Porta Venezia & Loreto
Porta Venezia district is situated in the northeast of the city, adjacent to the historical centre, in fact, it is still part of it. Apart from the neoclassical buildings, what characterises this area the most is the international atmosphere, also due to the presence of several ethnic cuisine venues. Moreover, it is the area par excellence of diversity and inclusion due to the presence of specifically Lgbtq+ clubs. In Porta Venezia begins, or ends, depending on one's point of view, Corso Buenos Aires, the famous shopping street, which leads straight to Piazzale Loreto where the arteries of Viale Monza and Via Padova branch off. This neighbourhood is considered one of the coolest and most elegant in Milan, the residence of the bourgeoisie who lived in the Art Nouveau buildings and is still today an aristocratic area of exceptional social standing. In addition, Porta Venezia was the ancient Eastern Gate and one of the six in Milan, from which access to the city centre was gained. Just continuing along Corso Venezia, which runs alongside the Indro Montanelli Gardens, also known as the Porta Venezia or Palestro Park, you arrive at San Babila and then the Duomo. The reference metro is the M1 red line, Porta Venezia stop, while the neighbouring ones, on the same line, are Palestro and Lima. It is also perfectly connected by surface transport, i.e., trams and buses.
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What to see and do
To get familiar with the district, which will be very easy, we recommend a nice walk through its streets. It offers a spectacle of beautiful buildings such as Casa Galimberti, in Via Malpighi, whose façade is entirely covered with colourful tiles, and Casa Guazzoni, adorned with decorations of female figures and putti. The green attraction par excellence in this area is the Indro Montanelli Gardens, inaugurated in 1784, but given its current name in 2002 in honour of the famous journalist. Inside the park is the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, the Planetario Civico and Palazzo Dugnani, a historic building dating back to the 17th century. You can also frequent the park for sunbathing, sports and relaxation, especially with the arrival of the warmer season. In Via Palestro, you will find Villa Reale and its garden, the GAM (Gallery of Modern Art) and the PAC (Pavilion of Contemporary Art). In the basement of Piazza Oberdan, you can visit the Albergo Diurno Venezia, an asset that is part of the FAI heritage.
It dates back to the 1920s, a time when it provided various services to citizens, including a spa, barber shop and laundry. Made up of decorated lounges and precious mosaics, today exhibitions and events are organised. Returning to the surface in search of a relaxing moment, one can enter the Quadrilatero del Silenzio. This is an area between Via Serbelloni, Via Mozart, Via Cappuccini and Via Vivaio, which is so-called because of the peace that prevails. Here there are other palaces to discover including Villa Necchi Campiglio, also a FAI property, inside which there is an elegant bistro with a swimming pool. A curiosity lurks in Villa Invernizzi, which houses real pink flamingos in its garden that can be furtively seen from the street. Along Corso Buenos Aires we also find the Teatro Elfo Puccini, which fits perfectly into its surroundings and offers a programme of classical and modern operas.
Where to eat and drink
If you are in the mood for exotic and international cuisine, Porta Venezia is definitely one of the districts of reference for this kind of restaurant. There is truly an infinity of proposals: all-you-can-eat sushi, Chinese, Eritrean, Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Indian, in short, specialities from all over the world. To name a few: Ono Sushi Experience, Bomaki, Kanji Evo, for Japanese; Restaurant Zula and Injera, for Eritrean; Lon Fon the Chinese; Dream and Arirang Plus, for Korean. In this area there is also Nun, the reference for kebabs and falafel, very popular with young people. Via Padova also has several international bars and shops. Excellent Chinese restaurants are Wang Jiao and Jublin Due, the Peruvian offering of D'sumare or Kaprochos, or New Sigiri Lanka Restaurant for Indian cuisine. There is no shortage of trattorias in Porta Venezia, where you can enjoy Lombard and Mantuan food, such as at Trattoria Sabbioneda, or traditional Tuscan recipes at Trattoria Toscana K2, or Roman specialities at Ponte Milvio.
For an Abruzzese experience, the place to go is Da Giannino l'Angolo d'Abruzzo, excellent first and second course in an easy-going establishment where they often offer popular music performances. Even for pizza you are spoilt for choice, in fact in Porta Venezia there are a lot of excellent pizzerias: Giolina, Marghe, Piccola Ischia, Cocciuto, Crosta, Mani in Pasta. On the side street of Corso Buenos Aires, there is the pizza al trancio Spontini or Alice Pizza for a thinner, crispier dough. Another highlight of Porta Venezia is the bars for aperitifs, or for after dinner, which in this neighbourhood becomes a real matter of style. Eppol, a mix between the elegance of marble and the warmth of dark wood; Moebius, a cocktail bar, but also a bistro and vinyl shop; Nottingham Forest, a true experimental laboratory of Italian mixing in a rustic and intimate setting. We continue with Kanpai, an unconventional venue reminiscent of the informal Japanese style, sober lines and an ambience as polished as their cocktails. Égalité, where you can rediscover the French spirit and enjoy a glass of bubbly, or the Turnè, a colourful venue specialising in cocktails and nibbles.
Where to go shopping
Just stroll down Corso Buenos Aires and you will find anything and everything. In fact, it is one of Milan's shopping streets. The shops are open all day, from morning to evening, during the week and at weekends. Among the clothing brands you will find: Zara, H&M, Mango, Calzedonia, OVS, Adidas, Treesse, Imperial, Benetton, Upim, Conbipel, Tommy Hilfiger; if you need sportswear, you can rely on the Decathlon store or the Adidas or Nike store. For shoes, apart from those found in the shops already mentioned, there are Prima Donna, Geox, Bata, Fool Locker, Dr. Martens, Timberland. There is also a wide choice for make-up and personal care: Sephora, Kiko, Bottega Verde, WYCON, Douglas perfumery. There is no shortage of shops for technology and electronics, such as Euronics, telephone shops, Vodafone, Wind-Tre, Iliad.
Entering the streets on either side of the Corso, you will find more special and unique boutiques and shops, such as AMI MOPS, an artisan workshop of elegant and colourful jewellery; Petra Oro e Gemme, a goldsmith's workshop of unique and original jewellery; Tità Bijoux, for handmade jewellery. To the cry of "Everything old is new again", the East Market Shop is the indoor market at Porta Venezia where you can find vintage, second-hand, designer clothes and objects, but also home furnishings, jewellery, decorations such as prints and posters, vinyls. For shoe lovers, Ago e Spago, a true artisan shoemaker that has been taking care of shoes for men and women since 1978. Not to be overlooked is the presence of various supermarket chains: Esselunga, Unes, Carrefour Express, Pam, NaturaSì for organic food; as well as pharmacies, ice cream parlours, florists, eyeglass and sunglasses shops, bakeries, greengrocers and any other service you can think of.
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