Mailand

Whether art and fashion metropolis, business centre or university city: Milan, Italy’s capital of the north, is varied, eclectic and well worth seeing! You can stroll through the historic centre of Italy’s second largest city – past magnificent Renaissance and Baroque buildings and ancient churches such as the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio or the Teatro alla Scala, while at the same time admiring the impressive skyscrapers of the Porta Nuova and CityLife districts.

Every day, thousands of tourists storm the Piazza del Duomo to be blown away by the breathtaking Milan Cathedral and then, just a few steps away, visit the designer shops, drink a coffee or admire the glass roof and magnificent decorations at “Milan's living room”, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The Navigli district is reminiscent of Venice with the Navilgio Grande and Naviglio Pavese canals: the many bars and restaurants along the banks are open until late at night and are waiting to welcome you. The best way to get from district to district is by the original yellow tram.

Art can be found in all forms in Milan. Leonardo Da Vinci's “Last Supper” is on the wall at the former monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie and Michelangelo’s unfinished work "Pietà Rondanini" is at Castello Sforzesco. Brera has been the city’s artists’ district since the 16th century and is home to the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of Italy’s most famous art galleries, and the Academy of Fine Arts. Small galleries, exclusive fashion boutiques and cosy cafés are waiting to be discovered along the cobbled streets. Milan Fashion Week is held here four times a year and the most famous Italian fashion labels, such as Versace, Prada and Giorgio Armani, are headquartered here in the country’s second largest city.  

Milan is the capital of Lombardy, one of Italy’s largest and most beautiful regions. The large lakes, such as Lago de Como (Lake Como), Lago de Garda (Lake Garda) or Lago Maggiore (Lake Maggiore) attract water sports enthusiasts and families to their beaches. The Alps give hikers, cyclists and winter sports enthusiasts an adrenaline rush. At the foot of the mountains lies the Po Valley, the largest lowland plain in Europe, which gets its name from the river that flows through it and is also the largest in Italy – it extends far beyond the borders of Lombardy. In addition to Milan, the medieval cities of Bergamo and Brescia, both named Italian Capital of Culture in 2023, as well as Cremona and Mantua are also worth a visit. Formula 1 fans, on the other hand, are particularly happy in Monza.

Title image: WGalleria Vittorio Emanuele II © javarman / AdobeStock

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