Nightlife
Milan has perhaps Italy's best nightlife . This centres
on two main areas: the streets around the Brera gallery, and the
canal-side Navigli and the adjacent Ticinese quarter, south of the
city, where there are any number of lively bars, restaurants and
nightclubs, some hosting regular live bands.
The city's clubs are at their hippest midweek,
particularly on Thursdays - at weekends out-of-towners flood in and
any self-respecting Milanese trendy either stays at home or hits a
bar. Many places have obscure door policies, often dependent on the
whim of the bouncer; assuming you get in, you can expect to pay
L20,000-30,000/10.33-15.49 entry, which usually includes your first
drink. As for live music , Milan scores high on jazz, and
the rock scene is relatively good by Italian standards: there are
regular gigs by local bands, and the city is a stop on the circuit
for big-name touring bands.
If you need an antedote to the expensive designer side of
Milan's nightlife, check out the very healthy alternative scene,
which revolves around the city's many Centri Sociali . Born
out of the student protests of the late Sixties, these centres are
essentially squatted buildings, where committees organize cheap,
sometimes free, entertainment, such as concerts and film showings.
They also contain bars and - often good - vegetarian restaurants,
and are an established part of the social scene, accepted by
neighbours and even sometimes receiving local funding. Worth
checking out are Gargliano , in Via Gargliano, ten minutes'
walk north of Garibaldi Station, and Conchetta , on Via
Conchetta, five minutes' walk south of Porta Ticenese and the
flagship, Leoncavallo , which you can contact on tel
02.670.5185 or csleo@tiscalinet.it .
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