Fete season in Milan

It was glorious spring weather on Saturday so we decided to visit the Brera, the oldest neighbourhood in Milan. Many guidebooks claim that the Brera is filled with great restaurants, outdoor bars, small galleries and quirky fashion shops.  With all of this happening you'd think it would be buzzing, but when I've been in the past it's been pretty quiet, and frankly, a bit dull and empty. Well I think I've been to the Brera at the wrong time.
On Saturday it was humming with the Milanese window shopping, enjoying the outdoor restaurants and meeting friends at the local church fete.

And  what a fete!
Floralia is a festival hosted by the parishioners of San Marco church. They run it twice a year to raise funds to support the homeless people of their community and to provide a venue for other charities to sell their wares.

There were the usual 'white elephant' stalls, although we were more taken with the antique artworks on the walls.

And they were doing brisk business at the Milanese equivalent of the sausage sizzle.  A fresh prosciutto and gorgonzola roll, or a dip of walnuts, honey and gorgonzola? This is Milan, where the local cheese, gorgonzola, features prominently, even at a fete stall. 

 

And there were some cool fashions for sale as you'd expect in this fashion capital, but there was no time to stop. For Stefano a fete, is a fete, is a fete! Keep walking.

Florialia is really about the plants and flowers.  Although most people in Milan live in apartments, we've noticed that as soon as the weather begins to change the balconies fill with window boxes of ivy, baskets of colour and even potted olive and lemon trees. 

 We had a little spring fever ourselves and bought another pot of ivy for our balcony. We'll come back in autumn, even if it's just to have lunch!

Ci vediamo prossima volta.  Benvenuto primavera!