Private Eating Milan: Navigli Food & Drinks Tour

Private Milan Navigli Food & Drinks Tour

A private Navigli canal-side experience for families, corporate groups, and celebrations. Your schedule, your pace, your people.
National Geographic
Rick Steves
Lonely Planet
Fodors
Virgin

Experience the Milanese lifestyle in this luxury capital

Ages: 4+
Duration: 3 hours
Departs: Daily 11:00 am, 5:30 pm
Stops: 5
Group Size: Max. 12
Location: Navigli
377 Reviews

Highlights

Stroll Milan’s Navigli district along canals designed by Leonardo da Vinci, exclusively with your group and a private guide.

Taste rich Italian cheeses with charcuterie, or carpaccio with creamy polenta and gorgonzola, paired with regional wine.

Sample farinata di Recco — a centuries-old, plant-based Ligurian focaccia cooked in a tinned copper pan.

Sip Italian wine canal-side as the historic waterway lights up at golden hour.

Savour iconic saffron risotto alla Milanese, the dish that defines northern Italian cuisine.

Finish with a classic Italian dessert.

Built for families, couples and celebrations, corporate teams, and groups of friends — it’s just your group, your guide, and Milan at its most relaxed.

Tour Description

Looking for a private food tour in Milan that goes beyond the polished fashion district? Our Private Navigli Food & Drinks Tour walks your group through the city’s most bohemian neighborhood — built around canals once used to ferry marble for the Duomo and reportedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci — across 5 stops of food, wine, and Milanese culture, designed exclusively for your group.

Taste Focaccia di Recco, fresh carpaccio with polenta and gorgonzola, classic farinata, and saffron risotto alla Milanese. Sip Italian wine at the canal’s edge while your private guide unravels the Milanese aperitivo ritual, the city’s hidden courtyards, and what it really means to dine alla milanese.

Who this private food tour is for

  • Families with kids 4 and up — Navigli is walkable, scenic, and easygoing
  • Couples and celebrations — anniversaries, milestone birthdays, honeymoon evenings in Milan
  • Corporate groups and team building — premium client entertainment, executive offsites, fashion week receptions, conference dinners
  • Groups of friends — private celebrations, hen and stag nights, foodie reunions
  • Fashion and design industry travellers looking for an experience beyond the showroom
  • Wine lovers and foodies drawn to regional Italian wines, gorgonzola, and saffron risotto done properly

Dietary Information

Vegetarian-friendly tour. Vegan, gluten-free, and kosher options may be limited — please share dietary restrictions when booking and we’ll do our best to accommodate. Tastings outside those catered for your needs are at your own risk; the company assumes no responsibility for any food allergies or intolerances. Guests with severe or life-threatening allergies cannot participate in this activity for their safety.

Why Eat with Us?

  • Expert Local Guides — Fun, knowledgeable, English-fluent Milan locals who know every Navigli canal-side venue and trattoria by name
  • Milan’s Hidden Gems — Exclusive access to family-run trattorias, an artisan farinata kitchen, and canal-side aperitivo bars
  • Culinary Diversity — Focaccia, charcuterie or carpaccio, farinata, saffron risotto, dessert — a full Milanese tasting in one tour
  • Cultural Immersion — Leonardo’s canals, hidden courtyards, and the Milanese aperitivo ritual, told as you walk
  • Established Expertise — #1 food and drink experience in Europe for 14 years; 500,000 clients; 25,000 five-star reviews
What a great food tour experience. Our guide Chiara was very knowledgeable of the history of the city and the area and the food culture. It was an easy walking, learning and eating evening. The food choices were all interesting and different and delicious. They were places I probably would not have discovered on my own. I highly recommend it to visitors to Milan especially if you have never been to the canal district. And I hope you get Chiara as a guide.
MemphisTravler Tripadvisor

Share the experience

Love this itinerary but prefer a more social setting? Join our shared group version of this tour for a vibrant atmosphere at a more budget-friendly price.

  • (ages 4+) From €150 per guest

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The Flavors You'll Taste


  • Two types of focaccia, including Focaccia di Recco
  • Local charcuterie and cheese, OR carpaccio with polenta and gorgonzola
  • Farinata (Ligurian copper-pan baked chickpea focaccia)
  • Saffron risotto alla Milanese
  • Classic Italian dessert
  • Regional Italian wine
  • Local beer
  • Water

Offerings may vary by day or season, but you’re sure to enjoy a delightful array of authentic Milanese flavours.

Meeting Point

Arco di Porta Ticinese

Milan, MI 20123

Your guide will be waiting for you right in front of the main monument and wearing our purple Eating Europe bag!

What’s included in your private booking

  • Private Milan food and drinks tour led exclusively for your group
  • All food and drink tastings across 5 stops in Navigli
  • Regional Italian wine and local beer paired with each stop
  • A dedicated English-speaking local guide (other languages on request)
  • Flexible date and morning, afternoon, or evening start time
  • 7-day cancellation policy for private tours
  • Company invoicing, advance payment, and dedicated event coordination for corporate bookings

What Makes Navigli Special

Navigli is Milan at its most relaxed and soulful. Built around the city’s historic canals — once used to transport marble for the Duomo — this neighborhood trades Milan’s polished elegance for something warmer, more bohemian. Its waterside walkways are lined with artist studios, vintage shops, and colourful buildings that feel closer to a southern Italian town than a northern fashion capital.

As evening falls, Navigli comes into its own. The canals light up and aperitivo hour takes over — bars line the water’s edge with generous spreads of olives, cured meats, and bruschetta alongside perfectly mixed Negronis and spritzes. Beyond the ritual, the neighbourhood’s side streets hide excellent trattorias serving risotto alla milanese, ossobuco, and fresh pasta in candlelit rooms. Sunday mornings bring a sprawling antique market along the canal, where a slow cornetto and cappuccino feel like the perfect start to the day. Navigli is where Milan lets its guard down and reminds you that la dolce vita isn’t just a Roman thing.

What people are saying

Private tours

A private Milan food tour means just you, your group, and your guide — no strangers, no fixed pace, no compromises. Available for 2 to 12 guests (larger groups accommodated on request) with a flexible morning, afternoon, or evening start time you choose.

How our private tours work

Pick your date and start time. We’ll confirm your private guide, route the tour around your group’s interests, and handle every reservation, pour, and pairing in advance. Pricing is all-inclusive — no hidden fees, no upsells. Your schedule, your pace, your people.

Corporate Milan food tours and team experiences

A private Navigli food and drinks tour is one of Milan’s most memorable corporate hospitality experiences — perfect for fashion week receptions, design fair entertaining, executive offsites, and end-of-conference programs. We offer company invoicing, advance payment, purchase orders, and dedicated event coordination.

Popular corporate use cases:

  • Executive retreats and leadership offsites
  • Fashion Week and Design Week receptions
  • Sales incentive trips and reward dinners
  • Premium client entertainment and partner hosting
  • Team building and team socials
  • Conference programs and end-of-day experiences

Languages available

English by default. Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German on request. Other languages may be available — please ask when booking.

Get in touch

For private bookings, custom corporate proposals, or specific requests, contact [email protected] or call +1 917-909-6432. Private tours can be cancelled and fully refunded up to 7 days before tour departure.

Why Eat with Us?

#1 food and drink experience in Europe - 14 years. 500,000 Clients. 60,000 Five-Star Reviews!

Every tour is meticulously curated to showcase the very best of Milan’s food scene.

Exclusive access to the most legit local spots, from the famous hole in the wall to the trendy new restaurants.

Premium tours with expert guides, outstanding food, and drinks always included

#1 food and drink experience in Europe - 14 years. 500,000 Clients. 60,000 Five-Star Reviews!

Every tour is meticulously curated to showcase the very best of Milan’s food scene.

Exclusive access to the most legit local spots, from the famous hole in the wall to the trendy new restaurants.

Premium tours with expert guides, outstanding food, and drinks always included

Looking for a Unique Corporate Experience?

Treat your team or clients to a private food tour tailored to your needs. Flexible group sizes, seamless organization, and unforgettable moments in Europe’s top cities.

Meet Your Local Milan Tour Guides

Our Milan food tours are led by locals who know the city eats far better than its reputation suggests. Risotto perfectionists, aperitivo devotees, and market regulars who've watched Milanese food culture evolve while keeping its roots. They take you beyond the fashion district and into the trattorias, delis, and neighborhood bars where Milan reveals its true character — elegant, generous, and deeply proud of what comes out of its kitchens.

Jessica
Jessica
Born and raised in Messina, Italy, I brought my bubbly Sicilian enthusiasm to Milan 4 years ago. I also spent 3 years studying in Bologna and 1 year in Ciudad Real, Spain.
My favourite Milanese food is cotoletta, golden, crunchy and deeply comforting (also huge… and I’m a determined eater!). It reminds me of home.
What I love most about Milan is the feeling it gives you. It’s a city that’s always on the move, yet still feels especially welcoming. And when it comes to food, everything slows down. People pause for an aperitivo, for a chat, to share a laugh and simply enjoy being together.
Laura
Laura
Born in Cremona, the city of Torrone (the Italian Nougat), I was raised in a family of cooks, so the passion for food is in my veins! I moved to Milan 12 years ago, but for a year I lived in Rome and then in Vietnam, where I fell in love with the Roman Pizza and the Vietnamese flavours.
I’m a huge fan of fusion food, in particular with Asian influences, but when I want to feel at home, my comfort food is for sure the creamy and flavourful Milanese Risotto, with a generous amount of saffron.
What I love about Milan is the beautiful combination of modern skyscrapers and charming ancient buildings, one next to each other and the liveliness of this city, where there is always something interesting to do and something tasty to eat!
Claire
Claire
Born and raised just outside Milan, I have lived in the UK for several years and in beautiful south Italy, always returning to my home town at the end of every experience.
My favourite Milanese food is definitely polenta&gorgonzola! I love how the stronger flavour of the cheese completely melts on the mild polenta, creating a really delicious overall result 😋
What I love of Milan is the fact that this is a city to discover, and this also concerns its cooking heritage. Everybody knows pizza, but not "mondeghili"... Let's discover together the hidden kitchen delicacies of misterious Milan!
Cecilia
Cecilia
Born in Mexico and raised between Liguria (close to the French border) and Rome, I’ve always been surrounded by different cultures and traditions. For the past 5 years, I’ve been happily calling Milan my home.
My favourite Milanese dishes are definitely risotto allo zafferano and cotoletta alla milanese, the creamy richness of the risotto and the crispy perfection of the cotoletta are simply irresistible! But I also love the amazing cuisine melting pot that this city offers.
What I love about Milan is its vibrant energy, full of music and artistic events. It’s a city rich in opportunities, where modern life blends beautifully with deep-rooted traditions.
Giulia
Giulia
Born in Monza, a city famous for F1 and very close to Milan, I’ve always loved traveling and learning about new and different cultures. That’s why I left home at 19 years old and had the chance to live in Turin (Piedmont) and Venice but also in Valencia (Spain) and Hawaii.
My favourite Milanese dish is risotto but I looove cheese! I’m a cheese lover and in the Lombardia region we have so many! One of my favorites is gorgonzola, which is also perfect with risotto, of course!
What I love about Milan is its energy and lifestyle. Always updated, always open to something new and different: it is definitely something unique to this city! The historical parts are not missing.. They’re just hidden! Something that a local will definitely love to talk about and show you.
Chiara
Chiara
Born and raised in Monza, just outside Milan. Curiosity has always been my compass: it’s what brought me to live in Verona, then all the way to Granada in Spain, and even to the United States.
I proudly define myself as a true Polentona! Polenta is my go-to comfort food: warm, simple, and even better when it’s topped with plenty of melted cheese.
Milan, to me, is a city that reveals itself slowly. It’s not about instant charm — it’s about discovering its character step by step. It can be elegant, chaotic, creative, and full of contrasts all at once. That’s exactly why I love it: it never feels the same, and it always has something new to offer, whether it’s food, culture, or just the atmosphere of its streets.
Maria Chiara
Maria Chiara
Born in Fano, a charming seaside town on Italy’s Adriatic coast, I moved to Milan for university… and never left. After many years working in advertising agencies, I’ve started a new chapter of my life as a tour guide and host of cooking classes.
My favourite dish is homemade tagliatelle with ragù, which I also teach during my cooking classes. Fresh pasta rolled out by hand with a wooden rolling pin is simply incomparable.
What I love most about Milan is getting lost in its streets and discovering hidden gems of incredible beauty: historic buildings decorated with frescoes, secret gardens, and quiet cloisters sometimes forgotten by time. My personal corner of paradise is the magnificent Villa Necchi, where I love to soak in the elegance of another era.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Tour Information

Is a private food tour in Milan worth it?

Absolutely. A private tour gives your group exclusive access to Navigli’s family-run trattorias, an artisan farinata kitchen, and canal-side aperitivo bars — at a flexible pace, with a guide focused entirely on you. The most local, most relaxed way to experience Milan’s food culture beyond the fashion district.

What’s included in the price of the private Navigli tour?

All food and drinks across 5 stops, your dedicated private guide. No hidden charges, no upsells.

How long is the tour?

This private food tour runs 3.5 hours, with daily morning, afternoon, and evening start times available. Custom timings available for corporate groups on request.

What neighborhood does the tour cover?

Navigli — Milan’s bohemian canal district. Built around historic waterways once used to transport Duomo marble and reportedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

What is the private group size?

Private bookings are available for 2 to 12 guests. For larger groups, we can arrange a custom experience — get in touch.

How far in advance should I book?

We recommend at least 2 weeks ahead. Corporate groups should book 4+ weeks in advance — and during Milan Fashion Week and Salone del Mobile, much earlier.

Can I customize the private tour?

Yes. Stops, pacing, dietary focus, wine selection, and start time can be adjusted. For corporate or milestone events we can extend the experience, add welcome touches, or build a custom itinerary.

What’s the minimum age?

This tour is suitable from age 4 and up. Wine is for ages 18+; non-alcoholic alternatives provided for younger guests.

Food and Drink

What kind of food will we taste?

A full meal’s worth of Milanese flavours — focaccia, charcuterie and cheese (or carpaccio with polenta and gorgonzola), farinata, saffron risotto alla Milanese, and a classic Italian dessert.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Regional Italian wines, local beer, and water — all included in the price.

Do the tours accommodate vegetarian or gluten-free diets?

Vegetarian-friendly. Vegan, gluten-free, and kosher options may be limited — share dietary restrictions when booking. On a private booking we have more flexibility to plan around dietary needs.

Are portions enough for a meal?

Yes — you’ll eat at least the equivalent of a full meal across the 5 stops.

Booking and Payment

How do I book a private Navigli tour?

Book directly via the Book Private Tour button above, or contact [email protected] / +1 917-909-6432 to discuss custom requirements.

What forms of payment are accepted?

Major debit and credit cards, iDEAL, and Bancontact. Corporate invoicing, advance payment, and purchase orders available on request.

What is the cancellation policy for private tours?

Private tours can be cancelled and fully refunded up to 7 days before tour departure.

Do you offer corporate invoicing?

Yes. We handle company invoicing, advance payment, purchase orders, and dedicated event coordination for corporate bookings — including Fashion Week and Salone del Mobile programs.

Tour Experience & Expectations

Will the guide speak my language?

All guides are fluent in English. Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German are available on request — let us know when booking.

Will we visit the same places as other tours?

No. The majority of stops on our Milan tours are family-run venues that work exclusively with us, and on a private booking the route is built entirely around your group.

Is the tour wheelchair or stroller accessible?

Navigli is mostly flat with cobbled canal-side paths. Some venues have step access — please contact us before booking and we’ll plan a route that works.

Do you offer other private food tours in Milan?

Navigli is currently our flagship private Milan tour. Get in touch to discuss custom routes through the Brera district, the Duomo area, or aperitivo-focused itineraries.

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