What to do in Milan during Salone del Mobile?
Every year, a crowd of more than 300,000 international visitors arrives on Milan for Salone del Mobile (the Milan Furniture Fair). This year is no exception and, since we will be there at Hall 6 | Stand D43, we prepared a small guide to the places you should visit besides Salone del Mobile.
Sophisticated and luxurious, Milan, the capital of Lombardy region, has 4 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area and is a great city to shop, enjoy beautiful art or a vibrant nightlife. Milan is one of the most modern cities in Italy, but it is also one of the oldest in Italy.
Although Milan is relatively small, you should take a pair of flat shoes to walk around the cobbled streets.
We know you won't have too much free time for art or architecture with countless satellite events linked to Salone del Mobile, in and around the city, but there are places you can't miss.
In all travel guidebooks, you can find mentions to Cathedral of Piazza del Duomo, in Gothic style, one of the largest in Europe; Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, where you can see the "Last Supper" of Leonardo Da Vinci; Teatro alla Scala, Castello Sforzesco Duomo di Milano and Sforza Castle.
These are the emblematic places, but Milan has other must-sees.
Triennale di Milano
La Triennale di Milano is a design and art museum housed in the Palazzo dell'Arte, which was designed by Giovanni Muzio and built between 1931 and 1933.
The Milan Triennale, an international exhibition of art and design, was held at the museum thirteen times between 1936 and 1996, and – after a break of twenty years – again in 2016.
A permanent museum of Italian design, the Trienniale Design Museum, was opened in 2007 and usually creates new exhibitions to coincide with the trade fair. This year is no exception, check here what you can find during the week.
Milan is also the headquarters of the Italian Stock Exchange and money circulates. Too much money. If you like fashion, you will fall in love with this city.
Take a look around the shopping circuit in Quadrilatero d'Oro and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where you can find the world's leading fashion brands like Prada, for example.
Fondazione Prada
Prada is not just a brand, it is also a foundation. Located in a former gin distillery dating from 1910 in the Largo Isarco industrial complex on the southern edge of Milan, the new home of Fondazione Prada is a coexistence of new and regenerated buildings including warehouses, laboratories and brewing silos, as well as new buildings designed by Rem Koolhaas. If you want to combine art, design and drinks, this is the place for you.
Inside, you can find the Wes Anderson-designed Bar Luce that pays homage to the great Milanese café with an idiosyncratic palette of pastel colours, Fifties and Sixties-inspired kitsch and retro Formica tables.
After the furniture fair, there's always time for a drink. The Milanese take their cocktail aperitivo (from around 6-8pm) very seriously, but If you prefer to go out at night check for Via Brera and Navigli District.
Brera Design District
Brera Design District is Italy’s most important district for the promotion of design, an international point of reference and a centre of Milan’s creative, commercial and cultural development.
As part of Milan Design Week 2018, Associative Design will showcase ‘The Best of Portugal’ in Brera Design District.
We hope you enjoy the week and don't forget to visit the most stunning stand of all at Salone del Mobile in Hall 6 | Stand D43 where we will be together with the amazing Singaporean brand WOHAbeing.