Navigli Canal District

The Navigli are what remains of the network of canals that once linked Milan with the rivers Ticino and Adda and with Lake Maggiore and Lake Como. The Naviglio Grande, the oldest, was dug from 1177 and was navigable by the late 13th century; it carried goods, and famously the marble used to build the cathedral, into the city. Most of the inner canals were covered over in the 1930s, and commercial traffic finally ended in 1979, but the stretches south-west of the centre survive, lined with old houses, courtyards and workshops.

Start at the Darsena, the old city dock at Porta Ticinese, which was redeveloped for Expo 2015 with broad waterside promenades. From there walk along the Alzaia Naviglio Grande, the towpath on the north bank, crossing the iron footbridges to look back along the water. Halfway along, the Vicolo dei Lavandai preserves a covered washhouse where women once scrubbed laundry on stone slabs in the canal water. Further on, the small church of San Cristoforo sits right by the canal. The parallel Naviglio Pavese, running south towards Pavia, is quieter and makes a good return route.

The district changes character through the day. Mornings are calm, with artists' studios, vintage shops and bookshops opening up. From early evening the bars fill for aperitivo, when a drink usually comes with snacks, and the canal sides stay busy late into the night, especially from Thursday to Saturday. On the last Sunday of most months the Mercatone dell'Antiquariato antiques market spreads along both banks of the Naviglio Grande, with hundreds of stalls selling furniture, prints, jewellery and bric-a-brac.

The Navigli suit almost everyone: couples and groups in the evening, families during the day, and photographers at sunset, when the light falls along the water. Boat trips run from the Darsena on some days for a view from the canal itself. Watch your belongings in the evening crowds, and check reviews before choosing a canal-side restaurant, as quality varies widely. Allow at least two hours for a relaxed walk, longer if you stay for a meal or a drink.

The nearest metro stop is Porta Genova on line M2, a few minutes from the Naviglio Grande, and trams also serve the area. The Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio and the Corso di Porta Ticinese, with the Roman columns of San Lorenzo, are a short walk north of the Darsena.