La Martesana, the canal that arrives from the Adda to Milan, is hot. It seems that every month a new bar or restaurant opens and they all put in evidence their vicinity to this canal surrounded by green. They are right, because along the Martesana one can walk or ride a bike for hours without being disturbed by motorized vehicles. I love it! After all these physical activities I then like to go to Tranvai. Not to get me home easily, but just to have a break in a marvelous place.
Tranvai
Via Tirano angolo via Zuretti, 71 | Milano
Lungo il Naviglio Martesana
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From Monday to Thursday from 3pm to midnight
From Friday to Sunday from 11am to 1am. Check for opening hours in winter
One of the surprises that one can encounter in the streets of Milan is the old (or better: antique) yellow tram that made in the twenties of the last century. Different models exist of which most of the vehicles are retired, but some of them are still driving around Milan. It is an experience to enter in these trams and let you bring from one side of Milan to the other. Don’t forget: “spitting prohibited”.
Amongst the pensioners one also finds the Tranvai 1522. This one has changed his life already a few decennia ago. Instead of spending these his retirement in the mountains or on the beach – a favorite destination for most Milanese pensioners – he has found himself a beautiful and quiet place along the Martesana canal, on the north side of the city of Milan.
The history of this part of Milan starts in 1496, when they completed the works on digging the Martesana canal. The nearby Cascina de Pomm, a so called osteria were travellers and traders gave their horses a break, had a meal and maybe spent the night before entering the city or heading to their next destination, was very popular. The importance of this place is confirmed by famous guests like Napoleon, Stendhal and Garibaldi.
The area became less popular, when during the industrial revolution the Cascina was surrounded by factories situated just outside Milans’ city centre,. Only since the last years the neighbourhood became popular again and it is one of the last areas in Milan where one can go for a walk, run or ride a bike without being bothered by scooters and cars.
Actually the tram is on its current location for almost 20 years, but after a short break and a remake (to stay well, the old ones sometimes need this) it has been reopened at the end of March 2018. From that moment onwards, the Trainvai has immediately taken-off at full-speed!
Behind the bar one doesn’t only find the bottles that form the ingredients for delicious cocktails, but also the four guys that have decided to start this trip to destinations that have to be defined yet. So far there have been many to hop-on the Tranvai, or at least enjoy the terrace that gets shaded by the historic glicine. For a breakfast during the weekend, a break after a walk or an aperitivo at the beginning of a warm evening. The clients here are various, as we one is used to see in a tram: from grandparents with their grandkids to hipsters that sit down and do some work, from the Milanese sciura curious to see this tram ‘where everyone is talking about’ to the one passionate about historic trams that orders a beer only as an excuse to admire that what he likes the most.
To make it short, the Tranvai has room for everyone. So you have no excuse not to go there! No ticket needed.
All images © 2018 Inge de Boer
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