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m
i
l
a
n
he lively capital of Italy’sLom-
bardy region is steeped inmedi-
eval andRenaissancehistory
andarchitecture. YetMilan is
alsoamodernmetropolis best
known for payinghomage to the
pastwhilekeeping its sartorial
shoesfirmlyplanted in thepres-
ent. To that end, suchmonumen-
tal and cultural landmarks as theworld-renowned
LaScalaoperahouse, the famed 14th-centurygoth-
icDuomo, the edifyingMilanoAccademia, and
LeonardodaVinci’s ecclesiastical
Last Supper
share the samequadrangle in thecitycenter that is
home toMilan’s top eateries and the country’s
most famous fashiondesigners.
Nowhere is thekineticbustleofMilan feltgreater
than from thehistoricPiazzadelDuomo,where tour-
ist culture, commercialism, andsidewalkcaféscol-
lidewithin the famouslydomedGalleriaVittorio
Emanuelle II on theboomerang-shapedboulevardof
thesamename.Here, overaglassof
vino rosso
anda
plateof
carpacciodi tonnoall’oliodi oliva
(tunacar-
paccio inoliveoil), is theperfect spot forpeople
watching. Later, it’s thesoundofmusicand the lively
barscene thatwill enticeyou to thebohemianBrera
district,where regional specialties suchas
costoletta
allamilanese
(breadedveal filet) and
risottoalla
milanese
(saffron rice)areoften
consumedwithproseccoorCampari
andsodaby the throngsof art stu-
dents from thenearbyAccademiadi
BelleArti diBrerawhokeep the
cobblestonestreetshoppingwell
into thenight. For theconsummate
oenophile, theBreraalsohouses
EnotecaCotti, thecelebratedwine
shopwhereyou’llfindcollectiblevintageBarolosand
superTuscanBrunellodiMontalcinosalongside
more than1,000otherworldly labels.
AlthoughMilancansometimesappear tobea
drab, gray, industrial city—a reflection, nodoubt, of
itsbankingandpolitical prowess—oneverypiazza
ordownanynarrowstreetyou’ll discoverawealthof
colorful testaments to thecity’senormouscontribu-
tions to theworldsoffinearts, finedining, fashion,
and furnituredesign.Manydesigners, includingRo-
bertoCavalli,GiorgioArmani, andDolce&Gabbana,
evenoperate theirown restaurantshere.Meanwhile,
all fourcreativeandculinarydisciplinesarecontinu-
ouslyondisplayat 10CorsoComo, aneclecticcloth-
ingand furnitureboutique, artgallery, small hotel,
andcharmingoutdoorcafé thatoffers fewnecessities
butalmost everythingyouwillmostheartilydesire.
LearnmoreaboutMilanat ciaomilano.it, 011-39-02-
7740-4343, or
Italianshavemade both the colorful French saladeniçoise (top left) and the artful pasta integrale
con fiori di zucca (wholewheat pastawith zucchini flowers, below) lunchtime staples
atRestaurant Il Resentin inMilan’s fashionable Breradistrict, where bartenders serve themwith
Campari & soda; many enjoy atortadimele (apple torte) to finishthemeal;Milan ishome to
theworld’smostdecorativegothiccathedralon PiazzadelDuomo, which isonly a few blocks’
walk fromthe scholarlyMilanoAccademia; oneofthemany lively streetcafés intheBreradistrict.
