I have always thought of Milan, or Milano, as a city for fashionistas and bankers and I wasn’t sure if the city would work as a family destination. That being said, the luxe Four Seasons Milan was on my must-visit list and based on my extensive experience with the Four Seasons brand, I was confident that the hotel would not disappoint the family, even if the city did.
Stay
As expected, our stay at the Four Seasons Milan was fabulous. The boys loved the cute welcome amenities and we thoroughly enjoyed our luxe suite. I was impressed with the large main bathroom and massive closet. I love having enough space to hang up everything, and the closet at Four Seasons Milan was one of the best I have encountered.
Eat
When we travel to Europe, I typically make a 7 pm dinner reservation on the night of our arrival. With a 9-hour time change and long travel day, this may seem cruel, but it really helps everyone overcome the evil jet lag. The concierge staff at the Four Seasons Milan reserved Paper Moon for our first dinner and the service was fantastic; the staff even made a little bed for our youngest son when he fell asleep at the table! I would highly recommend this restaurant for both the food and service if you visit Milan.
Giacomo Arengario restaurant at the Museo del Novecento, located in a converted palazzo overlooking the Piazza del Duomo, is another excellent choice. We enjoyed the walk up the funky ramp to the restaurant, delicious food and fantastic views of the action in the Piazza del Duomo.
We really enjoyed the dining at a Four Seasons Milan and started each morning with the delicious breakfast buffet La Veranda restaurant and ended our day back with drinks at the Il Foyer lounge.
Do & See
The family loved everything about Milan; shopping in the boutiques along the Quadrilatero d’Oro, viewing Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece The Last Supper inside the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, walking to the top of the top of the Duomo di Milano, hanging around the historic Piazza del Duomo and strolling through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Travel Tips – Milan
• Reserve your tickets well in advance if you plan to visit Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
• If you visit Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, consider eating at I Quattro Mori. The restaurant is approximately 1 km from Santa Maria delle Grazie and they serve delicious Italian food on a large outdoor terrace.
• If possible, climb the 919 steps to the top of the Duomo instead of taking the elevator. It was a neat experience.
• Check out Teatro alla Scala, the fabulous and world-renowned opera house, for special La Scala for Families performances.
Will Luxe Travel Family Return to Milan?
Absolutely! We loved the luxe Four Seasons Milan, sightseeing, shopping, dining, proximity to the Italian Lakes, and we still have more to explore.
Lovely post and I wish more people traveled to Milan, as I recently went for 4 days and loved it! Like you, I was a bit worn out so didn’t experience Navigli…just had time for dinner at Taglio but it was too late to walk around after. So many amazing places in Milan!
Thank you so much! Milan is an amazing city and tends to be overlooked as a tourist destination. I recently read that the NY Times ranked Milan as the #1 city to visit in 2015 because it will host the 2015 World Expo. We better visit Navigli soon before it gets too crowded!