Baltic Outlook January 2019 | Page 34

MY FAVOURITE PLACE / January Words by Liene Pālēna Publicity photos and by iStock MY MILAN Fly to Milan € 109 from round trip Courtyards Milan has a great combination of underground vibes and classy taste. Culture and events are big components of the city, and there’s a lot of Liberty- and Art Deco-style beauty all around the city. Some of the most beautiful places are the gardens found in the courtyards of residential buildings. La Scala theatre I suggest seeing a performance at the La Scala theatre – that’s a must while in Milan. If you happen to be in Milan in February, I recommend seeing La Cenerentola. The opera, based on the story of Cinderella, is one of the most atmospheric shows ever. Via Filodrammatici, 2; teatroallascala.org Via Monte Napoleone Via Monte Napoleone is a street known worldwide for fashion, a place where you can see some very remarkable window displays of top brands. Definitely one of the most outstanding shops is the recently renovated Bulgari store at Via Monte Napoleone 2. Created by star architect Peter Marino from New York City, it contains an amazing blend of art and design. Francesca Liberatore, fashion designer Fashion designer Francesca Liberatore worked for some of the world’s great- est fashion houses in Paris and Milan before launching her own label in 2009. Even though she regularly shares her experience and taste by working as an international expert and teaching at the best fashion schools and organisations in Italy, Jordan, Vietnam, Peru, Armenia, and other countries, she is always happy to return to Milan, her headquarters. Cafés and restaurants In my opinion, the full Milanese experience begins at 7 pm with an aperitif, followed by a Japanese meal, and then a cocktail in a retro establishment. For the aperitif, I suggest Bastianello, an old café in the full Milanese style (Via Borgogna, 5). Nowadays in Milan you cannot miss having a Japanese meal, and for that I recommend Osaka at Corso Garibaldi, 68. It’s a hidden Japanese restaurant where you can get original ramen or – my favourite – steamed squid dumplings. For a great cocktail, you should definitely visit The Spirit near Porta Romana (Via Piacenza, 15), a very stylish place with green velvet sofas and jazzy, golden bar stools. The Spirit 32 / airBaltic.com