Milan it is a strange mix of modernity and tradition, new trends and hidden corners of antiquity. It so happens that in the Navigli area, known above all for its nightlife and for the wide choice of places that offer the ritual of the aperitif, you often come across small glimpses that take you back in time.
Right on Naviglio Grande is the Vicolo dei Lavandai: a street so narrow that it is difficult to notice if you walk distractedly and frantically, as often happens in Milan. Between railing houses and bridges, the alley houses an ancient wash house, consisting of a wooden structure placed in front of a small stream fed by the waters of the Naviglio. Here in the nineteenth century, the launderers used to wash clothes, a task subsequently delegated to women, who used the washhouse until the 50s.
The alley of the laundry workers is immersed in acharming atmosphere, as is the context in which it is inserted. The part of the Naviglio Grande that you go through to reach it, in fact, is a succession of small shops of artists and painters. On Sunday, strolling in this area, you cannot miss the art exhibitions that are set up in the lush courtyards of the finely restored railing houses.
If you go around here towards aperitif time and you want to stay on topic with the atmosphere of authenticity that characterizes this corner of the Naviglio, an obligatory stop is The winery in via Casale: a real cellar, where it is possible to find different types of wines and bulk oils. Just outside the cellar, about thirty large wooden barrels serve as a table for those who want to stop and enjoy a good glass of wine accompanied by a platter of cheeses and cold cuts. The winery is a great place for a low-cost aperitif made of genuine products.
Strolling through the alley of the laundry workers and in the surrounding area of the Naviglio Grande, is like taking a dip in the past, in the Milan of courts, carriages and laundry workers.
