Tucked into the bohemian Brera neighborhood, Locanda Pandenus is an elegant inn. The property includes four suites and a lively bistro helmed by decorated Tuscan chef Enrico Bartolini.
The Senato Hotel is located near Via Montenapoleone, Milan’s upscale retail thoroughfare. Its interiors are an ode to Art Deco design, featuring a predominantly monochrome palette with gold, marble, and wooden accents.
An Italian breakfast traditionally consists of a sweet pastry and coffee. While crowds are drawn to Pavé Milano for their baked goods, healthier options are also available, like smoked salmon salad with marinated broccoli rabe and yogurt dressing.
After your activities, discover unique boutiques around the Brera district, like vintage clothing mecca Cavalli E Nastri, 13th-century pharmacy and perfumery Santa Maria Novella, and the Fioraio Bianchi flower shop and café. Check out the bouquets, then sample dishes like beef tartare with Piedmontese hazelnuts and baby greens or chicken with stuffed Savoy cabbage.
Head to the canalside Navigli neighborhood for dinner at Nebbia, where chefs Federico Fiore and Mattia Grilli reimagine traditional Lombardian cuisine (the region in which Milan is located) with global ingredients. Order the risotto with bergamot orange and capers or cod with pumpkin and red wine.
Fuel up at Aussie-owned Deus ex Machina, a café inspired by the trendy alleyways of Melbourne. You’ll find excellent coffee and all the egg-based brunch mainstays, plus lighter dishes like avocado salad with shrimp, beets, and passion fruit dressing.
Recharge at your hotel before a seven o’clock aperitivo at Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone in the courtyard of the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum. It’s a chic setting for a pre-dinner ritual meant to whet your appetite with light wines, bitter cocktails like the Negroni, and finger food.
Make dinner reservations at Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, a two Michelin-starred restaurant celebrating nearly 60 years of innovative cooking. Opt for the ten-course tasting menu with dishes like marinated Sanremo shrimp with stewed leek and pomegranate and sea bream with anchovies and celeriac.
Wrap up your evening at The Botanical Club of Milano on Via Pastrengo, Italy’s first microdistillery with its own cocktail bar. Over 100 varieties of gin are in stock, but be sure to sample a classic gin and tonic made with their artisanal brand called Spleen and Ideal.