# The Navigli canals, Milan > The Navigli is Milan's old canal district south-west of the centre, where the whole city comes out in the evening. Along the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese you'll find footbridges, colourful houses, aperitivo bars, workshops and antique shops, starting from the former Darsena harbour. Strolling is free at any time; sunset is best. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/navigli - City: [Milan](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan), Italy - YesGo score: 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Opening hours: Open 24 hours; bars in the evening, boats on a timetable - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — it's a neighbourhood - Best time: Sunset and evening, aperitivo hour - Market: Antiques fair usually on the last Sunday of the month - Boats: Canal trips on a seasonal timetable - Time needed: 1–2 hours; evenings as long as you like - Metro: Porta Genova (M2), 3 minutes - Coordinates: 45.45250, 9.17680 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **12th century** — digging began on the Naviglio Grande to the Ticino (source: English Wikipedia) - **Marble** — the canals carried marble for Milan Cathedral (source: English Wikipedia) - **Leonardo** — improved the locks of Milan's canals (source: English Wikipedia) - **1819** — the Naviglio Pavese to Pavia was completed (source: English Wikipedia) - **2015** — the old Darsena harbour was restored for walkers (source: English Wikipedia) ## A short history Milan has no river, so from the Middle Ages its people dug **canals** — the navigli — to link the city with the Ticino and Adda rivers and the lakes. The oldest and longest, the **Naviglio Grande**, was begun in the 12th century and runs some 50 km to the Ticino. Barges brought grain, salt, timber and **Candoglia marble** for [Milan Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/milan-cathedral), unloading right by the building site. The system kept improving: **Leonardo da Vinci**, at the Sforza court, refined the locks that let barges climb changes in level. The **Naviglio Pavese** south to Pavia was finished in **1819**. In the 20th century most central canals were filled in for roads, leaving the Naviglio Grande, the Naviglio Pavese and the **Darsena** harbour between them. ## What to see Start at the **Darsena**, the old city harbour restored by 2015, with wide quays, steps down to the water and a covered market. From here the two canals fan out. The **Naviglio Grande** is the prettiest stretch: low houses with flower-filled balconies, iron **footbridges**, artists' studios, bookshops and antique dealers. On its left bank hides the **Vicolo dei Lavandai**, a tiny alley with stone troughs under a wooden canopy where women washed laundry in canal water until the mid-20th century. The **Naviglio Pavese** has bars, student cafés and quiet courtyards of old tenement houses with shared balconies. ## Highlights - **Darsena** — the old harbour, quays and market. - **Naviglio Grande** — footbridges, flowers and studios. - **Vicolo dei Lavandai** — stone washing troughs under a canopy. - **Naviglio Pavese** — bars and hidden courtyards. - **San Cristoforo** — a 14th–15th-century church by the canal. - **A boat trip** — along the canals and the Darsena. > **Aperitivo on the Navigli** From roughly 6 to 9 pm, canal-side bars serve aperitivo: snacks — sometimes a whole buffet — come with your cocktail or glass of wine. It's a Milanese ritual, at its liveliest here. Waterside tables fill early, so arrive by sunset or try the quieter bars near the Darsena. ## Market and boats On the **last Sunday of the month** a big **antiques fair** usually stretches nearly two kilometres along the Naviglio Grande: furniture, vintage clothes, china, books and old postcards. It's crowded but full of character. In the warmer months, **boat trips** leave the Darsena for about an hour on the water, telling how barges supplied the city; timetables are seasonal and tickets are sold at the jetty. A towpath runs along the Naviglio Grande far into the countryside — perfect by bike. ## How to get there 1. Metro M2 to **Porta Genova**, 3 minutes to the Naviglio Grande. 2. Trams 3, 9 and 10 stop by the Darsena and Porta Ticinese. 3. From Milan Cathedral, 25 minutes on foot via Via Torino and Corso di Porta Ticinese. 4. From the [Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/sant-ambrogio), 15 minutes' walk. ## Are the Navigli worth it? Yes — it's Milan's most atmospheric district and the best place to spend an evening after the museums. By day it's quiet enough to explore the bridges and lanes; by night it's lively and fun. With only a day in Milan, save the Navigli for sunset: Duomo, Galleria and La Scala by day, canals and dinner after dark. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Start at the Darsena - [ ] Find the Vicolo dei Lavandai - [ ] Arrive by sunset for aperitivo - [ ] Check the antiques fair date - [ ] Keep your bag closed in the crowds ## Walks in Milan: compare and choose Streets, squares and neighbourhoods in Milan rated by YesGo. - [Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/galleria-vittorio-emanuele) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Bosco Verticale](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/bosco-verticale) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Piazza del Duomo](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/piazza-del-duomo) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Lake Como](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/lake-como) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 8 h · Free; transport and villas paid - [Via Monte Napoleone](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/via-monte-napoleone) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Parco Sempione](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/parco-sempione) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Navigli](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/navigli) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Pinacoteca di Brera](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/pinacoteca-di-brera) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid ## From Sant'Ambrogio to the canals The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, a walk to the Darsena, the Navigli and aperitivo at sunset. 1. [Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/sant-ambrogio) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 2. [Navigli](https://yesgo.io/italy/milan/navigli) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Navigli aren't one canal but a network; today the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese remain open in the city. They're sometimes compared to Venice, but these are the working canals of a trading city, not a city built on water. ## Tips - Best at sunset. - Antiques fair: last Sunday. - Start at the Darsena. - Porta Genova metro is close. ## Questions ### What are the Navigli in Milan? The old canal district of the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese by the Darsena harbour, with bars, bridges and shops. ### How do I get to the Navigli? Metro M2 to Porta Genova, or trams 3, 9 and 10 to the Darsena. ### When is the Navigli antiques market? Usually on the last Sunday of the month along the Naviglio Grande. ### When is the best time to visit? Sunset and evening for aperitivo; daytime is quieter for exploring. ### Can you take a boat on the Navigli? Yes, in the warmer season boat trips leave the Darsena on a timetable. ## How we checked Canal history and the district from English Wikipedia. Fair dates and boat timetables weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Navigli; Naviglio Grande; Darsena (Milan) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.