Along the canals walking tour

Take a walk in the Navigli canal district in 1 up to 3 hours

A walk along the Navigli –Milan canal district-, from S. Eustorgio church to the enchanting vicolo Lavandai will be a lovely way to discover a different Milan.

Navigli canal district

The lack of a proper river didn’t stop Milan from creating some herself and becoming a real ‘city of waters’! Named ‘navigli’ and connecting the city with rivers and lakes in the Lombard region, the canals were set up from the middle ages. Not much remains nowadays of Milan canal district. What is left of this brilliant water net lost in time, is still visible in the charming Navigli district, where Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese intersect the former Darsena harbour.

Milanese tradition along the waterways

Many are the stories that tie the Canals to the city. The one the Milanese love to tell is that of the marble extracted from Candoglia’s quarries that reached the cathedral’s construction site via water, to be then used to build the church.
Originally created to transport goods from the nearby lakes and rivers, they also witnessed official boat parades every time  the Sforza court moved to their summer residences as well as common workers until the 20th Century. Now that navigation is no longer the fastest way, you can nonetheless enjoy a quiet sightseeing boat trip, but beware, you might find no water: by law, the canals are drained 2 times a year.

Milan canal district sightseeing and aperitivo!

Still reminding of the working-class neighbourhood they used to be during the 19th and early 20th century, and preserving some idyllic corner like historic Vicolo Lavandai, Navigli are now a lively and intriguing area, with plenty of bars and restaurants, ideal for a late afternoon walk to be concluded with an ‘aperitivo’.

Personalise your Along the canals walking tour

Book your Navigli experience, just tell us time and day and we will make sure that you won’t miss a detail of this charming area.

Acànto tours are available in Italian, English, Russian, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and other languages upon request.