Milan Guide
“My cousin Francis and I are in perfect accord - he wants Milan, and so do I.”
Charles V
The name Milan derives from the Celtic “Mediolanum” which translates as “mid-plain’ and refers to the city geographical location. Through the centuries Milan has become the center of Italian commerce. The city has a sophisticated urban appeal, with many antiquity, art and architecture sites to explore.
CULTURE
Even though Milan does not rely specifically on tourism, it has an enormous wealth of culture, with many museums, churches theatres. Cultural highlights of Milan include the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, featuring the private collection of Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli and with a large collection of artists from Northern Italy and the Netherlands; the Civica Galleria d'Arte Moderna that used to be Napoleon’s summer palace; the Pinacoteca di Brera that houses the famous Pietá by Bellini and Mantegna as well as Tintoretto, Raphael and Piero della Francesca masterpieces. Inside the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is kept the worldwide known “Last Supper” by Leonardo and dedicated to the works of this Maestro is the Science and Technology Museum, the most important collections of machine models based on Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings . The Milan theatre scene is very lively and avant-garde. The city offers an extensive calendar of exhibitions, fairs, cultural festivals and musical extravaganzas. Last but certainly not least La Scala Theatre, the most important Italian Opera House, known all over the world.
TRADITIONAL FOOD
This is Italy after all! Among the most traditional dishes there is the “cotoletta alla Milanese" (veal cutlet) and other famous second courses such as the “cassoeula” and “ossobuco”; not to forget “rice Milanese style” (with saffron) Gorgonzola cheese and a particular type of Salami. Sweets include the Panettone, served at every Christmas meal, chiacchiere and tortelli for Carnival and Colomba at Easter time.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
Milan most famous attraction is without a doubt its Dome, the third biggest cathedral in the world. From each different prospective you can sense the majesty of this gothic masterpiece. An other unmissable site is the Castello Sforzesco with its museum of Ancient Art where you can admire the unfinished “Pietà Rondanini” by Michelangelo.
MILAN SURROUNDINGS
The glistening beauty of glacial water filling the lakes below the Alps has impressed everyone from Virgil to Hemingway. Along the shores there are gorgeous 18th and 19th Century villas and exotic gardens.
SHOPPING AND FREE TIME
Shopping is certainly one of the main reasons to come to Milan! Corso Buenos Aires has the higher number of stores per square meters in the whole of Europe, and famous haute couture shopping district (Quadrilatero della moda) gathers all major brands, such as Gucci, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Fratelli Rossetti, Etro, Loro Piana, Luis Vuitton, Prada, Valentino, Cartier and many more. Don’t forget a stroll to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or a visit to one of the many workshops. Milan also offers open air cafes and bars, traditional ice cream and antique shops. One of the liveliest areas at nightlife are the Canals district (Navigli), C.so Como, C.so Garibaldi and Via Marghera.
SPORT
The San Siro stadium showcases two of the most successful clubs in football history, AC Milan and Inter Milan. Close to the city you can also visit the Monza circuit, a traditional Formula One happening.