Located north of the city centre, the Isola Zone is so called because it is separated from the rest of Milan by the barrier of tracks and natural boundaries marked by rivers such as the Seveso and the Martesana before they are buried. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Island was famous above all for the industrial plants that were located there, it quickly became one of the major Milanese working-class districts and the Art Nouveau style houses were replaced by the popular ones: the railing houses, one of the symbols of old Milan still today. In the '90s it was the kingdom of the social centres and the Milanese underground movida, which hung out at the Pergola, the Stecca, the Biko, the Cantiere Delirio. But after the heavy redevelopment that gave life to the Porta Nuova district, with its skyscrapers, there was little left of everything. So why does this neighborhood continue to maintain its historical charm? Closed between Via Farini, Via Alserio, Viale Zara and the railway, the island is characterized by a maze of streets, some of which are very narrow, which give it a dimension almost more like a town than a city district; still today it is full of craft shops, greengrocers, butchers, bakeries and cobblers; to which vintage and design shops have been added. It is really worth getting lost for the island, because among the imposing skyscrapers, such as the Bosco Verticale, there are the old railing houses, still largely inhabited by those who have never abandoned this area. And, sometimes, entering inside these courtyards, you will find surprises that can leave you speechless. And if, after all this turning, you're still not tired (and it's possible, since it's all enclosed in a very limited space) then you'll have the chance to spend an unforgettable evening sipping 20s cocktails at the Blue Note in via Borsieri, the temple of jazz music.