We hade a special short list of the best of every DW district including coffee shops, restaurants and beautiful places you must-see (if you haven’t see it yet). Are you ready to start?

5VIE

5VIE is one of the best district in the center of the city. With a unique program, the 2019 edition aims to build on this growing success and embrace experimentation more openly than ever and to cultivate an even more international presence. Every Year 5VIE dedicates Design Week to a great master, this year the guest of honor is Ugo La Pietra…

What you must see:

Ugo La Pietra, Genius Loci.
Ugo La Pietra presents the solo exhibition Design Territoriale, Genius Loci, an amazing collection of objects conceived by Ugo La Pietra and other artists but built by craftsmen to support the craftsmanship and the traditional tools.
Where and When:  8-14 April 2019, 10.00 – 17.00, via Cesare Correnti, 14.

Kiki Van Eijk en Joost Van Bleiswijk, Connect.
A site-specific installation made by the Dutch designers Kiki Van Eeijk e Joost Van Bleiswik. The topic of their work is The lack of empathy as a growing problem of our time.
Where and When:  8-14 April 2019, 10.00 – 17.00, via Cesare Correnti 14.

Masterly, The Dutch in Milan.
Once again dutch design. At the fascinating Palazzo Francesco Turati this year FritsJurgens present a collection of design between tradition and new age.
Where and When: 8-14 April 2019, 11.00 – 19.00, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Via Meravigli, 7.

Anton Alvarez, L’ultima cera.
The sculptor and designer Anton Alvarez present the exhibition L’Ultima Cera, where explores an ancient material in a new and innovative way: bronze.
Where and When: 8-14 April 2019, 11.00 – 19.30, Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache, Via Lanzone, 13.

ALLA CARTA.
Alla Carta Studio e Alla Carta magazine open a Studio & Shop in via Nerino where you can buy the magazine and Alla Carta Collections.
Where and When: 10-14 April 2019, 11.00 – 19.30, Alla Carta Studio&Shop, Via Nerino, 8.

The magic places:

Wait and see.
This is more than a store, it’s a lifestyle concept and its philosophy, ‘La Vita è Bella’ is evident throughout. Founded by UBERTA ZAMBELETTI, this is the most magic and sparkling spot in Milan.
Where: via Santa Marta 14, Mon. 15.30 – 19.30 Tue. – Sat. 10.30 – 19.30.

Taschen Store.
Don’t miss the Taschen Store in via Meravigli with an exhibition of Taschen limited editions on the first floor of the shop.
Where: via Meravigli 17,10.30 – 19.30.

Take a Break:

Marchesi. Since1824 the best pastry shop in town.
Cucchi. Also, Cucchi is one of the best historical pastry shops in Milan. Perfect also for an Italian “aperitivo” with Negroni and Spritz Aperol
Le biciclette. New cool place in town for a happy hour.
Hygge. Perfect spot for a coffee break or a brunch. Really tasty avocado toast.
Ostello Bello. Ostello Bello is a place to find beautiful people, have a drink, have a coffee, listen to good music and much more (you can also sleep here of course).

Brera Design District

Brera Design District is the most important promotional district for design in Italy, an international reference point, and the creative and commercial development center of Milan. The topic of this year is “Design your life”, a way to teach people how to adopt a design approach in our day-to-day choices.

What you must see:

Platenario di Cristina Celestino.
Planetario is an interior project conceived and realized by Cristina Celestino for Besana Carpet Lab that will be presented at the Brera Design Apartment during the Milan Design Week. The designer based in Milan customs the domestic scenario inspired by the themes of space and its antithesis, the underwater world.
Where and When: 8-14 April 10:00-19:00, Brera Design Apartment, via Palermo, 1.

PRATOFIORITO.
The architect Davide Fabio Colaci in collaboration with Politecnico students designed a beautiful garden in Piazza XXV Aprile in the heart of the city. This magic installation for Eataly Milano will be a hotspot to meet people, recover, relax during the busy Design Week.
Where and When: 9-14 April open to the public, Eataly Smeraldo, Piazza XXV Aprile.

HIDDEN ROOMS, ELISA OSSINO PER SALVATORI.
An immersive installation of objects and accessories for the home designed by internationally-acclaimed designers John Pawson, Piero Lissoni, and Elisa Ossino.
Where and When: 8-14 April 10:00-19:00, Show-room Salvatori, Via Solferino, 11.

MARIO CUCINELLA ARCHITECTS, MateriAttiva.
Iris Ceramica Group, Main Sponsor at Brera Design Week, presents the immersive installation MateriAttiva, produced in collaboration with SOS – School of Sustainability and Mario Cucinella Architects.
Where and When: 8-14 April 10:00-21:00, via Balzan / via San Marco.

DESIGNBYGEMINI, The Pool Club.
An installation created by the duo Design by Gemini with strong colors inspired by the Miami of the 90s, with fluorescent colors and a tropical vibe e inside a container in Corso Como 1.
Where and When: 9-14 April, 10:00-20:00, Corso Como, 1.

The magic places:

Pettinaroli.
Historic shop in Milan specialized in selling vintage prints, maps, and geographical maps. A Very special must see.
Where: Via Brera, 4, 10.00-17.00.

Libreria del Mondo Offeso.
A unique place, a literary café in Piazza San Simpliciano managed by a couple of booksellers. Also perfect for coffee breaks and happy hour.
Where: Piazza San Simpliciano 7, 9.00-20.00.

Take a Break:

oTTo. One of the trendiest places in Milan in the heart of ChinaTown. oTTo is made to make you feel at home. Perfect for everything: coffee break, brunch, happy hour, after dinner…
Convivium. Historical trattoria in Milan.
Trattoria Torre di Pisa. Historical trattoria in Milan.
God Save the Food. Cool place in town, good centrifuges and lunch break meals.
Di viole di liquirizia. An American Bakery in via Madonna. Cupcakes are so good.

Triennale di Milano

Triennale is a must this year. Two incredible exhibitions, the 22nd Triennale international exhibition Broken Nature and the first exhibition of permanent Italian design.

What you must see:

BROKEN NATURE.
Curated by Paola Antonelli – Senior Curator of the MoMA in New York – The XXII International Exhibition of La Triennale explores humankind’s fractured relationship with the planet. It will run from March 1 to September 1, 2019.

MUSEO DEL DESIGN ITALIANO.
Curated by Joseph Grima, the permanent museum of Italian design opens in the spaces of the Triennale with 200 objects from 1946 to 1981. For the first time a permanent exhibition of the most iconic and representative pieces of Italian design, selected from the 1,600 items in the Triennale Collection. 

Where and When: Monday closed, Tuesday-Sunday 10.30-20.30, Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6.

Isola Design District

What you must see:

3D Printed Bar di Caracol Studio a Stecca 3.0.
In occasion of MDW 2019, Caracol Studio designed the first bar completely 3D printed In the heart of Isola Design District, on the first floor of Stecca 3.0. This is not only an installation printed with new technology but also an example of sustainable design because it’s made using PLA IngeoTM, a 100% natural-origin biopolymer, recovered from industrial processing residues of the company Flo Spa.
Where and When: 9-14 April 10:00-19:00, Stecca 3.0, Via G. De Castillia, 26.

April Key, Ocean Drive.
The British designer April Key presents her first collection originally inspired by a series of 50’s Kodachrome photographs (in the exhibition) of an immigrant couple traveling to Miami in the Art Deco time. The pieces, mainly made of plexiglass and neon, recall the art of Flavin. It’s an incredible show.
Where and When: Ex Scatolificio artigiano, 9-14 April 10:00-19:00 , via Cola Montano, 8.

Fabbrica del Vapore.
Fabbrica del vapore is one of the most important spots of the Isola Design district. Also, this year presents a rich program that ranges from design, to art, with exhibitions and events.
Where and When: 9-14 April, Via Procaccini 4, 10-23.59.

Milan Design Market.
There are 45 emerging designers presenting their projects at Milan Design Market this year and they come from all over the world. The focus of this edition is on experimental materials and innovation, while the theme, Find The Lost City, is given by the scenography created by Marie Chevalier and Colombe Crouan, which reminds the melancholy of lost Italy.
Where and When: 9-14 April, via Pastrengo 14.

MAKEYOURHOME STUDIO, Ca’ ventiquattro.
Ca’ ventiquattro is an apartment of about 70 square meters in the Isola district that has shown in the meantime a rapid contemporary architectural evolution. The house focuses on conviviality having two separate bedrooms with one bathroom each. A house that lends itself to welcoming and not just commercial hospitality: a place to feel at home even when traveling.
Where and When: via De Castillia 24, 9-14 April, 10.00-19.00.

The magic places:

Isola Pepe Verde.
Isola Pepe Verde it is a small oasis in the heart of Isola. This green spot is a shared garden cared for by people who live here.

Il cimitero monumentale.
If you have time, you should definitely go to the monumental cemetery of Milan. Do not miss Alessandro Manzoni’s tomb in the Famedio, set for a dramatic scene of “Io Sono L’amore” by Luca Guadagnino.

Take a Break:

Ghe Shem. Italian Chinese fusion restaurant. Gyoza is the best (Carbonara one is soo good). Perfect also for a happy hour.
Casa Ramen Super. The chef Luca Catalfamo opened Casa Ramen Super a restaurant that brings together Japan traditions with Italian ingredients from small local producers.
Bar Frida. Coolest place in town for a happy hour.
Deus Cafe. Cool as Frida.
Botical Club. Aperitivo, business lunch with poke.
Les Pommes. Brunch, lunch, happy hour.

Article by Bianca Felicori