Unexpected Milan between canals, marbles and fresh fish

5.0 (one review) 3 hours Private tour

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5.0

Milan - Naviglio Grande — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Fresh fish tasting — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Have you ever wondered why the best seafood restaurant can be found in a city which is at least 150 km away from the sea? Well, Milan is surprisingly a water city: since the 13th century, an extensive net of navigable canals have connected the town to the nearby rivers and lakes, allowing the flourishing of art, culture and business.

A private guided tour will lead you to discover, walking and cruising, these unusual places, where water meets the edges of the centre. As an ultimate proof, you will taste some excellent take-away seafood: Milan is not only Risotto!

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At a glance

Duration: 3 hours
Confirmation: Confirmed within 48 hours
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–9
Guide: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
Operated by: Book Your Italy

Ages: Adults (1–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Qualified private guide
Included: A boarding pass for a one-hour cruise along the canals, on a public ferry boat
Included: Snacks: A take away degustation of fresh fish, including water and a glass of wine

Not included

Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Darsena

Passing by

This artificial basin, excavated in 1603 under the Spanish government, has been a major logistic point for the city of Milan until the late Seventies of last century.

Indeed, it was intensively used for loading and unloading of goods, arriving by boat along the canals; also a part of the marble used for the construction of the Duomo arrived here.

Nowadays, it is primarily a tourist site; the basin receives water from the Naviglio Grande and discharges into the Naviglio Pavese.
Naviglio Grande

Passing by

This canal, originally tracked in the 12th century with irrigation functions, was turned into a navigable course around 1272. Since then, several varieties of goods could reach the city by boat, allowing the flourishing of commerce and business and, moreover, the supply of marble for the ongoing construction works of the Duomo.

Today, the Naviglio Grande and its surroundings are a major tourist site, well known for its nightlife.
Chiesa di San Cristoforo sul Naviglio

30 min Admission included

A small but characteristic religious site located on the Naviglio Grande waterfront, featuring a couple of churches. The first, a Romanesque one, was built in the 14th century on the place of an older one; the second, also known as the "Ducal Chapel", was completed in 1405 under the government of Gian Galeazzo Visconti.