wordsmith

Going to Milan on Tuesday for 1st time and only have a day or two. I hear good things about Brera area---worth it? Also, any nice boutiques that are not totally crazy due to Euro? I am 60 so not about teen styles. (P.S. - got tickets for La Scala!!)

flanneruk

Is Brera worth what?

In one of Europe's most charmless cities, the Brera area is the second least charm-free. But there really aren't any neighbourhoods in Milan worth making a destination.

It's some time since I used to live in the area, but it certainly wasn't a "boutique-ey" area in my day. Pleasant enough streets, a few poncey commercial art galleries, lots of restaurants and bars (some patronised by the more raffish Milanese, if that's not an oxymoron) and the Pinacoteca di Brera: one of Europe's greatest second-division major art galleries.

There's really no such thing as a "teen style" in Italy: Italian adolescents typically dress (in Italy at any rate) like aspirant adults. Even if you're as fashion-averse as I am, a stroll round the fashion quarter half a mile or so to the east of Brera, around Via MonteNapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Sant Andrea is a revelation. If you're worried about affordability, you can't afford any of it: just look.

The Milanese do wearing ostentatious fashion a great deal better than raffish bohemianism. Don't expect anything from Brera: but be prepared to be amused by the fashion area.

Squiggy

We stayed in Milan for 3 nights during our 2 week honeymoon last summer. Milan is my husband's favorite city and he has spent a lot of time there. He took me to the Brera for dinner one night and I loved it. It is very trendy with lots of restaurants, bars and boutiques with really lovely residences. I say definitely go for it.

ladylawyer42

When DH and I were there two years ago, we stayed in Brera and liked it very much. There were quite a few little boutiques that had sprung up, and at least two shoe stores on every block. I bought a scarf and bag, both of which I thought were reasonably priced. We found a friendly bar/restaurant (El Beverin) that we liked and went there for happy hour every night. And the Pinacoteca was a wonderful museum, albeit small.

wordsmith

Thanks for your advice---I have heard many people say they like this area. We are stopping overnight in Milan on the way to Maggiore.