Travel guide Milan

Scattered to the south of Milan and towards Pavia, the silhouettes of several fine Romanesque abbeys stand out elegantly in their red-brick finery against the Lombardy countryside. Architectural masterpieces and spiritual centers of the Middle Ages, their monastic communities played an essential role in the region's agricultural development.

A major business hub, Milan is often referred to as Italy's economic capital. Its stock exchange is the country's most important economic exchange. Most industrial activities are present here, but the city also draws its economic dynamism from tertiary activities, often managed by family-run SMEs.

The coat of arms of Milan depicts a snake ( biscione) holding a child in its mouth. Legend has it that a dragon terrorized the Milanese and that Umberto Visconti killed it before it could devour a child. An emblem that the Alfa Romeo company, the Mediaset group and Milan soccer club Inter F.C. have made their own.

Once criss-crossed by a dense network of canals, Milan today retains only a few sections. The Navigli extended beyond the urban perimeter to cover a large part of Lombardy. Although diminished, they are still part of the Lombardy landscape, and their picturesque character has now outlived their functional aspect.

"Balustraded houses". This is the name given to Milan's old buildings with spindly balconies. Once popular, now appreciated for their picturesque character, they are often transformed into artists' studios. Numerous in the Navigli area, they are sometimes hidden behind austere storefronts, which you should not hesitate to pass discreetly.

Milan is not only the capital of fashion, it's also the capital of design. Since 1923, the city has hosted the annual Salon International du Meuble, a major event. Alessi, Kartell and Artemide are just some of the famous names of brands born in Milan or Lombardy that justify the title of design capital.

Since 1920, the Fiera di Milano has been one of the country's leading trade fairs. Located on two sites, one in the city center and the other in Rho, 15 km to the northeast, it hosts events of all kinds all year round. With over 80 events and 160 conventions a year, it's a huge business showcase.

Along with Turin and Palermo, Milan is Italy's most Liberty city. This contemporary style of French Art Nouveau flourished in Milanese architecture at the end of the ^19th century. Flowers, leaves, animals and nymphs in wrought iron or majolica decorate many buildings on Corso Venezia and around Corso Magenta.

Milan offers night owls a whole panoply of bars, nightclubs and pubs, summed up in Italian by a single word: locali. From trendy bars with designer decor to underground clubs and concert halls to jazzy cafés, each district has its own range of good addresses, for all styles and ages.

A gilded statue of the Virgin Mary dominates Milan from the cathedral's highest spire. A symbol of the city, the Milanese donated it to the church in 1774. The Duomo, or Santuario di Santa Maria Nascente, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. At over 4 meters tall, the Madonnina weighs 1,390 kg. Her halberd is actually a lightning rod.

Stores are everywhere, the greatest couturiers are everywhere, and dressing up is an art. Italy's fashion capital, especially during Fashion Week, Milan is all about fashion, and fashion is all about you! Window-shopping or shopping, the choice is yours, but one thing's for sure: you'll succumb to Milanese style!

Nebbia, the dense fog that envelops the city and its surroundings, has become an inseparable feature of the Lombardy winter landscape. It's a meteorological feature linked to the morphology of the Po plain, which is humid, highly industrial and not very windy. It does, however, give Milan a certain charm, and always ends up dissipating