Milan (Milano) , Nightlife, Travel Guide

The city's clubs are at their hippest midweek, particularly on Thursdays - at weekends out-of-towners flood in and any self-respecting Milanese trendy either stays at home or hits a bar. Many places have obscure door policies, often dependent on the whim of the bouncer; assuming you get in, you can expect to pay L20,000-30,000/10.33-15.49 entry, which usually includes your first drink. As for live music , Milan scores high on jazz, and the rock scene is relatively good by Italian standards: there are regular gigs by local bands, and the city is a stop on the circuit for big-name touring bands.

If you need an antedote to the expensive designer side of Milan's nightlife, check out the very healthy alternative scene, which revolves around the city's many Centri Sociali . Born out of the student protests of the late Sixties, these centres are essentially squatted buildings, where committees organize cheap, sometimes free, entertainment, such as concerts and film showings. They also contain bars and - often good - vegetarian restaurants, and are an established part of the social scene, accepted by neighbours and even sometimes receiving local funding. Worth checking out are Gargliano , in Via Gargliano, ten minutes' walk north of Garibaldi Station, and Conchetta , on Via Conchetta, five minutes' walk south of Porta Ticenese and the flagship, Leoncavallo , which you can contact on tel 02.670.5185 or csleo@tiscalinet.it .

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