Porta Nuova, Piazza Gae Aulenti and Bosco Verticale

Porta Nuova is the best place to see the modern face of Milan. Built on former railway yards and wasteland between Garibaldi station and the Isola neighbourhood, the district was transformed in the decade before Expo 2015 into a cluster of glass towers, apartments, offices and public spaces. A walk here makes a striking contrast with the historic centre and shows how much the city has changed in the 21st century.

The centrepiece is Piazza Gae Aulenti, a raised circular square named after the Milanese architect, ringed by shops and cafés and cooled by shallow fountains. Above it rises the UniCredit Tower, designed by Cesar Pelli, whose 231-metre spire made it Italy's tallest building when it was completed in 2012. From the square, walkways lead north over the road to the Isola district and east to the Biblioteca degli Alberi, a large contemporary public park with trees, lawns and planted circles, open to all.

A few minutes' walk away stand the two towers of the Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, designed by Boeri Studio and completed in 2014. Their balconies are planted with hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and perennial plants, which change colour through the seasons. The towers won the International Highrise Award in 2014 and have become one of the most photographed modern buildings in Europe. They are private apartments, so you view them from outside; the best angles are from the park and from Via Gaetano de Castillia.

The district suits anyone interested in architecture and design, and families appreciate the open spaces and fountains, which children enjoy in summer. Paths are wide and step-free. Allow an hour or so to walk around, longer if you stop for a drink or explore Isola, whose streets around Via Borsieri and Piazzale Lagosta are full of independent bars and restaurants. Evenings are pleasant too, when the towers are lit.

Garibaldi FS station, served by metro lines M2 and M5 and by suburban trains, is next to Piazza Gae Aulenti, and Isola on line M5 is close to the Bosco Verticale. Corso Como, a pedestrian street of bars and shops, leads south from the square towards Corso Garibaldi and Brera.