Why go

The Navigli are Milan’s canals, the last visible traces of a network of waterways that from the 12th century carried goods, people and even the marble for the Duomo into the heart of the city. Most were covered over in the 1920s and 1930s, but two survive in the south-west of the city: the Naviglio Grande, which flowed from the River Ticino, and the Naviglio Pavese, which ran towards Pavia. They meet at the Darsena, the old harbour basin, restored as a public waterfront.

Today the canals are the city’s most relaxed neighbourhood. Old workers’ houses with long balconies line the towpaths, and their ground floors are filled with bars, trattorias, galleries and vintage shops. In the early evening the banks fill with people for aperitivo, Milan’s ritual of a drink with generous snacks.

What to see

  • The Naviglio Grande. The longest and most attractive stretch, with bars, artists’ studios and footbridges.
  • The Darsena. The restored harbour basin, with a covered market and steps down to the water.
  • Vicolo dei Lavandai. A lane with the old covered washing place where laundresses once scrubbed linen.
  • San Cristoforo sul Naviglio. A pair of joined medieval churches further along the Naviglio Grande.
  • The antiques market. Stalls along both banks of the Naviglio Grande on the last Sunday of the month.

Plan your visit

The Navigli are a public neighbourhood, open at all hours and free to explore. Daytime is good for walking and browsing the shops, but the area comes alive from about 6pm, when the bars set out aperitivo buffets. Expect to pay around €10 to €15 for a drink with snacks.

The antiques and collectables market runs on the last Sunday of each month and is one of the biggest in Italy, with hundreds of stalls; in late 2026 it is expected on 29 November and, before Christmas, on 20 December. Weekends are busy, especially on summer evenings, so midweek is calmer.

Short boat trips leave from the Darsena, mainly in the warmer months, but reviews are mixed. A guided food walk is a better way to understand the area and its cooking.

Getting there

Porta Genova station on Metro line M2 is about five minutes’ walk from the Naviglio Grande. Tram 3 runs along Corso di Porta Ticinese to the Darsena, and the walk from the Duomo takes about 25 minutes.

Tips

Arrive before sunset to find a canal-side table, then move on to dinner in one of the side streets. Watch your bags in the evening crowds. In winter the canals are quieter and misty evenings have their own atmosphere, while in summer the Darsena hosts outdoor events and the towpaths stay busy until late.

Many bars along the canal serve aperitivo as a buffet with the price of a drink, so you can make a light supper of it. For a full meal, look for traditional dishes such as risotto alla milanese, cotoletta and ossobuco in the trattorias of the side streets.

Nearby

Corso di Porta Ticinese leads north past the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio and the Roman Colonne di San Lorenzo, a popular evening meeting point. West of Porta Genova, the Via Tortona design district and MUDEC, the Museum of Cultures, are about ten minutes’ walk away.