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Think Milan and you think catwalks, high heels and thousand-dollar rags wrapped around human coat wires. After all, the city's international fame derives from names like Armani, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. But beneath the glitz quietly thumps the financial heart of the world's sixth-biggest economy.
A minute of History:
Milan's history as a capital city goes back at least 2,500 years. Its fortunes ever since -- both as a great commercial trading center and as the object of regular conquest and occupation -- are readily explained by its strategic position at the center of the Lombard plain, directly south of the central passes across the Alps.
Where to go:
Start at the Duomo and visit its roof, museum, and the Battistero Paleocristiano. Then move on to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, just beyond the northern tip of the cathedral's facade. Continue across the transepts of the Galleria and head north to Teatro alla Scala, where Verdi attained his fame. Head northeast on Via Manzoni, stopping in the Museo Poldi-Pezzoli to see some fine Renaissance paintings. Shops are open Saturday, and on Sunday you can catch the best soccer players on earth sweat it out at the San Siro stadium
Attractions:
TEATRO ALLA SCALA: In this world-famous institution, Verdi established his reputation and Maria Callas sang her way into opera lore. Its rich history is displayed in the attached Museo Teatrale alla Scala (Theatrical Museum at La Scala). THE CASTELLO SFORZESCO houses: municipal museums devoted variously to Egyptian and other antiquities, musical instruments, paintings, and sculpture. Highlights are the Sala delle Asse, a frescoed room still sometimes attributed to Leonardo da Vinci (1690-1730), and Michelangelo's unfinished Rondanini Pietà, believed to be his last work.
Facts for Travellers:
To visit all of the sights in Milan will take a couple of days, but the most important ones can be seen in one day. Note that some churches and museums are closed Monday, including Santa Maria delle Grazie (home of The Last Supper).
Gastronomy:
Milan may be famous for its shopping, trading, and amazing designers, but it is also a great place to enjoy a good meal. There are many ethnic restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias in the city, and during the summer months, it is not unusual to see groups of friends enjoying their pizza margherita as they sit outside under white parasols.
Comments:
Italy's main tourist season runs from April to mid-October. For serious sightseers the best months are from fall to early spring. The so-called low season may be cooler and inevitably rainier, but it has its rewards: less time waiting in lines and closer-up, unhurried views of what you want to see.
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