Milan is known as one of the world’s premier capitals of cool. Perhaps less so, however, as a city that also takes its “green” agenda and responsibilities extremely seriously.
As for the cool… Milan Fashion Week – one of the world’s big-four annual catwalk extravaganzas (with New York, London and Paris) – just ended after another trend-setting show-stopper featuring latest collections from leading designers.
The city’s other major global showcase in autumn, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile (home décor and furniture fair), suffered a setback this week when the 2020 edition, due to be held in April, was postponed because of current concerns about coronavirus. But it has been rescheduled for 16-21 June.
(In the meantime, the official Malpensa Airport site has posted a notice informing passengers that “the activities of Linate and Malpensa airports are continuing regularly”.)
Then there is gastronomy… from classic Italian to contemporary international, Milan offers visitors a diverse array of cuisine catering for all tastes and budgets. Including high-end spenders, who have 20 Michelin-starred restaurants to choose from in the city and its surroundings.
If they want to go further afield, the 2020 edition of the Michelin Guide includes a total of 62 restaurants (with at least one star) in Lombardy, the Italian region with the highest number of Michelin-star establishments.
In Milan, they include 16 with one star each and three with two stars: Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, Seta by Antonio Guida and Vun. Enrico Bartolini al Mudec was elevated to third star status in this year’s edition.
And the green Milan? Milan was one of five European cities, together with Madrid, Stockholm, Frankfurt and Istanbul, honoured by the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) for their commitment to environmental building, highlighting the number of sustainable buildings designed, built and managed according to the international standard LEED.
The American organisation provides third-party credentialing and verification for rating systems in the built environment, and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system.
According to the organisation, “Milan’s work with LEED is an example not just to Italy, but to the rest of the European region, and proves that high-performing, sustainable buildings are within our reach. By committing to practices that reduce our impact on the environment and prioritise our health, we can create a better living standard for each and every person.”
Added Milan deputy mayor Pierfrancesco Maran, “Urban development can no longer ignore the quality of the buildings in terms of sustainability, especially nowadays when everybody can play a crucial role to tackle climate change. The recognition of GBCI is a further incentive to do more and work through more performative measures towards this goal.”
If you want to get into the luxury shopping mood before heading into the city, Malpensa Airport has the ultimate in chic designer clothing and exquisite regional gastronomy.