Area Daily: Area Goes to Milan, Italy

Milan is one of those cities that you should definitely visit at least once in your life. It’s not as picturesque or charming as Florence or as cultural as Rome, but it’s still a lot of fun. You won’t find leisurely cappuccinos and serenading gondoliers, instead you’ll encounter high design and trendy shopping.

A great time to visit Milan - during Fashion Week (Sep 20-27), of course, when the world’s fashion elite hit the city and there’s parties and shopping galore.

Sleep: The fashion crowd loves 3Rooms, the B&B attached to the trendy boutique 10 Corso Como. With no sign or advertising, these luxury apartments are as exclusive as it gets.

If you can’t snag a reservation at 3Rooms, nest at The Gray, a design playground with 21 individually decorated guest rooms and whimsical touches like a swing and a pink mattress suspended from the ceiling in front of the reception desk.

For a more peaceful sojourn, try Townhouse 12, a discreet little townhouse hotel in a peaceful residential neighborhood; or for high-end luxury, splurge at the Bulgari Hotel.

Shop: Don’t miss 10 Corso Como (Corso Como 10), the fashion mecca owned by style guru Carla Sozzani. Design buffs should head to Edra (Via Ciovassino 3) and Spazio900 (Viale Campania 51). And for bargain priced Prada, Gucci and Missoni, take a day trip to the FoxTown Factory Stores in nearby Mendrisio, Switzerland (horrible name, great place).

And fashion isn’t everything, even in Milan — the Duomo Cathedral, the Galleria and La Scala are all worth a trip.