Milan’s corners that
feel like another city
There is a side of Milan that delights in contradicting itself, capable of completely upending the familiar geography of Liberty-style buildings, terracotta courtyards, and tree-lined avenues. It is a city of visual short-circuits, where turning the right corner is all it takes to cross an invisible threshold and suddenly find yourself transported hundreds of miles away or straight into an urban fairytale.
From the vibrant chromatic charm of a street that looks straight out of London to the architectural mysticism of a Brooklyn facade transplanted among Milanese avenues, all the way to the futurist utopia of homes built to defy conventional form.
These three iconic places are not merely attractions, but pieces of a bold and visionary Milan that managed to import the world within its borders, offering us the perfect illusion of traveling elsewhere without ever leaving the city.
Via Lincoln (The Burano of Milan)
Just a short walk from Piazza Tricolore lies a quiet oasis that feels plucked from Notting Hill or the canals of Burano.
Originally built in the late 19th century as a working-class village, this residential street delights with its row of vibrant pastel-colored houses, lush private gardens, and a slow, dreamy pace of life where cats rest on low walls, far from the city traffic.
The igloo houses of Maggiolina
In the heart of the Maggiolina neighborhood stands one of Italy's most bizarre and fascinating architectural experiments. Designed in the post-war era by engineer Mario Cavallè as temporary housing for displaced families, these iconic mushroom- and igloo-shaped structures have stood the test of time: evolving from a quick response to a housing crisis into rare and highly coveted gems of contemporary design.
Casa 770 (Via Poerio)
A slice of Brooklyn set within the elegance of the Porta Venezia district. Defined by exposed red bricks and a striking triple-gabled Dutch Gothic roof, this building on Via Poerio is the only replica in Europe of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson’s home in New York.
A building with a unique allure, reproduced in only twelve copies worldwide for the Lubavitch Jewish community.
Discover these places
on the Map
The secret map of spots that challenge urban reality.
- Via Lincoln
- Le case igloo della Maggiolina
- Casa 770
Pariatur Molestiae
Tips
Start at Via Lincoln, walk over to Casa 770, and finally take Tram 5 to reach the Maggiolina neighborhood. The tram allows you to cross the city northbound directly, avoiding any metro transfers.
Focus on the details (not just the wide shots): while the overall facades in all three stops are spectacular, their true charm lies in the small details—historic house number plates, ceramic tiles, cats, and wrought-iron railings in Via Lincoln; the mailboxes and arched doorways of the Igloo houses; and the intricate brickwork together with the pointed top window of Casa 770.
