Porta Nuova and the Bosco Verticale

Porta Nuova is where you see how much Milan has changed. For decades the area between Porta Garibaldi station and the Isola district was a patchwork of rail yards and wasteland; in the 2000s and 2010s it was transformed into the city's new business and residential district, and it is now one of the most interesting pieces of modern urban design in Europe. The walk starts at Piazza Gae Aulenti, a circular raised piazza with fountains, named after the Milanese architect and designer, and ringed by glass towers, among them the UniCredit Tower by César Pelli, whose spire makes it the tallest building in Italy. From there, a pedestrian bridge leads north to the Bosco Verticale, the Vertical Forest, two residential towers by Stefano Boeri covered with hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and plants on their balconies. Completed in 2014, they have become one of the most famous buildings of the century, copied around the world, and they change colour with the seasons. Between the towers and the old neighbourhoods lies the Biblioteca degli Alberi, a contemporary public park designed by the Dutch studio Inside Outside, with paths, meadows, circular groves of trees and a programme of free cultural events. To the north, Isola is the opposite of the glass towers: a former working-class neighbourhood of low houses, courtyards, street art, cafés and bars, now one of the city's liveliest places for an evening out. To the south, Corso Como leads back toward Porta Garibaldi and its nightlife. The whole area is free, flat, walkable and well lit, and it suits any time of day, from a morning run in the park to evening drinks.

How to walk it: start at Garibaldi FS station (metro lines M2 and M5, suburban trains) and climb to Piazza Gae Aulenti. Walk north over the bridge to the Biblioteca degli Alberi and the Bosco Verticale, best seen from the park, where you can take in both towers, then continue into Isola for coffee, lunch or an aperitivo. Allow one to two hours, more if you linger in the park or the bars. The Bosco Verticale is private housing, so it is admired from outside.

When to go: the area is lively at all times. Early morning gives soft light on the towers and a peaceful park; evenings bring workers and locals out to the bars of Corso Como and Isola. In spring and autumn the planting on the Bosco Verticale is at its most colourful, and summer brings free concerts and events to the park. Design Week in April adds installations across the district.

Combining it: the Cimitero Monumentale is ten to fifteen minutes away on foot, which makes a striking contrast of old and new Milan, and Pirelli HangarBicocca is a few stops north on metro line M5. Families will find space to run in the park and fountains to play around in the piazza.