We had a very good time staying at MariaElena's apt. It is in a nice residential area that is convenient to everything. The tram that will take you everywhere stops 2 minutes from the apt. But you will have to walk past a Gelato shop with the best ice cream in the neighborhood, so you will have to leave some time for that!

On the same street where the tram stops, there is a nice grocery store at the end of the block, an Asian-Italian fusion Dimsum restaurant that is popular among the cosmopolitan Milanese, a pizzaria that one website heralds as serving the best pizza in Milan, a gourmet shop that offers great selections of cheeses and cold cuts with the best of parma hams, as indicated by the proprietor. One can sit in front of the shop, at the sidewalk tables, have a glass of wine and taste the samples he has to offer at Happy Hour time. And he is right!

MariaElena is a lovely host. She met us in person and willingly spent time explaining about the apartment and the neighborhood. Since she herself lives here when she has no guests, the apt. has everything one needs. MariaElena has another house in another city nearby where her family is, but this is her Milan home.

The apt is spacious and airy, with lots of light. In the summer, however, airconditioning might make it a lot more comfortable since the fans can not successfully cope with the high temperature. Sleeping with all the windows open for ventilation also lets in the extremely loud clanking noises of the street trolleys which start running at dawn, before daybreak, and goes late into the night. Having an elevator to go up and down the 5th floor, however, balances things out!

A heartwarming gesture from MariaElena was a bottle of local wine and a bowl of fresh fruits to welcome us. It made us feel right at home.

If one prefers staying away from the touristy areas, but close enough to conveniently get there, do consider this property. DaVinci's " Last Supper" is two and a half blocks away by foot, with beautiful facades of buildings to admire along the way. This is an upscale residential area. The residents themselves are also fun to watch, whether at cappucino time in the morning or aperitivo time in the evening. The cafe downstairs right next to the entrance to this apt is a great place for people-watching, that is : if you enjoy observing how Milanos live and interact. It's all part of getting into the local environment.