet, offering a fresh, summery zing. Upbeat tunes add to the ambience.

Contact: ceresio7.com
Nearest Metro: Monumentale
Prices: £££
Getting in: Reservations recommended

Every bar, venue or experience in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of traveller – and consider the service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.

• How to spend your weekend

• Insider tips

• When should I visit Milan?

• Where to stay in Milan

• What to bring home

• Essential information: what to know before you go

Start the day at Milan’s vast Gothic-style Duomo, which stands majestically in Piazza Duomo. Catch the lift to the rooftop terraces and see elaborate spires and statues up close as you enjoy 360-degree views of the city. Once you’re back on terra firma, stroll through the sumptuous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping centre that is today an architectural marvel, with its impressive dome and gleaming marble floors.

Next, visit the Gallerie d’Italia and admire 19th- and 20th-century works, making sure you take a stroll round the leafy interior courtyard, which once belonged to writer Alessandro Manzoni. If contemporary art is more your thing, don’t miss the excellent Museo del Novecento on Piazza Duomo.

Next, stroll the artistic quarter of Brera, stopping to browse independent boutiques, art galleries and quirky stores. For lunch, tuck into Italian favourites at Casa Fiori Chiari, a sophisticated neighbourhood restaurant giving onto a pretty pedestrianised street.

Pop into the Orto Botanico di Brera for a post-prandial walk and to admire botanical collections. Next, visit the Pinacoteca di Brera, the city’s most prestigious art gallery housing an impressive collection of Renaissance works.

Make your way to the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie, which houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

Don’t miss the nearby Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, adorned with spectacular frescoes by Bernardino Luini and the Lombard School.

Head to Milan’s bustling Navigli, and sit back and enjoy an aperitivo al fresco at MAG Café – a lively little spot that brims with character. Or head to nearby Rita, one of the city’s best spots to enjoy a tipple and some top-notch bar snacks. Order a Gin Zen, a refreshing drink made with gin, fresh ginger, lime and soda. For dinner, try Frangente, a bustling restaurant where menus are driven by seasonal ingredients – take a seat at the counter and watch the chefs at work as you savour a cotoletta alla Milanese (breaded veal cutlet).

If Japanese fare tickles your fancy, head to Gastronomia Yamamoto for some authentic Nipponese cuisine enjoyed in a cosy setting with tatami-inspired floors and wooden tables.

For a post-prandial snifter, make your way to the lively district of Porta Venezia and settle into Bicerìn, a cosy wine bar with an excellent selection of wines sourced from small independent producers. If cocktails are more your thing, head to Moebius Milano, an industrial inspired space serving up great cocktails and finger food (it doubles as a bistro and restaurant too).

Soak up the atmosphere of Villa Necchi Campiglio, an authentic Art Deco mansion with gorgeous interiors displaying original furnishings and details that exude all the comfort and luxury of a lavish 1930s bourgeois home.

Next, refuel at Pavè with a coffee and homemade pastries, ready to hit the high-street shops of Corso Buenos Aires and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. If you’re after luxury boutiques and haute couture stores, stroll the quiet cobbled streets of the Quadrilatero della Moda. For lunch, sit back in the leafy garden of Paper Moon Giardino and enjoy an al fresco meal of Italian and Milanese favourites.

Wander northwest towards the redbrick Castello Sforzesco and enjoy a walk around leafy Parco Sempione. Visit the Triennale Milano and check out the best in Italian design objects, admiring pieces by renowned designers including Gio Ponti and Achille Castiglioni. It features over 1,600 pieces, dating from 1923 to the present day.

Sit back in the museum’s garden café – if you’re visiting with children, this is a great spot for them to run around and let off some steam. If the sun is beginning to set, pop up to the top floor of the building and enjoy an aperitivo at Terrazza Triennale, which offers lovely views of the park and Milan’s financial district beyond.

Start your evening with an aperitivo at Milan’s most iconic bar, Camparino in Galleria, and join milanesi as they unwind and loosen up their ties with a Campari Seltz. If you’re visiting in summer, enjoy an al fresco aperitivo at the exclusive Il Bar of Bulgari Hotel Milano, immersed in a wonderful leafy garden in the heart of the city. Order a Signature Bvlgari cocktail – a refreshing summer drink made with gin, Aperol, lime, pineapple and orange juice – and take your pick from small bites including tuna tartare; stracciatella cheese and spinach; ricotta and anchovies.

For dinner, head to Il Liberty, a sophisticated little restaurant where Chef Provenzani puts a creative spin on traditional Italian dishes. Alternatively, try Altatto, a superb vegetarian restaurant in northern Milan serving creatively presented dishes guaranteed to wow even the most die-hard meat eaters. End your Milanese stay in style at Ceresio 7, one of Milan’s most fashionable nightlife venues where you can sip cocktails around a stylish rooftop swimming pool.

Despite being just a few steps from the hustle and bustle of the Duomo, the area southwest of the cathedral, known as Cinque Vie, is a tranquil spot dotted with independent boutiques and family-run restaurants. Pop into the little Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro to marvel at the wonderful trompe l’oeil apse by architect Bramante that gives the illusion of being in a deeper space.

Book tickets online for Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie, as far in advance as possible. Slots get booked up exceptionally quickly, especially in summer and on weekends, so make sure you leave plenty of time. Additional slots are released every Wednesday at midday for visits the following week.

Cheap limited-view gallery tickets are available at La Scala Opera House for each performance, while reduced-price tickets can be purchased from one hour before shows begin. Discounted tickets (50 per cent off the original ticket price) are available for a wide range of productions throughout the season. Check the website for further details. 

It’s hard to believe it today, but Milan was a port until the second half of the 20th century. Its major arteries were once waterways and important trade routes connecting the city with nearby Lake Maggiore and the River Po. Most of the canals were built over in the mid 20th century; today, only the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese remain.

While Milan is considered a year-round destination, it is advisable to avoid visiting in July and August as the days are sweltering. In August, most of the city empties as locals head to the coast or the mountains to cool off from the heat. The days around Ferragosto, a national holiday on 15th August, are exceptionally quiet, with the city morphing into a ghost town (most shops and restaurants close).

Hotel rates in Milan are generally expensive, with prices soaring during Milan’s April Furniture Fair (Salone del Mobile) and Women’s Fashion Week in February and September.

The elegant Four Seasons Hotel Milano, housed in a former 15th-century convent, offers tastefully furnished rooms set around a tranquil courtyard in the heart of Milan’s Fashion District. An elegant and peaceful oasis of serenity, the hotel is a welcome refuge from the hustle and bustle of central Milan. The inviting spa is one of the city’s best, with an attractive swimming pool located in the convent’s former cellars.

Doubles from €1100 (£942). Via Gesù 6-8; 00 39 02 77088

Splashes of Art Deco chic characterise the four rooms of the stylish Locanda Pandenus, located above a bustling café and bistro: think thick velvet curtains, couture-inspired fabrics, and globe-shaped bulbs. This is a locanda (inn), although there’s nothing simple about the design: it’s sophisticated and fashionably elegant, echoing the creative chic vibe of Milan’s Brera district, where it is located.

Doubles from €220 (£188). Via Mercato 24; 00 39 348 2547 803

With only six rooms and two apartments nearby, this small and welcoming b&b in Milan’s Porta Garibaldi district has an intimate setting and plenty of character. LaFavia Milano’s sophisticated décor is a tasteful hotchpotch of styles, where Art Deco marries with vintage Seventies. The individually decorated rooms feature an eclectic mix of furniture: from early 20th-century wicker chairs to 1950s lamps. The 1960s wallpaper in linden green and terracotta orange hues creates a retro design statement in each room

Doubles from €120 (£103). Via Carlo Farini 4; 00 39 347 784 2212

Add a quirky touch to your home with a designer piece by Atelier Fornasetti, whose whimsical humorous items include wallpaper, furniture, rugs and porcelain.

Head to Pasticceria Marchesi, one of Milan’s oldest pastry shops, to stock up on freshly baked patisserie and chocolates, elegantly presented in gift boxes and pretty packaging.

• Tourist board information: InfoMilano, Piazza Duomo 14, Milan; 00 39 02 8845 5555; YesMilano Tourism Space, Via dei Mercanti 8; 00 39 02 8515 5931; yesmilano.it
• Emergency fire and ambulance: Fire: dial 115 Ambulance: dial 118
• Emergency police: Dial 112
• British Embassy: British Consulate: Via S. Paolo 7, 20121 Milan. Tel: 00 39 02 723 001; gov.uk

• Flight time: 1hr50min
• Currency: Euro
• International dialling code: 00 39 02

• ATM (atm.it) public transport tickets are valid for 90min and can be used for as many metro, bus or tram journeys within that time frame. Tickets can be bought at metro stations, tobacconist shops, newsagent kiosks or certain cafés (don’t forget to stamp your ticket to validate it when you board a bus or tram). You can also use contactless payment with a debit or credit card.
• You can’t flag taxis down like in London. Instead, you’ll have to find the closest taxi stand or book ahead over the phone. Recommended taxi companies can be reached on 00 39 028585; 026969; 024040
• Note that it is a legal requirement to have snow tyres or snow chains when travelling on motorways between mid-November and mid-April.
• Like in the rest of Italy, restaurants typically serve food from 12.30pm to 2.30pm for lunch and from 7.30pm to 9.30pm for dinner, although more and more establishments these days offer all-day dining to cater to the city’s international clientele. That said, it’s best to stick to the above opening times as you may otherwise struggle to find somewhere to eat.
• While high-street chains in the centre are open throughout the day, many independent shops close for lunch (roughly 12.30pm to 3.30pm).
• The app-based YesMilano City Pass gives you entry to several of the city’s museums, attractions and public transport over the course of three days. See the website for details.
• State- and city-run museums and sites offer free entry the first Sunday of the month, with the city’s city-run museums (Musei Civici) also offering free entry from 2pm every first and third Tuesday of the month. Note that many museums are closed on Mondays.
• Public museums and state-run sites offer free entry the first Sunday of the month. Note that many state-run museums are closed on Mondays.
• There are over 500 drinking fountains dotted around the city. While tap water in Milan is drinkable, restaurants don’t serve free tap water as they do in the UK. If you ask for tap water, you will be given filtered or bottled water (at a cost).

Raised bilingually in northern Italy, Kiki Deere is Telegraph Travel’s Milan and Italian Lakes expert. You can find her strolling the cobbled streets of Brera while sussing out the latest spots in the city for a top-notch aperitivo.