1Day 1 Milano

The boat tour on the Navigli of Milan is an unmissable experience to discover and rediscover the history and geography of Milan’s canals from an unusual and original point of view, comfortably seated on a boat.

The Darsena itinerary will allow us to travel through some historic stretches of the Navigli, once traversed by barges that supplied the city of Milan with a variety of goods, including the famous Candoglia marble destined for the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo. The route starts from Alzaia Naviglio Grande, where you can admire the Vicolo dei Lavandai, the most famous of the Milanese washhouses, active until the late 1950s. Recently restored, the washhouse brings back memories of the arduous work of the washerwomen who, kneeling on wooden “brellin,” scrubbed clothes on the still-present stone stalls.

Continuing along the Naviglio Grande, we reach Palazzo Galloni, an expansive and complex structure that was the residence of a wealthy bourgeois family in the seventeenth century. The facade features a low building that once served as a warehouse for activities related to navigation on the Naviglio. Today, the palace houses the Engraving Center, founded in 1975. Next on the itinerary is the unique double church of San Cristoforo, consisting of the original Romanesque nucleus, remodeled in the fourteenth century, and the later architectural intervention sponsored by Gian Galeazzo Visconti following the sudden cessation of the plague that dramatically struck Milan in 1399.

After passing the church, we will ascend the Naviglio Grande, passing under the “Scodellino” bridge, named after the bowls of soup consumed by the barge drivers, especially during the cold Milanese autumns and winters, at the nearby Osteria del Pallone. The final stop on the itinerary will be the Darsena, Milan’s historic exchange port until the 1970s.

The Darsena has undergone several redevelopment projects over the years and was entirely revitalized for Expo 2015, becoming one of the city’s most modern and cutting-edge areas, a hub of nightlife and evening entertainment. The latest intervention restored the Darsena to the city, recovering part of the old waterway network, including the Olona outlet in the northern part of the Darsena and a section of the Ticinello. The Darsena has thus returned to being the beating heart of Milan and a meeting place for its citizens, where you can enjoy an aperitif at one of the many historic Navigli locales or the new street food venues at the end of the guided tour.

The guided boat tour on the Navigli will allow you to observe a particularly characteristic area of Milan in an original, comfortable, and enjoyable way, uncovering its history, curiosities, and traditions. A journey through the past, present, and future to discover the transformations of Milan, the city of water.

Note: The itinerary does not include any stops or disembarkations from the boat.