Private Cruise on the Navigli

Navigating the Naviglio Grande aboard the exclusive Battello dei Navigli, one is immediately enveloped in an aura of ancient and unchanging beauty. One breathes the echo of a unique, long and complex history. Tangible traces of a bewitching fusion of history and innovation offer themselves to the curious wandering eye. Guests savor again all the charm and fascination of a grand Milan on the water, indulging, as on a cruise, in the slow and relaxed motion of the Battello dei Navigli, dedicated to them for an exclusive event, as it glides through the ancient waterways of the Navigli District, a symbol of Milan’s history and one of the most beloved places for the Milanese. From here came the mighty marbles streaked with rose-white that gave birth to the Duomo. Here the traffic of goods and the tribulation of the people, comings and goings of barges and barges, at the time of a grandiose Milan “City of Waters”. People still navigate these waters. The Battello dei Navigli, a one-of-a-kind among the few vessels that ply the waterways of the Navigli today, gives its guests an unprecedented and magical perspective of Milan on the water.

Navigating ancient waterways

The participant, a novice sailor, is welcomed aboard by the murmur of the Battello dei Navigli, dedicated to guests only for an exclusive guided tour. He is gently transported by the ancestral movement of the water. He surrenders to the slow, incessant rhythm of the current, cadenced by the notes of a piano dancing with the luminous flickers woven by sudden glimmers of light on the barely rippling surface of the water. The history of the Naviglio Grande, the most fascinating of Milan’s canals, returns vividly, as fresh, flower-decked balconies shyly peek out from the mouths of hidden caverns and courtyards. Stores and long, narrow houses are flickeringly reflected in the canal, caressed now by the rough hand of the water, now by the flat breeze blowing. One breathes in the damp smell of moss and water. Spots of color materialize at a distance: the scratchy voice of an unknown artist imprinted on bridges and walls. Visions of picturesque corners follow one another in a spellbinding motion, tangible traces of a time just past. Approaching Vicolo dei Lavandai, one seems to catch a glimpse of a washerwoman with knotted hair and disused apron, leaving her basket overflowing with laundry to tell of the trade of scrubbing cloth. Sprouting brick-colored the bell tower of the 14th-century Church of St. Christopher. Daylight barely fades as the Battello dei Navigli glides under the “Scodellino” bridge. The horizon widens into a large body of water: guests finally arrive at the Darsena, Milan’s ancient harbor, symbol of the city and seal of the blend of history and innovation that pervades the Navigli District. A little further on, where water gurgles resonate, human creativity and ingenuity is manifested: the system of locks, a work of hydraulic engineering by the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci.

A toast on the Naviglio Grande

The suggestion continues even after guests have gone ashore, with a sweet break, an aperitif or dinner in the magical and sparkling atmosphere that lights up the Navigli Quarter in the evening.

• Event customization for date, time, schedule and timing according to client and participant needs
• Pre-event counseling, organization and management, and development of the detailed program
• Assistance on the day of the event until the conclusion
• Welcome of event participants
• Guided tour, if provided, by Neiade Tour & Events’ professional guides, also upon request in languages other than Italian or English
• Exclusive reserved location/means of transportation if provided

• Organizing cocktails, lunches and dinners, and convivial moments in dedicated areas or exclusive reserved locations
• Ability to combine the event, in selected locations and business endowment, with product presentations, meetings, press conferences
• Processing supporting materials
• Hostess service during the event also for sampling activities and distribution of products or promo material
• Transfers by NCC, minivan and bus
• Professional photographer throughout the event
• Proven suppliers for dedicated setups

If what you desire is an even more immersive and memorable experience, the Battello dei Navigli can be transformed, exclusively for your guests, into an enchanting, true private event venue on the water. We put all our expertise and best services at your disposal for the realization of a personalized event with attention to every detail with no limits to your imagination: incursions by professional actors who dress up as characters from another era, such as washerwomen, to amaze your guests during a guided tour; musical entertainment by pianos, violins and opera singers to make the navigation even more evocative and exciting; rich buffet aperitifs with delicacies from the food and wine tradition of Milan and carefully selected wines, to give your corporate meeting or team-building activity a full and unmistakable flavor.