7 Stylish and Unusual Things to Do in Milan

Lunch at the Monastery: Refined Silence at Ristorante 12 Gatti in Casa degli Atellani

📍 Corso Magenta, 65

You won’t find Casa degli Atellani on the usual lists. Hidden behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Vineyard, this private residence once housed Milanese nobility—and now, a quiet restaurant garden where lunch feels like a secret. Think saffron risotto served under lemon trees, the Duomo a distant echo behind the garden walls. It’s Milanese grace, distilled.

Taste History at Peck, Milan’s Culinary Institution

📍 Via Spadari, 9

More than a deli, Peck is a pilgrimage. Since 1883, this temple of taste has served Milan’s elite with aged prosciutto, truffle-infused cheeses, and handmade pastas wrapped like gifts. Skip the casual browsing—book a guided tasting with their in-house sommelier and pair heritage wines with century-old balsamic vinegars.

Perfume as Story: Visit the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Boutique

📍 Via Madonnina, 17

Florence may have birthed Santa Maria Novella, but Milan gave it a stage. The Brera boutique, part perfume museum, part pharmacy, looks like a Renaissance painting brought to life. Try the Acqua di Colonia created in 1533 for Catherine de’ Medici—or let their consultants guide you to your own olfactory match. No mass-market scents here—only heritage and quiet luxury.

An Afternoon with the Madonnas: Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

📍 Via Gesù, 5

Tucked behind Via Montenapoleone’s fashion houses, this 19th-century neo-Renaissance home museum is where Milan hides its soul. Frescoes, carved fireplaces, 15th-century paintings—and not a tourist in sight. It’s a vision of Italian taste before Instagram, curated by two brothers obsessed with perfection. You’ll want to stay and linger, and you should.

Aperitivo Above the Canals: Officina Milanese

📍 Via Giovenale, 7

The Navigli area gets loud. But head just outside to Officina Milanese—an old car mechanic shop now reimagined as an industrial-chic cocktail lab. The mixologists here aren’t playing: expect cocktails infused with Parmigiano or saffron bitters, paired with small plates from local farms. Book a seat on the rooftop at golden hour.

Design in Slow Motion: Fondazione Luigi Rovati

📍 Corso Venezia, 52

While everyone rushes to Triennale, those in the know visit Rovati. Opened in 2022, this private foundation mixes Etruscan art, contemporary installations, and architectural serenity. Descend into the underground galleries carved like an Etruscan tomb—then emerge for coffee in their sunlit courtyard café, where art patrons and Milanese designers sip espresso in silence.

Opera Without a Stage: A Night at Casa Verdi

📍 Piazza Buonarroti, 29

Built by Giuseppe Verdi as a retirement home for musicians, Casa Verdi is still alive with arias. Most nights, retired opera singers rehearse or perform in the salons. Request a private visit (yes, it’s possible), sit among velvet armchairs, and let a soprano guide you through Puccini as if he were still composing upstairs. This is not a show—it’s an echo of living history.