Jingle bella in Milan

I enjoy going to Milan for several reasons: its fine restaurants, the grand opera at La Scala, and the best shopping ever. The city is indisputably Italy's, if not the world's, style capital and strolling through the

And there is nowhere better to rest my weary feet after a day spent ticking items off my gift list than the chic new Armani hotel. At its glittering opening party recently, Jessica Alba and Maggie Gyllenhaal were in town to celebrate. It's located right in the centre of the quadrilatero, a penny loafer's throw from my favourite designer boutiques. Guests at Armani's Milan pad can be picked up from Linate airport by a chauffeur-driven car; as I stepped into mine, I was handed an ice-cold Armani water to drink. And they say you
can't bottle style!

After a 20-minute drive we pulled into via Manzoni, an elegant street lined with the austere façades of old palazzos. There was nothing so stern about the face of Andreas, the fabulous 'lifestyle manager' who met me at reception. He replaces the traditional concierge and did a great job of introducing me to the hotel, taking my 'pillow order' (a manly per signori, please) and showing me the magnificent seventh floor where 'it all happens' - the restaurant, bar and check-in are all located here as it has the most beautiful views. I was mesmerised by the hotel's magnificent structure: white and grey marble, merged with geometric patterns, soft lighting and the enchanting smell of incense throughout. This is life on planet Armani.

Andreas masterminded my entire stay in Milan: a bike tour of the city? Sure, why not. A visit to da Vinci's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie church? Yes, please. (It's notoriously hard to get access to the painting and a trip usually has to be booked months in advance.) And what about a treatment at the hotel's state-of-the-art spa? How could I say no? The only suggestion I turned down was a guided 'fashion tour' of the shops - that I could manage alone.

Just a few steps from the hotel and I was in via Montenapoleone, a vibrant street packed with designer boutiques and glamorous Milanese women who like to show off their furs, despite the unseasonably warm weather. My retail adventure started at a Murano glass shop, followed by an antique jewellery shop where I saw some lovely cufflinks, and Lorenzi, one of my favourite places, where I stocked up on old-fashioned razors, brushes and toiletries. From there I walked along via San'Andrea and stopped for a light lunch at Il Salumaio, on via Gesù, an old Milanese establishment that serves simple food in the courtyard of the old Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi. It was a balmy day but the 'ladies who lunch' were, of course, all swaddled in mink.

Back at the hotel, I had a quick dip in the spa's small pool, which - thanks to its magnificent top-floor position - offers views as far as the gargoyles of the Duomo in the distance. Feeling revived, I hopped on the bike Andreas had hired for me and rushed to Santa Maria delle Grazie to keep my much-coveted appointment to view The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo). You only get a 15-minute window to view the masterpiece but that's enough to take in the delicate colours, and the serene face of Jesus in the middle of it all. Calmed by being in the presence of such exquisite beauty, I then went for a stroll in the nearby cloisters of the church.

Back on two wheels, I cycled to the Navigli area. Here the small canals, once used for transporting goods, interweave between little artists' shops and cute cafés - it's a wonderful place to find yourself at sunset on a misty winter's day. I have been visiting Milan for many years but this was my first time navigating the city by bicycle, and I really enjoyed it. Milan hides a lot and many of the narrow streets feature unusual buildings and beautiful statues that are best seen by bike. I popped into Cucchi, an old-fashioned café in Porta Genova, for a Negroni (a traditional Milanese aperitivo) beneath its sparkling crystal chandeliers.

To help prepare myself for another busy day's shopping, I started the next day with a massage from the hotel's Irish masseur Brian, who speaks Italian with a proper, strong Irish accent. Quite charming. Then I was ready for my fashion mission; this time I explored the boutiques around via Spiga and via Manzoni, finally ticking off all the presents on my list (what a relief), including some fine cashmere, and design and architecture books. A good pranzetto (little lunch) at Giacomo Bistrot was, I felt, well deserved.

The wonderful Andreas had arranged for me to spend the afternoon taking a guided tour around the bohemian quarter of Brera (he even had all my shopping delivered straight to the hotel to spare me having to carry it). The guide took me to the beautiful Pinacoteca di Brera, where I admired some wonderful works of art: Raphaels and Caravaggios, to Italian turn-of-the-century works by Boccioni, Modigliani and Morandi. But it was Mantegna's Cristo Morto that really won my attention; a truly iconic image. On the way out I sneaked into the beautiful library, usually closed to the public, where the shelves are filled with exquisite ancient Italian tomes.

I returned to the airport, exhausted but elated, in a chauffeur-driven car piled to the roof with my bags of Christmas shopping. What a wonderful city break: very fashionable and very, very Armani. ES

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Armani Hotel, via Manzoni 31, Milan
Rooms start from 550 (00 39 02 88 83 88 88; milan.armanihotels.com)