Idly flicking through the internet this morning HostelBloggers stumbled across this very cool travel guide: cooltravelguide!

Along with some generally brilliant travel writing, HostelBloggers can testify that writer Lara is right on at least two counts in her latest Milan post: a) Navigli is very cool and b) It is the place to go for aperitivi.

The last time we were in Milan, we made a beeline for the canal district. It was a warm spring evening, and we were keen to get to the bottom of the far-fetched sounding tales of free buffets.

Sure enough, though, the tales were true. All the bars in the neighborhood (down to the southwest of the city center) allow you free (FREE!) access to aperitivi – essentially a series of delicious Italian dishes laid out in a lavish buffet - for as long as you keep getting the drinks in. On week nights, this budget travel gem of a custom runs from 18.00 to about 21.00. Over the weekend, on the other hand, it becomes more of a lunchtime thing.

Despite being a Milanese institution it seemed oddly out of sync with the rest of the city: all these super chic fashionista types elbowing their way in to get another helping of roast pepper…

That night in Navigli also introduced HostelBloggers to an exciting new drink: the Negroni.

One part campari, one part vermouth, one part gin, and a lot of parts drunkenness - suffice to say it all got pretty messy.