Milan Navigli Canals Boat Trip

Take a boat trip along Milan’s fabulous canals with this experience. During this activity, which lasts nearly an hour and takes place in groups of around 40 people, you’ll have the chance to relax and see Italy’s second most important city from a different perspective. You’ll be provided with an audio guide that will narrate the different places you’ll pass by.

Milan’s system of artificial canals, known as ‘the Navigli’, was built between the 12th and 16th centuries to supply the city with water and transport goods. Even Leonardo da Vinci himself was involved in designing their lock systems.

It was in 1805, under Napoleon, that the construction of these canals was completed, allowing them to reach the sea via the Pavia and Po canals. Today, the city’s riverbanks are home to a vibrant nightlife, brimming with pubs and restaurants.

What’s more, from the boat you’ll be able to see some of the city’s most important monuments , as well as a few hidden gems that often escape the attention of tourists. These include:

• The Church of San Cristoforo: a complex comprising two small churches. The older of the two was rebuilt in the Romanesque period (1192) and remodelled in the 14th century. Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travellers and sailors.
• The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie: The Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie is situated in the heart of Milan. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980 as one of the greatest examples of Renaissance art, owing to the presence of Da Vinci’s masterpiece, *The Last Supper*.