Where have the days gone that we used travel agencies to book our trips? Nowadays we rather do it all by ourselves online. Something that hasn’t changed much over the years however, is the things we do once we’re abroad. Because let’s be honest, we tend to visit all the ‘standard’ tourist hotspots. Now there’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you just want something more. If you’re anything like the FashionContainer team, you love to immerse yourself in the local way of life. How to do that? With a little help from Withlocals! A platform connecting travellers like you and I with locals in different parts of the world. Today we’re taking Milan under the loop. Let’s experience it the local way shall we?
Last October we visited Milan and today we take a closer look at the fun, local, personal ways to get to know the city and its locals, the Withlocals way. 5 things to do in Milan, let’s get started
1. Eat with a local
Sure, you could visit a nice restaurant for some fine-dining. However, many restaurants especially in cities with lots of tourists, have an international rather than local cuisine. This doesn’t only mean you don’t get to taste the real flavours of the country, you’re most probably also tempted to pick something familiar from the menu. Because seriously, aren’t we all guilty of that? We personally believe though that one of the best and most fun way to get to know local culture is to get to know its local cuisine. Not just the food preparation or enjoying the food, but the whole social experience. So why not having dinner at a local’s place? Your host will prepare a traditional meal, you get to know where they live and they can tell you everything about their city and neighbourhood. This way you get a real insiders feel of what locals live like. Plus, you might even end up making some new friends!
2. Paint the soul of Milan
An art workshop and exploring Milan’s hidden gems combined, how original is that? Definitely more fun than only ticking off Milan’s hotspots from your bucket list one by one. There are some incredible photogenic places in Milan that would be a hell lot of fun to paint! Like the Navigli district, with its beautiful canals surrounded by traditional Italian houses.
3. Bike & wine tour
Two things we love! As real Dutchies we transport ourselves by bike every day, so why not take our national pride across borders as well? Biking and wine-ing combined is a win-win situation and a great way to find local spots and get a taste of local wine.
4. Explore hidden secrets
While we most definitely want to see all Milan’s, what’s even more fun is going to places where not everyone has already been! Exploring Milan’s ‘secrets’ is intriguing, exciting and fun. Something you’d never have been able to do on your own without being accompanied by a true local!
5. When Fashion meets History
Naturally we had to include an activity in the ‘Milan like a local’ list that includes fashion! Not only because that’s a major part of what you find here on FashionContainer daily, but even more so because Milan could safely be considered one of the fashion capitals in the world. The designers, the many authentic boutiques, the cool people. The ‘fashion meets history’ experience offered on Withlocals allows you to get to know Milan’s fashion scene as an insider. Explore the stylish streets, tailor workshops and get to know Milan and its fashion history. So much fun and a real must for the fashion lovers out there.
5 activities and experiences, not only super fun to take part in, but also the ideal way of leaving any country or city feeling like you’ve actually gotten to know it beyond the main hotspots and sights. Our personal favourite? Eating with a local, simply because getting to know people over food is one of the best things in life.
Photographer: Tatiane Kozijn | Instagram: @tatianekozijn
Location: Milan, Italy
