It’s one of Milan’s biggest annual events and it starts today. The Salone Internazionale del Mobile (or International Furniture Fair) is the world’s most important design fair, showcasing designers’ and furniture manufacturers’ latest creations to business professionals. It’s held every April and will last until the 27th this year (it’s open to the general public only on the 26th). It takes place in the Fiera Milano exhibition center, but contemporary design will be celebrated all over the city, hoping to attract the number of design-savvy visitors in town for the special event. If you can’t make it to the city this week, there are plenty of design attractions you can always check out at any time of the year in Milan:

Start your day at the DESIGN LIBRARY CAFÉ, winner of this years’ Uward for “Best New Café.” It opens at 7AM, so its minimalist space is the perfect spot for breakfast before a browse through the Design Library. You may consult hundreds of major design magazines (current and past editions), over 2000 books and catalogues, and may also catch a design exhibition or product and publication presentation.
If that’s not enough, head to L’Archivolto, a bookstore specializing in architecture, town planning, landscaping, design, and decorative arts. It also has its own publishing division and a gallery where exhibitions, debates, and book presentations related to design and architecture take place.

Another design resource is the Studio-Museum Achille Castiglioni, accessed on a tour using the Triennale Design Museum ticket. That museum presents the best of Italian design, while at the Achille Castiglioni Studio visitors get to see the legacy of one of Italy’s top designers — after his death in 2002, Castiglioni left behind a collection of everyday objects, photographs, and prototypes which can now be seen on the tour.

After admiring so much Italian design, you may end up wishing to get some for yourself, and the place for that is the Tingo Design Gallery. It offers rare, collectable furniture no longer in production, as well as special objects and lighting by Mangiarotti. Also worth checking out is Spazio Rossana Orlandi, a space dedicated to interior design and fashion offering a fine selection of exclusive brands and designer collections.

During your design shopping spree you must also not miss 10 Corso Como, a sophisticated concept store that’s also a gallery and café-restaurant. Worth a special look are the design books and homeware selections.

When it comes to choosing the ideal accommodation, design-conscious travelers can choose between The Gray, Chedi, or the Straf Hotel. You may stay at one of them and dine at the restaurants of the other two. The restaurant at The Gray is a good choice for brunch or a business lunch, the one at the Straf Hotel is perfect for a light lunch, while at the Chedi you’ll be served an innovative mix of Italian and Asian flavors. Chedi’s restaurant also has an extensive wine list, and its space opening out to a garden courtyard allows you to dine outdoors on warmer days.

-See the complete Milan city guide.
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