The abundance of natural light is the first thing that strikes you about Shearwater. It’s wonderfully bright, and this allows the other parts of the design, especially the colours, to shine. Porta Romana is just outside, and while it’s a bit of a trek to the very centre on foot, there’s plenty to do in the immediate surrounds, and the metro station is just around the corner. When we visited, though, there was no air conditioning. Milan can get very hot during the summer, so it’s very important you take this into account before booking. Home truths: *There's no air conditioning in the flat which will be a problem in the hot summer months *The water pressure in the bathroom isn't fine, but only that *Two people will be sleeping on a sofa bed in the living room, and there aren't any electric sockets nearby *There's a car dealership directly opposite which strains the romance of the flat a bit