Navigli, Milan

We were trieing to find a place,where isn´t disco-music,and you could sit down and have a drink outside.We just walked by,and happened to be Rolling Stones playing on the stereo,and we sat down.We ment to have one beer,but,it became one drink and two beer,when it was nice place to sit.Music was o.k.(=not made with machines),and mot of customers werecoupples around 20 to 40years,just sitting and talking.Candles burning in the tables,witch allways pleases me(my husband doesn´t let me see candles at shops anymore,before we have burned some old ones first..).Prices were little cheaper than some other places.They had some snack-food,but we didn´t need any.

Dress Code: If some place has a dresscode,you can count us out..

2 more images

What I red from VT,Ithought that Navigli is place full of party-people(I mean discos,and music like that playing everywhere),and nothing for other people.We were surprized,that there was good restaurants to eat,nice places to walk-and even pubs that play rock,not disco and other that kind of music.Those pibs were rare,but anyway-we foud coupple.
And even my parents(my dad being 70years-even if he seems and sounds younger,he´s not a part-people..)liked to eat and walk here(we weren´t with them,but they are there now).

There´s a huge orange at Navigli canal-banks.Man inside sells drinks quite cheaply.In Finland law says how strong drinks you can sell,so in our mouth Italian drinks seem allways taste only alcohol-they are so strong,that you can´t taste what´s in it.I prefer Finnish drinks,witch taste really different.We had different drinks here,and tasted each other-could not see any difference-only in color!

Aperitivo time starts around 6pm. It’s a sort of happy hour crossed with Tapas. Bars offer free snacks, such as chips, dips, olives, rice salad, small pizza bread and the like to go with your beers or cocktails.

We headed for a bar called Cheese and had a few drinks outside on the pavement seating. Food was decent enough and could keep you going all night if you had three or four platefuls. Beers were a little bit more expensive here at 9 Euros.

Dress Code: Casual

Milanesi people are known as good "aperitivo" masters - every evening from about 6 pm till the 9 pm there's a Happy Hour in all the bars and restaurants in Milan - all you need to do is choose the place you like, choose the drink you like, pay the fixed amount (usually the prices vary from 5 to 7 and more euroes) and you can take and eat everything what you see in the buffet of the bar.
An advice - choose the place with a rich buffet... and not only those who look trendy and open only for the "fighetti" or "pettinati" style of people.

Navigli used to be a network of canals that were mainly used for transportation and irrigation (see my things to do tip).

Today, only two of the navigli have survived the city reshape that took place in the late 18th and early 19th century, and you can find both of them (as well as the "darsena", the main water deposit) in the area of Porta Ticinese.

These rivers make the setting for Milan's liveliest area after the sun sets.

Pizzerias, breweries, bars, pubs, restaurant - name it. You'll find everything down here. The list of places is practically endless, so just go there and take a walk (and a sip).

Take care not to fall in the water when drunk - the stream is treacherous! :o)

Dress Code: Try to look nice, otherwise you may feel the Milanese are outdressing you.

This area of Milan is well known for its many Resturants, Bars and Cafes.

A lot of them can be found along the canal, known as the Navigli Grande. It seems to be the area all the locals hang out in so for a real taste of the Milanese nightlife this is the place to come.

We managed to have a fun night out here on a Thursday night when the bars were not that packed that you could'nt find a seat.

Dress Code: Casual - Jeans were the norm.

The Navigli is the river-area in the south of Milan. It will take about 20 minutes to go through the area, and during that time you'll have seen hundreds of bars, discos, restaurants and even a McDonalds... :-)
The prices are normally good, around 4-7 euro for a beer and the food is also good. The best time to go there is during the late spring and summer, when all traffic is forbidden there and you can sit in the middle of the street and take a couple of beers. Famous, as the whole Milan, for it's aperitivos. From 5-6 pm all bars have some food for free with the beer/drink, like pasta, pizza-slices and so on. A lot of people go there after work to relax, chatt with friends, and look at the people who goes by.

If you happen to be in Milan in the month of December, may I humbly recommend that you go to the NAVIGLI and join in the magical festive atmosphere. Be charmed by the torchlit canals snaking their way past revelers and Christmas shoppers as the city starts its countdown to Christmas Day.

Along the Navigli (Naviglio grande and Naviglio pavese), there are many nice restaurants and pubs...
During the summer, it's also nice walking along Navigli between street market where you can buy jewels or other accessories, but pay attention to mosquitos: take autan with you!