Football in Milan, two legendary clubs
The city of Milan is home to two of the greatest clubs in the history of football: AC Milan and Inter Milan. Hot derbies are always on the cards!
Founded in 1899, AC Milan is the club of the rossoneri, the Red and Black. Some of the greatest names in the history of soccer have worn this shirt, including Maldini, Van Basten, Gullit, Weah, Shevchenko, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic... A legendary club that has lifted 7 Champions Leagues and 18 Italian championships.
Inter's Nerazzurri, the Black and Blues, have amassed a whopping 3 Champions Leagues and 18 championships. Aided and abetted by the soccer stars who have trodden the turf of the Stadio Giuseppe-Meazza (known as San Siro when rival AC Milan is playing): Ronaldo, Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann, Javier Zanetti, Youri Djorkaeff, Luigi Di Biagio, Christian Vieri, Marco Materazzi..
A relaxing destination
The region is a delight for visitors looking for relaxation and water sports. The various lakeside municipalities have long been committed to ensuring the purity and clarity of their waters. The shores of Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, a veritable inland sea, are highly sought-after by bathing enthusiasts. The many nautical centers around these lakes are a delight for water sports enthusiasts. Sailing, windsurfing, funboarding and kitesurfing are particularly popular around Lake Garda (especially in Riva, Torbole, Gargnano, Toscolano-Maderno and Malcesine) and north of Lake Maggiore towards Cannobio, while wakeboarding and water skiing are available in Gravedona, north of Lake Como. You can also rent small boats, kayaks, canoes, pedalos and paddles. And up in the hills, rafting and canyoning enthusiasts will be delighted.
The Italian Lakes region is exceptionally mild from June to the end of September. An ideal time for swimming and water sports!
Beautiful hikes on the program
Around the lakes at the foot of the Alps and in the hills, there is a vast network of paths and trails for walkers, as well as for horse riders and cyclists. These include Verbania on Lake Maggiore, Sarnico on Lake Iseo, Salo and Riva del Garda on Lake Garda, Como on Lake Como and Lugano (Switzerland). There are also many superb viewpoints to be found in the surrounding hills. Routes of varying degrees of difficulty.
There are also great opportunities in parks and nature reserves. North of Lake Maggiore, in the chestnut forests of the Val Grande National Park, one of the wildest in the country, chamois and marmots can be spotted along a path with its typical mountain flora, and eagles and partridges can be seen looking up. For bird-watching enthusiasts, head north to Lake Como and the Piano di Spagna nature reserve. This is where migratory birds stop on their way south. The Ticino Nature Park, which follows the course of the Ticino River, south of Lake Maggiore and west of Milan, is also a bird-watching paradise. Last but not least, the Monte Mesma nature reserve on the eastern shore of Lake Orta and the Lake Iseo peat bog reserve are also worth a mention. But everywhere, grandiose nature and romantic villages await walkers.
