First we should say the flaw, Trattoria Arlati is a bit far away from the city centre and not really easy to get to with public transport. Having said that, it’s the most charming restaurant where we’ve ever been. We always go there and always get the same menu, “Risotto al Salto” and “Ossobuco alla Milanese” of course, and it’s always delicious but is not just the food. In the 60’s it was really popular among artists, in the 70’s bands started to play in the basement and now when you get in you immediately feel it. It’s a charismatic place.

"I believe we are at a time in society where open and honest communication is not only necessary, but revolutionary. When governments and political systems are no longer a reference point for progress, we look to other places, such as creative institutions, to facilitate that dialogue. Our aim is to change the definition of what it is to be a cultural centre; the Triennale will be a place of reflection and debate, connected with the contemporary culture in a dynamic way that offers new point of view on topics that lie at the very core of our global society." Stefano Boeri, President, 2018

The Brera Gallery was officially established in 1809, even though a first heterogeneous collection with educational purpose existed already from 1776 – and then increased in the following years – alongside the Accademia di Belle Arti, requested by Mary Therese of Austria to offer the students the opportunity to study lofty masterpieces of art close up. Brera become a museum to host the most important works of art from all of the areas conquered by the French armies. So unlike other important museums in Italy such as the Uffizi, Brera did not start out life as the private collection of a prince or nobleman but as the product of a deliberate policy decision. Paintings confiscated from churches and convents throughout Lombardy with the religious orders’ dissolution began to pour into the museum in the early years of the 19th century, soon to be joined by artworks of similar provenance from other areas of the Kingdom of Italy. This explains why the collection comprises chiefly religious works, many of them large altarpieces, and accounts for Brera’s special aura on which later acquisitions have had only a minor impact.

Modern coffee shop, offering artisan coffee and pastries.

Tiny traditional restaurant with no reservations. Delicious traditional Milanese food, all cooked in their tiny kitchen. Always a queue so arrive early!