2024 - June - Milan - Porta Nuova

As beautiful as the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) in Milan may be, it is way too crowded. Tourists from all over the world gather here to see the sights, most of them to take selfies. It's often too much for me.

But from the roof of the Duomo, you can catch a glimpse of another landmark in Milan: the business district of Porta Nuova. It's really worth making a stop there, especially since it's just one metro station away from the Central Station.

I once read a tip about taking the elevator to the UniCredit Tower. This striking building is not only interesting with its peak, but also the tallest in all of Milan. Unfortunately, we couldn't do that, as it's not open to private visitors. However, we didn't regret our visit to the Porta Nuova neighborhood for a minute.

Everything there is very modern, but that's not all. Everything just fits together so wonderfully. I felt like I was in one of those science fiction movies where you're guided through a clean futuristic city. Yes, there were no flying cars, and unfortunately no maglev train, but at least Tesla has a store here.

You hardly see any tourists here, only very relaxed looking business people. They stroll around, I didn't see anyone rushing. Even all the shops are somehow nicer and cleaner, with nothing lying around.

And then there's the advertising, very modern and on large displays. At one point, a building facade with windows was integrated into the changing advertisements.

If you have time, you can also shop here. All the well-known companies are present, from Nike to Levis, they're all there. And just around the corner, there are wonderful little restaurants waiting.

I could have spent many more hours here, but time was pressing. However, you must definitely visit the greened houses Bosco Verticale. They were built in 2014, and some of the greenery has turned into full-fledged trees by now.

So, if you love modern architecture, be sure to make a quick visit, as the Porta Nuova district has received the MIPIM award for the Best Urban Regeneration Project for good reason.