The local-loved European neighbourhood with waterfront bars, £5 cocktails and 136-year-old bakery

IT may be Tuesday night in Milan, but there’s one area of the city that’s bubbling as much as a freshly poured Aperol spritz.

I’m in the energetic neighbourhood of Navigli, relaxing metres from one of its picturesque canals — watching loved-up couples jostle with groups taking sunset selfies, as music mixes with chatter on the terraces of the waterfront bars.

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Navigli, meaning “canal”, sits a 20-minute walk south of Milan’s centre and has become a popular evening hotspot for those wanting a good time on a budget.

I’m enjoying an “aperitivo” — a pre-dinner drink with nibbles — at La Prosciutteria on the Naviglio Grande, the most prominent of five charming interconnected waterways that date back to 1179.

Impressive views

My glass of white comes with an overflowing charcuterie board for just €10 (£8.58) per person.

Just along the river is the iconic Mag Café, where they serve the strongest negroni I’ve tasted, and at nearby Ugo you can sip on an Aperol spritz for just over a fiver.

Unsurprisingly, I was in a rather jolly mood by the time I strolled to dinner at Il Ristorantino Della Carne, where they serve a famous Milanese dish called orecchio d’elefante, meaning “elephant’s ear”, a thin and large breaded veal cutlet with various toppings.

By day, Navigli couldn’t be more different, as the bustling bars give way to adorable coffee spots.

You can enjoy an espresso and pastry in complete calm at cafe-bar Felix Navigli, and take in the serene stretch of water which runs continuously for a total of 31 miles out of the city.

On the last Sunday of every month, the riverbanks host a vintage market, where you can haggle for everything from old jeweitalllery to period furniture.

I’m staying a short metro ride away from Navigli in Milan’s most modern district, CityLife.

The grand but welcoming Hotel NH Collection Milano CityLife is near the area’s park and shopping district. Its stunning rooftop pool has impressive city views.

The next day, after fuelling up on the hotel’s buffet breakfast, including little pizzetas, I took a 30-minute wander to the centre — passing 95-acre Parco Sempione and 15-century Castello Sforzesco. However, it’s the Duomo, or cathedral, that is Milan’s most unmissable tourist attraction.

Photos can’t do justice to the breathtaking Gothic structure, which took six centuries to build.

You can walk up the 919 steps to the roof, from where you can see the entire city. Entry is €16 (£13.72).

I also head to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping centre, where you’ll find the likes of Prada and Louis Vuitton.

On the mosaic floor is the famous “Turin bull”, which apparently brings good luck if you spin with your heel on its privates three times anti-clockwise.

Close by, you’ll find hole-in-the-wall Luini bakery, which has served panzerotti — think small fried pizzas — since 1888.

However, I walk ten minutes to the renowned sandwich shop All’Antico Vinaio, which needs security guards to manage queues.

I eat my ginormous, €7 (£6) Gorgonzola-packed order in the adjacent square.

Still got room for dessert? The Cioccolatitaliani ice-cream shop is just around the corner.

La dolce vita, indeed!

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