Porta Nuova

You can easily spend an entire afternoon—or a few of them—perusing the art galleries and design and fashion boutiques at this mega concept shop. It’s become the authority of Milan’s retail scene, and a visit here is an education in what’s currently on trend. Have a cappuccino at the picture-perfect café for a midafternoon pick-me-up.

American design duo Craig Bassam and Scott Fellows recently opened their first retail shop in the Brera district, showcasing one beautiful object after another. It carries a range of their own furniture creations, as well as their line of shoes and sunglasses (Fellows was previously the creative director at the Swiss luxury fashion company Bally).

An eight-table restaurant in Porta Nuova, Latteria San Marco is a casual locals' spot to dig into fresh caprese salads, polenta with porcini, octopus risotto, and carafes of the house red wine.

Since 1880, Antica Trattoria della Pesa has served regional classics like osso bucco, riso al salto, and a rich, saffron-infused risotto alla Milanese. But the other reason to come here is the setting. Full of antique furniture, paintings, and decorative plates, the atmosphere gives off such an old-world, nineteenth-century vibe that you’ll forget what century it is.

Near the Milano Centrale train station, Il Carpaccio is one of those simple, no-frills trattorias that serve deeply satisfying plates of prosciutto with melon, white truffle risotto, and seafood soups. There are also plentiful veggie options, our favorite being the puntarelle (aka chicory, a super bitter green vegetable stalk) dressed with the best-quality olive oil and Parmesan, as well as asparagus and porcini.

When you think of a luxurious old-world European hotel, chances are good the image you have in your head looks a lot like the Principe di Savoia. The hotel opened in the 1920s and still conveys an Art Deco feeling. The sumptuous interiors make generous use of marble, polished wood, silk, and gold, and it’s not unusual to find a hand-painted fresco in your room. The place is truly old-school, down to the mature waitstaff and ornate flatware. The best part may be the swimming pool, which almost looks like an ancient Roman bath and has made appearances in films like Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere.

If you can score a terrace table here, you’re in for one of the most romantic evenings in Milan, with a view overlooking the Piazza XXV Aprile (especially fetching at sunset).