I Navigli is the most romantic and vibrant district of Milan, in my opinion. As we stayed at a lovely apartment in Navigli, we had a lot of time to wander in the area and we really loved it. It is away from the main attractions of Milan but still within half an hour walk from the Duomo and the Castello Sforzesco. In Navigli you avoid the crowds from the main touristic spots but it gets full of people, both locals and tourists, in the evenings and late afternoons when it is time for an "aperitivo". The two remaining canals - Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese - that meet at the Darsena (Milan's ancient port area), are lined up on both banks with nice quaint restaurants, bars, art galleries and souvenir/art shops. There are also street vendors, selling various trinkets and keeping them directly on the ground. The canals area of I Navigli is the best place to spend your day at a leisurely pace.

Took a tram to the canal in the evening and had a nice stroll down both streets. The atmosphere was definitely there with locals (mostly couples and friends) hanging out. Be sure not to miss some of these back-alleys where you can find hidden art galleries or gift stores. We got some local snacks and cocktails to try along the way. If there were more activity or performance along the canal, that would have been perfect!

I spent 4 months working in Milano, and discovered the glorious Navigli. Cant beat it for Aperitivo. Every which way you turn, great deals for the cocktail hours with all you can eat of finger food.So atmospheric, bustling with life. The canal dates back 800 years but in 1482 Leonardo's first task when he arrived in Milano, was to improve the canal system linking as far as Lake Como. Now THATS history.