In the Porta Venezie neighbourhood of Milan, this apartment puts you next to the Natural History Museum and the beautiful 18th-century gardens of Giardini Indro Montanelli. It’s a twenty-five-minute stroll to the Duomo at the heart of Milan, or you can hop on the metro at Porta Venezia, just opposite the apartment. Wandering through the apartment, you can tell your host is a wallpaper designer by trade as each room has a stylish motif – the soothing dove grey of the living room, a neon green geometric number in the hallway and vibrant teal in the kitchen. There are a couple of surprises in this home too, like the gym room in the eaves, sitting beneath the old timber beams of the building. There’s a turbo training in here should you wish to cycle your own Giro d’Italia. The living and dining room has a selection of books on towering shelves, which fit perfectly with the huge velvet sofas for an evening of reading. The bathroom is a little touch of luxury too with its marble-style walls and a deep, free-standing tub.

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