Combining historic elegance with its virtuosity for design, Milan is one of the most stylish cities in Europe. High-end shopping and dining reflect its importance as a global hub of the fashion, banking, and tech industries, while its extraordinary political past has left a legacy of fascinating architecture such as the magnificent pink-marble cathedral and the Renaissance palace of Castello Sforzesco. From the neoclassical façade of its famous La Scala opera house to the Art Nouveau sophistication of the Porta Venezia quarter to the futuristic towers of its CityLife skyline, Milan is a city that has never stopped pushing boundaries and redefining beauty. Its array of museums and galleries combine some of the art world’s all-time greats (such as Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper) with cutting-edge culture and innovation (the Triennale Design Museum, the National Museum of Science and Technology). Milan is also the place to experience the ritual of the aperitivo, the pre-dinner drink (and snack) that ends the working day.

Three airports serve Milan: Malpensa (MXP) is the primary international airport, located 25 miles outside of the city. It’s a 50-minute train or bus journey into the centre, and not much quicker by car or taxi. Linate (LIN) is much closer to the city, just five miles away and connected by local buses; Bergamo (BGY) operates mostly low-cost airlines, and is 30 miles to the northeast, an hour by bus. It’s easy and often preferable to get around Milan without a car: buses and the distinctive, charmingly historic tram service make navigating the city centre easy by public transport, while the four-line metro can help you get around the suburbs. Taxis and rideshare apps are widely available, and cycling is popular, with numerous bike hire schemes.

Spring is an attractive season to stay in an apartment in Milan. Its world-renowned International Furniture Fair in April transforms the city into a vast celebration of design, while the Fiori e Sapori (“flowers and flavours”) produce festival fills the canals with a feast of sights and smells. There’s also Food Week in May. Summer is hot, but August can be stiflingly so, when the city empties as residents take their own break from it. Autumn offers more pleasant temperatures; it’s also when the film festival takes place. The winter can be cold, even snowy, but February is the time when fashionistas and front-row celebrities come for the first of Milan’s glamorous Fashion Weeks; the second takes place in September.

Aperitivo hour at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

This ornate temple to retail, with its vaulted iron-and-glass roof and mosaic-tiled floor, is a place of pilgrimage for any self-respecting shopper. One of the world’s oldest malls, its 19th-century arcades contain a who’s-who from the realm of luxury couture. But if you want to appreciate it without the crowds, head over in the early evening when it is truly il Salotto di Milano (Milan’s drawing room) and historic bars offer cocktails in luxurious surroundings.

Isola

This small district to the north of the city, easily reached by metro, offers a grungy counterpoint to the well-heeled smoothness of the rest of Milan. Street murals and vintage shops nestle alongside trattorias and dive bars; its erstwhile steam factory, La Fabbrica del Vapore, is now a cultural centre, while its Monumental Cemetery makes for a fascinating alternative sculptural gallery.

Naviglio della Martesana

One of three canals that carve their way through the city, Naviglio della Martesana runs for 25 miles into the Lombardy countryside, its urban surroundings giving way to villages, farms, and meadows. The paths are perfect for long walks and flat cycling, and can deliver you all the way to the cheese-centric town of Gorgonzola.