Where to stay in Milan

Italy's working city, and the country's best rail hub. Design, aperitivo and serious food rather than monuments; a good first or last base because everywhere else is a fast train away.

Milan is a city of rings; stay inside the innermost, or on a metro line into it. Brera, north of the Duomo, is prettiest and dearest. Porta Venezia, along Corso Buenos Aires, is the best-value central choice: Liberty-era streets, the M1, the most mixed eating. Navigli, on the canals south-west, is the aperitivo strip and loud until late. The streets around Milano Centrale suit an early train and nothing else; every quarter above is a short metro ride from the platforms, and Porta Garibaldi has fast trains too.

It suits people who like a city for shops, design, opera and food more than monuments; the Last Supper is timed entry and sells out weeks ahead. Area C charges cars entering the centre, so do not bring one. It sells out for April's Salone del Mobile and the fashion weeks, and half-closes at Ferragosto.

Two nights, at either end of a trip. Milano Centrale is the junction: Turin and Bologna are an hour by Frecciarossa or Italo, Florence two, Venice two and a half, Rome three; Trenord reaches Como and Varenna in an hour, then the lake ferries take over. Walk the Navigli at nine in the morning, empty.

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