This eclectic district developed around a historical city gate in the north-eastern section of Milano.

The area offers an array of experiences and attractions. The neighbourhood straddles Corso Buenos Aires, a major shopping avenue, and is full of restaurants, bars and cafes: it’s the perfect place for hanging out and having a good time. It is also a hotspot for the LGBT community and a meeting point for ex-pat communities, so the area is packed with ethnic restaurants, from Tunisian to Korean (not to forget the long -estabilished presence of communities and restaurants from the Horn of Africa)

Behind all this social life, there’s an important history, and you'll see it if you look carefully when you walk around.

First comes food :)

One of the typical stereotypes about Italians is their obsession with food. This is actually true: in Milano, food is a lifestyle and a great way to organize your days. But let me say this once for all: Italians are not food nazis, it's just that their mamma or nonna got them used to good, hearty and healthy food.

Also in the Italian city that never sleeps, Milano, breakfast, lunch and dinner are mandatory pauses not to to be skipped, so there are plenty of neat places where you can taste a meal in good company.

As strong believers in the power of a sweet breakfast,  we recommend you should try Pavé at least once. This sophisticated pasticceria and panetteria (pastry and baker shop) offers a wide range of homemade croissants, tarts with cream and fruits and brownies, all served with a good selection of espressos and cappuccinos. 

If you love eating brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, Eppol Milano is the place you are looking for, with its wide selection ranging from vegetarian to French brunches.

For lunch, don't forget you are in Milano's kasbah: time to eat at NUN Kebab, where you can taste revolutionary reinterpretations of the kebab sandwich, made with 100% Italian ingredients.

The day has flown by and it’s time to have a classic aperitivo: for a good spritz, we recommend Pandenus.

Asian Bistrot is the right choice for Oriental cuisine, but if you are into African dishes, try Warsà, an Eritrean restaurant, where you can taste the best zighinì, the Eastern African spicy meat dish that you eat with your hands, scooping it up with sour crepes.

To end up properly the day and put you to sleep, we recommend an extravagant drink made with unusual ingredients at Nottingham Forrest.

See and Do

Porta Venezia district offers plenty of activities for your leisure time. The Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens) named after journalist Indro Montanelli, hosted Milano's zoo until it was closed in the 1980s. It's the perfect place to jog, practice sports, and enjoy Sunday afternoons. The Gardens host the Civic Planetarium, to enjoy the starry vault while listening to an astronomer lecturing, and the Civic Museum of Natural History, which provides a full immersion into the world of zoology and paleontology. To end the day in a special way, go to see a play at the Elfo Puccini Theater on Corso Buenos Aires. And Porta Venezia hosts the  highest concentration of liberty style buildings in Milano (it is considered the Liberty Style District).

Art and Architecture

Another green place, which stays more hidden than the adjacent Public Gardens, are the Giardini di Villa Reale (aka Villa Comunale, formerly Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte). These gardens are reserved for kids and their carers. Unaccompanied adults are forbidden from entering:)

The villa is the seat of the GAM (Galleria Arte Moderna/ Modern Art Gallery), which displays Neoclassical and Romantic paintings. For veritably modern art, check out the courtyard next door, where you'll find Villa Palestro, and the non-conformist  PAC (Padiglione Arte Contemporanea/Contemporary Art Pavillion) which offers exhibits in graffiti art, video art, performance art, and anything that's really aesthetically contemporary.

To explore Liberty Style architecture, start from Via Malpighi, next to Piazza Oberdan, and proceed towards Corso Venezia: you'll be walking through an area called Quadrilatero del silenzio (Quadrangle of Silence). There you’ll see private homes with sinuous lines, whose facades are decorated with floral motifs made with what were innovative materials for the age, such as steel and ceramics. Not to be missed are Palazzo Castiglioni, Casa Campanini, Casa Galimberti and the eclectic Palazzo Berri-Meregalli.
 

Events

Part of Milano Design Week, the cool and hip showcase for designers known as Fuorisalone  has outgrown its original location in via Tortona and invaded Porta Venezia, too. When spring arrives, take part in the treasure hunt, looking for parties and showrooms all over the neighborhood. In theory, you would need an invitation for many of them; in practice, is no harm in trying to squeeze through:)

At the start of the summer, Porta Venezia shows its true rainbow colors, by hosting the Milano Gay Pride, now officially sponsored by the Municipality.