Ivan from Milan

About me I was born and raised in Bulgaria, in a small countryside town in the south. The place somehow always felt too small. For the first 20 years of my life I never really left the country and this was eating me up from the inside. My thrive for discovering the world was simply too strong, so in 2004 I decided to catch up and jump to the other extreme. I have been moving pla...

Aug 4, 2025

Biking out - Naviglio Milan

Escape from the city bustle

"One of my favorite things to do in Milan is to bike along one of the last remaining canals in the city, the Naviglio Grande. I go all the way to..."

Milan once used to be a little Venice with a 150km long network of canals, connecting the city with the rivers and lakes around. Unfortunately, most of them have been covered over time and are no longer visible but one of the remaining ones, the Naviglio Grande, is all the more special today. Starting from port Darsena, the Navigli Grande starts off with one of the most popular restaurant and bar strips in Milan. During any night of the week, this part of the Navigli becomes the place to be.

My favorite part though is during the day, when it's less busy, to bike along the canal past San Cristoforo (check my San Cristoforo Church article) until, well, until wherever you want to go really. If you don't have your own bike, take a day pass from the bike sharing service provided by the city.

Just a few minutes out of the "known" part of the Navigli, you quickly feel very far from the big city, cycling through neighboring villages that preserved the charm of the old days. A bit further, you can see the abandoned Olympic park that is now home to graffiti and skaters.

Recommended starting point: Port Darsena
Tip: if you should want to cross the Naviglio Grande, don't be picky with the bridges as there might be long strips where your only possibility to get to the other side is to swim.

Relaxing

About this spot

Alzaia Naviglio Grande

€

no-price

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