Latitude · Places
45.5° N
Milan
Lombardy, Italy
Hélène spent one November day here: the garden pool of Villa Necchi in the morning, an old tram, saffron risotto, an art foundation in the south of the city, the roof of the Duomo, and Torre Velasca at dusk.
Hélène's day, in order
- 09:30
Villa Necchi
Sitting on the travertine edge of the garden pool.
Nearby, Hélène would go to: Coffee Studio 7Gr., Orsonero Coffee
- 14:30
The foundation
Walking across the courtyard of an old distillery.
Nearby, Hélène would go to: Trippa, Un Posto a Milano, Signor Lievito, Trattoria del Pescatore
- 16:30
The Duomo
On the roof terraces, a hand on the marble.
Nearby, Hélène would go to: Luini, Laboratorio Paravicini
- 17:30
Torre Velasca
Plain plates set out on a table at the foot of the tower.
What to wear in Milan, november
- Around 12°C by day and 5°C at night (Linate, 1991–2020 averages).
- Fog is common in the morning.
- In October a knit over the dress is enough. In December it drops to about 7°C by day; add a long coat.
Where Hélène would go
Milan · Artistic perfumeryMilan · Design furnitureMilan · SweetsMilan · To eatMilan · CoffeeMilan · Vessels
Made in Milan
Artistic perfumeryMilan hosts Esxence, the international fair of artistic perfumery, every year (its 16th edition was in June 2026). The city has several perfumeries that specialise in niche houses.
Zhor Parfums
Quadrilatero
A perfumery on Via Montenapoleone selling Middle-Eastern oud houses and other niche brands, its own Zhor Milano line and scents made exclusively for the shop. Its other boutiques are in Florence and Naples.
HélèneDeep shelves of oud. Scents that start from a tree's resin, side by side.
Profumeria Oggioni
Porta Venezia
A family perfumery founded in 1963 by the current owner's grandmother, selling niche perfumes and cosmetics, and running guided 'olfactory journeys' in the shop.
HélèneA family perfumery in its third generation. They set the order you smell things in.
LabSolue Perfume Laboratory
Tortona
A perfume laboratory and shop inside the Magna Pars hotel in the Tortona district, on the site of the Martone family's former Marvin perfume factory. Essences are kept in refrigerators at 5°C away from light, and scents are filled and labelled on the spot. Open Monday to Saturday.
HélèneEssences kept in a fridge. Bottled where the factory used to be.
Made in Milan
Design furnitureEvery April Milan holds the Salone del Mobile furniture fair and Design Week, and galleries and showrooms across the city sell 20th-century and contemporary furniture and objects all year.
Nilufar Gallery
Quadrilatero
A design gallery founded in Milan by Nina Yashar in 1979, showing and selling 20th-century furniture masterpieces alongside contemporary designers; it also runs a large Depot space on Viale Lancetti.
HélèneOld and new furniture in the same rooms. You can almost smell the materials.
Fornasetti
Quadrilatero
A Milanese atelier founded by Piero Fornasetti in 1940 and now led by his son Barnaba, making decorated objects and furniture. Its Corso Venezia store reopened after a redesign in April 2026, with a new entrance on Via Senato.
HélèneEven the scented candles come in hand-decorated porcelain.
Spotti Milano
Porta Venezia
A design furniture and interiors store on Viale Piave since 1986, carrying a wide range of Italian design brands and changing its windows and in-store installations each season.
HélèneThe windows change every season. You can read the shop from the street.
Gelato Giusto
Porta Venezia
A gelateria on Via San Gregorio that makes its gelato daily in its own workshop on the premises; for Milan's Gelato Week in April 2026 it served a Lambrusco and strawberry flavour.
HélèneOne fruit flavour. The scent comes through clean.
Signor Lievito
Porta Romana
A small sourdough bakery opened in 2022 by Latvian-born Natalija Nikitina, using a century-old starter from a Naples bakery and baking breads and pastries with Nordic notes like cardamom and cinnamon.
HélènePick the one with cardamom.
Pasticceria Gattullo
Navigli
A pastry shop opened on 1 May 1961 on Piazzale di Porta Lodovica, whose counter drew Milanese singers, actors and athletes; known for cannoncini and choux, it turned 65 in 2026.
HélèneOne cannoncino, at the counter.
Pasticceria Cucchi
Navigli
A pasticceria and café opened by Luigi Cucchi in 1936 as a café-concerto by the canals, keeping its 1930s feel and serving panettone all year round, plus zabaglione-filled chocolate cups called ambrogiotti.
HélènePanettone with a morning cappuccino. They have it all year.
Røst
Porta Venezia
A small bistro on Via Melzo in a former auto-parts shop, serving vegetable-forward small plates with a zero-waste approach, including mondeghili and tripe.
HélèneOrder a few small plates and share them.
Trippa
Porta Romana
A trattoria opened in 2015 by chef Diego Rossi and Pietro Caroli, known for nose-to-tail cooking and its fried tripe; the menu changes daily.
HélèneStart with the fried tripe. Book well ahead.
Un Posto a Milano
Porta Romana
A restaurant and bar inside Cascina Cuccagna, a restored old farmhouse, open from morning to late, with Tuesday jazz nights and wine tastings in autumn 2026.
HélèneA slow lunch inside the old farmhouse.
Trattoria del Pescatore
Porta Romana
A Sardinian family's seafood trattoria in Milan since 1976, famous for astice alla catalana: shelled lobster with sweet tomatoes, red onion and olive oil.
HélèneThe Catalan lobster. That settles it.
28 Posti
Navigli
A 28-seat restaurant by the Naviglio Grande that has cooked with small producers' ingredients and a low-waste approach since 2013, with blind tasting menus.
HélèneTake the blind menu. Don't ask what's coming.
Luini
Duomo
A panzerotti shop just behind the Duomo, in a bakery dating to 1888 and run by a Puglian family since 1949; small fried turnovers filled with mozzarella, tomato and more.
HélèneOne with mozzarella and tomato. Eat it as you walk.
Orsonero Coffee
Porta Venezia
Opened in 2016 as one of Milan's first specialty coffee bars, a family-run multi-roaster café that also roasts its own small batches.
HélèneOrder the filter. That's where the aroma opens.
Coffee Studio 7Gr.
Porta Venezia
The coffee studio of Sevengrams, roasting in Milan since 2009; the Corso Venezia shop is a tiny espresso-focused room of about 22 square metres.
HélèneAn espresso room. One, standing, in the morning.
Bugan Coffee Lab
Navigli
The Milan outpost of a Bergamo roastery founded in 2014, opened in July 2025, serving around 25 coffees brewed six ways, with no sugar offered.
HélèneNo sugar on offer. Drink the aroma as it is.
Laboratorio Paravicini
Cinque Vie
A family-run studio of hand-painted ceramic tableware led by Costanza Paravicini and her three daughters in the old centre; in April 2026 it showed a tableware collection made with metalworker Natalia Criado.
HélèneChoose a single plate. One small enough to carry home.
Hélène is a fictional traveller. Every place here was checked by the editors to exist and be open (checked 2026-11-01). Please confirm hours on the official site before you go. Paid listings are always marked.