“A legendary furniture showroom created by the late Fernando and Maddalena De Padova, De Padova is still one my favorite stops in Milan. The product selection and the quality of the displays, combined with a grandiose space, definitely stands out.” — Emmanuel Plat, Director of Merchandising MoMA Retail

This palazzo, completed in 1927, is only one of three buildings by Aldo Andreani, who was influenced by Baroque architecture as well as the “spatiality of Borromini, Bernini, and Corton.” Look for the small, carved ear set into the stone facade near the front doors: it’s the signature of Andreani, and symbolizes “listen[ing] to the city.”

“In the centre of the city is a treasure of art and architecture [ed. note: that was also the setting for I Am Love, starring Tilda Swinton]. It’s an old villa built between 1932 and 1935 by Piero Portaluppi for the middle-class Lombard industrialist family Necchi Campiglio, inventors of the well-known Necchi sewing machine. It’s a totally unexpected oasis in the middle of the city.” —Alberto Alessi, president of Alessi

“Latteria San Marco is not design-focused at all, but it’s the tiniest, most delicious old-school trattoria in Brera that everyone who’s anyone knows to have lunch in at least once during the fair. We always run into important people when we eat here, yet it’s completely relaxed and un-fussy.” — Monica Khemsurov and Jill Singer, Sight Unseen

“You can’t miss Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, the first public building in Italy by Herzog & de Meuron.” —Giulia Molteni, Head of Marketing and Communication, Molteni&C

“One of Milan best kept secrets [is] High Tech. The cavernous, maze-like space sells a variety of home decor (of sometimes unequal quality) but one will always find a hidden gem.” — Emmanuel Plat, Director of Merchandising MoMA Retail

“This restaurant is also not design-focused (unless you’re a fan of the cheesy Euro designer look), but it’s got really amazing salads at lunchtime, and a Martini Bar (that’s the name of it) out back where they serve two dozen types of martinis and feed you an entire meal’s worth of aperitivo while you drink them. We’ve had so many debaucherous group outings here.” — Monica Khemsurov and Jill Singer, Sight Unseen

One secret of Milan is that the city’s most remarkable spaces are hidden from plain view: in courtyards, behind walls, or just inside the door of a nondescript apartment building. Taschen’s new book, Entryways of Milan (Ingressi di Milano) highlights lavish entry halls across the city, like this one built in 1960 by Pierluigi Requliani that features pendants by O’Luce and a Porfido Monumentale di Bienno stone floor with round Carrara marble inlays.

“Not the secret it once was, Brera’s romantic botanical garden, established in 1774, becomes a hotspot throughout the fair. While it’s hard to beat sundays in the lush gardens, save some time for the Brera Art Gallery, the Astronomical Observatory, the “Braidense” Library and the Academy of Fine Arts.” —The Future Perfect

“For sure one of the most interesting “must-see” spots in Milan is the beautiful studio of Achille Castiglioni, founded in 2006 with the aim to open [his work] to the public. Through the four rooms of his studio and the several objects, prototypes, sketches, books, pictures and other materials archived, it is possible to understand better the genius behind his projects as well as the intelligence, humility and levity that characterized him.” —Alberto Alessi, president of Alessi

Steps from Porta Garibaldi lies 10 Corso Como in a world of its own creation. Opened in 1991 by fashion editor Carla Sozzani, the culture and commerce hub houses a picturesque courtyard, bookshop, gallery, fashion boutique, cafe, and even a three-room hotel. Nothing quite like it exists stateside—except, perhaps, the 10 Corso Como that’s been due to open in New York’s South Street Seaport since 2016.

“Perfect for a quiet Negroni moment, the new-ish luxury hotel, in Milan’s center, has become popular for aperitivo. Decked out in black and white mosaic, it’s also a great destination for morning breakfast meetings during design week.” —The Future Perfect

Triennale is Milan’s museum devoted to contemporary design, and it pulls out all the stops for design week. (One highlight for 2017 involves a history of Italian design, for children.) It’s located on the grounds of the Parco Sempione, which is ideal for a brief respite from the hordes, vis-a-vis a stroll around the lake, or a tour through the medieval Sforzesco Castle. The museum is also a hop and skip away from Cadorna train station, for when the red line calls you back toward the fair.

This temple of Rationalist architecture was finished in 1932 by the architect Paolo Mezzanotte. Travertine and classical motifs abound, but dare we say the flattened reliefs on the facade seem almost postmodern? The best angle for viewing the building is through the archway on the southwest corner of the Piazza degli Affari, where you also get an eyeful of the giant Maurizio Cattelan sculpture in the center of the square.

There’s a reason the metro in Milan looks so damn sexy: The system was designed in the 1960s by the renowned Franco Albini, with graphics by Bob Noorda (a co-founder of Unimark International with Massimo Vignelli). The first line, M1, opened in 1964, and you can still ogle the unpolished stone and curved handrails—and extra-functional circulation patterns—today.

If you dig the minimalist, neon-light sculptures of American artist Dan Flavin, you’ll love the site-specific installation he created in 1996 as part of a renewal effort for Milan’s Santa Maria Annunciata church.