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24 Hours In Milan With Licia Florio
06/07/23
Author: Mariela Summerhays
DOCUMENTED BY: LICIA FLORIO, @EUTOPIA_MILANO
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Guided by her principles of honesty and positivity, Licia Florio’s namesake brand has cultivated a community of like-minded individuals, desiring of products and meditative practices that nurture a mindful life.
Documented By: Licia Florio
Guided by her principles of honesty and positivity, Licia Florio’s namesake brand has cultivated a community of like-minded individuals, desiring of products and meditative practices that nurture a mindful life.
We follow the entrepreneur through her native Milan and pick up recommendations for how to spend an ideal 24 hours in the Italian city. Milanese lifestyle brand, Licia Florio, is, at its heart, a uniquely thoughtful brand. Most beloved for its soft sports apparel locally-constructed from 100 per cent recycled fibres, the brand launched CIAOMONDO in the height of the pandemic, ‘a safe virtual space’ where the community could practice live sessions of yoga, pilates, kundalini, barre, ballet and more. It was a winding journey to get here to this place of authenticity though, as co-founder Licia Florio says.
“For years we have worked on a brand that followed the fashion seasons and the rules of the market. We didn't really feel apart,” she reflects. “We wanted to restart with a product approach as a tool to help people find motivation, improve their daily lives and discover something new about themselves. The product is a medium. We wanted not to follow the seasons and work on categories that could remain active forever.”
Now, in the aftermath of Licia Florio having held its inaugural CIAMONDO Festival in May, an event that brought its online community together in person for the first time (“a wave of emotions, smiles, hugs”), we asked Florio to detail the perfect 24 hours in her hometown of Milan.
Morning
Start the day with a mindful activity.
Documented By: Licia Florio
Morning
Start the day with a mindful activity.
Before venturing out for the day, Florio recommends a mindful activity to balance body and mind. “I do a CIAOMONDO practice from home every day, usually early in the morning,” she says. For those who favour yoga, the online platform offers both yin yoga and intuitive yoga flow, for a range of movements and intensity. “The rest of the day is dedicated to managing the brands and various developments.”
Breakfast at Eutopia
Documented By: @eutopia_milano
Breakfast at Eutopia
“The morning is breakfast at the bar,” Florio says. “We often go to Eutopia in Via Volta, where we have now built a small circle of people with whom to have a chat.” Self-described as a ‘pastry and kitchen laboratory’ whose products ‘give joy and wellbeing’, Eutopia utilises seasonal produce sourced from natural, biodynamic or organic agriculture. Keep your fingers crossed that any number of their beloved fruit tortes aren’t already sold out.
Other options, if so? “Gelsomina, Nowhere, or Marchesi.”
Afternoon
Walk around Brera, the artist’s quarter
Documented By: Licia Florio
Afternoon
Walk around Brera, the artist’s quarter
“The three points of the [Licia Florio] logo mean many things both in terms of numbers and references,” Florio explains. Among them, are the three activities which contribute significantly to the entrepreneur's health; Hiking, breathing, meditating. Of the first, her hometown provides the perfect opportunity for working a leisurely, scenic walk into weekend plans. “I like walking around cities and Milan is very easy to walk across. Starting from Brera and arriving in the centre.”
Known locally as the artist’s quarter, Brera belongs to the historic district of Milan, its cobbled streets and beautiful architecture a balm on busy weekends. Stop into Pinacoteca di Brera, a gallery whose collections include pieces by Caravaggio and Rafael; and collect some goodies at La Prosciutteria, a famed delicatessen where you’ll find everything from local wines to Tuscan pecorino cheese and green Sicilian olives.
A brief respite from local cuisine for lunch
Florio recommends La Latteria in Via San Marco, or LùBar. The former, a tiny eight-table, no-frills restaurant, is a popular casual locals’ spot, beloved for its fresh caprese salads, octopus risotto and carafes of house red wine. Should you like to continue your walk around the city, and desire something to-go, Florio has a light alternative. “A more easy go-to is a really good vegan sushi to-go at Essenza Sushi or L'altro Tramezzino, the typical Venetian tramezzino.”
Evening
Start your evening with an aperitif with strangers
Documented By: Licia Florio
Evening
Start your evening with an aperitif with strangers
“Have an aperitif at Fioraio Bianchi or a glass of wine at Cantine Isola,” Florio suggests. The latter, a walk-in only wine bar with bottles lining walls, floor to ceiling, has people crowding surrounding sidewalks with their glasses of wine, every day of the week, many just desiring to be part of the festive atmosphere.“Enjoy the city outdoors and meet new people.”
Have dinner in a small, charming corner of the city
“We like to share the table with friends and cook for them,” Livio says. Should a night out be on the itinerary though, she suggests staying away from the much-publicised, usual venues favoured by tourists. “When we go out we try to go to ‘sincere restaurants’, made up of culture and people. Her favourites? “La Colubrina, or Trattoria Torre Di Pisa; and a pizza from Crosta cannot be missed.”
As the day comes to a close, the evening cannot end any other way but with a perfectly-assembled drink. “After, a cocktail at Tibi. We like to stay in the neighbourhood.” Another small but lively venue, Tibi, a bistro and cocktail bar, is moody and intimate; the perfect place for lingering until the early hours. If you get one drink, make it their Gin Tonic, for which they are renowned.
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Documented By: Licia Florio, @eutopia_milano
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