My family and I recently traveled to Italy for a wedding. My husband’s cousin got married in Lake Como, and before the festivities, we all spent a couple days together in Milan. On our first night, my husband and I took the bride and groom out for drinks and dinner.

We made our way to Milan’s Navigli neighborhood, a trendy spot situated between two canals. The lively neighborhood was a short Uber ride from our hotels. Ahead of our trip, my husband read about “the smallest bar in the world” on Atlas Obscura. At 43 square feet, Backdoor 43 seats just four guests. Reservations are required, or you may order a cocktail to go from the bar’s small window. Once settled in the bar, we told the bartender our drink preferences, and he crafted unique cocktails for each of us to match our tastes. I enjoyed a gin cocktail with citrus notes, and we toasted the bride and groom.

Once our allotted time at Backdoor 43 was up, we decided to find a restaurant for dinner. After strolling along the street of the canals, we chose Osteria al Coniglio Bianco. The spot was tucked away from some of the more touristy restaurants and had a charming outdoor seating area. Our group of four enjoys trying new food, so we decided to share several appetizers — stuffed zucchini flowers, octopus, cured meat, egg with Parmesan and bruschetta. For my entrée, I ordered the namesake white rabbit ragout with fettuccine. Slightly skeptical, as rabbit isn’t necessarily my go-to protein, I was pleasantly surprised by the rich dish. Even after another week in Italy, it was still my favorite bite of food from the trip.

The night was a perfect way to begin our Italian adventure and kick off a week full of family time and wedding festivities.

— Katie Skrzek, vice president/digital director