© Straf Hotel
© Straf Hotel
© Straf Hotel
© Straf Hotel
© Straf Hotel
© Straf Hotel
4-star hotel with a contemporary industrial design
Located in the centre of Milan, this hotel combines the latest high-tech functionality with a minimalist feel and the warmth of elegant rooms.
Housed in an unconventional building with an intellectual design in the heart of Milan, this hotel's 64 rooms and suites have been designed with elegant, innovative materials like quarry-rough slate, burnished brass, concrete and iron, gauze-effect glass and mirrors aged by hand, along with furnishings specially designed by Vincenzo De Cotiis.
There is also a fitness room.
STRAFbar is the window on the world of the design hotel of the same name, and has been designed using the same basic materials, for example the concrete for the walls and floors, and the industrial iron panels. The attractively decorated ambience combines artistic elements such as the recycled fibreglass and wood panels and original 1970s furnishings. The bar offers all day bar and restaurant services with an à la carte menu.
The music is an eclectic mix of vintage tracks during the daytime and more vibrant and lively sounds from dusk onwards. Bar STRAF is frequented by an international and local clientele. The “street happy hour” carries on late into the evening with theme nights with live music and DJ set.
Both the restaurant and the meeting room, adjacent to and mirroring the hall, are the natural extension of the hotel’s public areas. Here too, De Cotiis uses the basic material of the hotel; concrete for the walls and flooring, panels of burnished brass and iron for the walls. The two large canvases in the restaurant, exclusive decorative features created by the architect in coloured plaster, help to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere along with a clever use of lighting.
The menu combines traditional Italian cuisine with international favourites such as the club sandwich, and even fusion cooking, such as tandoori chicken bites with basmati rice, vegetarian dishes including raw vegetables, bruschetta and seasonal salads.
Amidst the beautiful surroundings of the Piedmontese coast of Lake Maggiore, this adventure park offers fun for all with high suspension bridge courses, cycle-cross, a free-climbing wall and an acro-jump. A great day out.
This 18-hole, par 72, golf course was designed by Franco Piras and realised in 2002.
Elevated in the hills on Lake Garda's western side, Bogliaco golf course and resort is blessed with a Mediterranean setting and superb views.
The great little trains of Orta tour around this part of the lovely lake, taking in the main square of Orta San Giulio, the holy mountain of Sacramonte and its chapels, and the painted village of Legro. It's a great way of seeing this outcrop of land and is a big hit with children.
An Old England styled public golf course set prestigiously on the shores of Lake Como.
Monte Tamaro rises 1,961 metres above the lake and in this beautiful hilly area there are plenty of wonderful trails and hikes. Notably it is the starting point for the Tamaro-Lema hike. This peak is also worth visiting for the contemporary and innovative Santa Maria degli Angeli church designed by Mario Botta and painted by Enzo Cucchi. It sits on the edge of the hillside with amazing views. There is also an adventure park and mountain bike trails. Something for everyone.
Michelin-starred experience that draws on the experimentation of the Venissa culinary approach. The enchanting decor completes the tone for dining in a very unique setting.
The 2-Michelin-starred Seta restaurant located in the Mandarin Oriental Milan hotel is a new kid on the block for the Milanese restaurant scene. An open-plan kitchen gives guests a peak of how the stunning dishes are prepared and a more complete experience to their choices.
The elegant style and furnishings, the neoclassical pieces of art decorating the walls and the hand-painted high ceiling is a dramatic yet fitting setting for the fantastic food of the Palazzo Parigi restaurant. And when the weather is fine, the relaxed atmosphere of the private garden terrace provides an alternative atmosphere for visiting diners.
This elegant and sophisticated restaurant is located in a luxury hotel right in the heart of Milan and has been awarded a Michelin star. They serve traditional Italian dishes with innovative touches using local fresh ingredients.
Located at the luxury Excelsior Gallia Hotel, this rooftop restaurant boasts a menu created under the consultancy of three-Michelin starred chefs Enrico and Roberto Cerea and the Lebano brothers. They serve modern Italian cuisine with a focus on the Lombardy region.
Part of the Armani Hotel Milan, this Michelin-starred restaurant takes a modern approach to classic Italian wining and dining. The stylish decor has been designed to the smallest detail by Giorgio Armani himself.
Located in the historic centre of Milan, in front of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, this is one of Milan’s hottest and trendiest bars in the city at any time of the day.
With a number of different dancefloors, and known for attracting classic 80s pop icons, this is a fashionable gay-friendly club with a selective crowd.
This small quirky cocktail bar has a "fusion" feel combining local furniture with Eastern, African and Caribbean styles to create a global feel.
Meaning "heart", this vibrant, friendly, atmospheric spot is worth seeking out down a side street for its changing interior, DJ sets and mixed clientele.
This Indian bar offers a great selection of cocktails, many based on Indian spirits, serves a good aperitivo buffet and has African-themed evenings, as well as DJ sets late into the evening.
One of the most renowned music venues in Milan, at this nightclub you'll be able to see big live rock concerts during the week, while during the weekends it turns into a disco.
Reputedly the oldest shopping arcade in the world, this 19th-century glamorous, 4-storey, arcaded shopping gallery features a rich mosaic floor and a spectacular iron and glass roof complete with cupola that connects Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala.
This sweeping square, the grandest in the city, is flanked by several famous sights and landmarks. Most notably the Duomo cathedral, but also the 19th-century shopping arcade the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the 18th-century Palazzo Reale.
Located in the very heart of the city, the Duomo is the third largest cathedral in the world and Milan's most famous cultural landmark. Commenced in 1386, the cathedral was initially built in terracotta stone then continued in the white Condoglian marble (shipped from Lake Maggiore) that gives the building its striking crystalline beauty.
Palazzo Marino has been the home of Milan's town council since 1861. Located in La Scala square, the palace was designed by architect Galeazzo Alessi, from Perugia, in 1558.
Located inside the Palazzo dell’Arengario, in Piazza del Duomo, this museum hosts a collection of over four thousand works that showcase the development of 20th-century Italian art.
The Royal Palace is a classically beautiful example of 18th-century Milanese architecture. Built in the 1300s, it was initially the residence of the Visconti and Sforza families, then later home to the Spanish and Austrian governors.
Located just within 15 kilometres north of Milan, this big but picturesque town, the third largest in the Lombardy region, has been transformed from a mainly industrial trade centre to a popular spot for good cuisine, pretty squares and of course the F1 Gran Prix.
The city of Bergamo is perched atop a hill just within a 30-40 minute train or car ride from Milan. The fourth largest city in Lombardy, it is located at the foot of the Alps.
The lovely town of Angera dates back to Roman times when it was an important stopping point for boats transferring their wares to the road, and vice-versa. Sitting high above the town is the Rocca Borromeo, a fortress dating back to the 11th century.
High up above the lakes is the village of Arcumeggia in the mountains. It is famous because in 1956 the local tourist office decided to ask important Italian painters to fresco the walls of the town's stone cottages.
