Lombardy Points of Interest and Places to Visit

Milan’s Cathedral, or Duomo, is a much-loved symbol of the city. The most exuberant example of Northern Gothic in Italy, its spiky spires and towers dominate Piazza del Duomo, Milan’s beating heart.The Duomo’s exterior is an upwardly thrusting collection of pinnacles, elongated statues and buttresses. The central spire is topped by a gilt statue of the Madonna, called the Madonnina.Inside one of the world’s largest churches, it takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust to the candle-lit ambiance as you take in the cathedral’s nave, altars, aisles and stained-glass windows.One of the highlights of a visit to the cathedral is the view from the roof – on a clear day you can see the Italian Alps. Take the steps if you’re fit (or the lift if you’re not) to peer over the city of Milan, surrounded by statues and spiky towers.

Whether you visit Milan due to your love of art or as a reader of Dan Brown Da Vinci Code, you’ll be sure to head to Il Cenacolo Vinciano to see Leonardo da Vinci’s mural The Last Supper, or Cenacolo. The famous wall painting covers the wall of the refectory next to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, on the western outskirts of central Milan. The painting represents the moment when Jesus predicts that one of his Apostles will betray him. The wall painting has suffered dreadfully over the centuries from the depredations of damp, war and poor restorations. A recent restoration program was completed in 1999, toning down the gaudy colors of previous restorations to more subdued pastels.

Since 1894 this old-school two-car railway has been operating the 10-minute journey between the city of Como and the village of Brunate, carrying passengers along a scenic stretch of Italian countryside. Once an old-school steam engine, today the popular attraction runs with an electric motor and travels through a lengthy tunnel before emerging upon epic views of breathtaking Lake Cuomo, panoramic landscapes and iconic Milano landmarks like the Villa D’Este grand hotel and the Duomo and Como Football stadium, too.

Most visitors seek out the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie to pay their respects to Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. The famous mural is housed in the refectory of the adjoining Dominican convent. Visitors who take the time to explore the convent’s church, however, will be rewarded with a stroll through an impressive Renaissance building. The church was built in Gothic and Romanesque styles by Sforza duke in 1490, and is believed to have been partially designed by Bramante. The exterior is decorated in a restrained pattern of pilasters and circles, and the design features a lovely, tranquil cloister. Inside, the Gothic nave is decorated with beautifully restrained patterned details.

La Scala is one of the world’s great opera houses. Built in Milan a stone’s throw from the Duomo in the late 1770s, the theater has seen premiers of some extraordinarily well-loved operas, including works by Rossini, Puccini and many by Italy’s beloved Verdi. The word “scala” means “staircase” in Italian, but the theater gets its name because it was built on the site where the church of Santa Maria alla Scala once stood. The theater at La Scala holds more than 3,000 spectators, and the walls are adorned with gold and the boxes are lined with red velvet. Although La Scala’s opera season isn’t year-round you can still get a peek inside. Plan to visit La Scala’s museum, which is inside the opera house. If your museum visit doesn’t coincide with a rehearsal on the main stage then you get to walk into one of the theater’s red velvet boxes for a few minutes.

Grab your shopping bag to go browsing in the world’s most elegant covered arcade, the glass-domed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Many shopping arcades have tried to copy the Galleria’s scale, grandeur and glorious decor, but few have matched it. Completed in 1877, the cross-shaped shopping mall is bright and airy, thanks to its iron and glass curved roof, and the floor is patterned in marble mosaic tiles. Shops with awnings and large plate-glass windows line the ground floor, including luxury Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton boutiques. You’ll also find some of Milan’s most lauded and historic cafes, including Biffi and Zucca’s Bar.

The Castello Sforzesco (or Sforza Castle) is a huge, classically crenellated pile of red-brick masonry on the western edge of central Milan. The castle was built by the earlier Visconti dynasty, but became home to the ruling Sforza family in 1450. Stark and domineering, the castle is propped up with massive round battlements, and a stepped tower overlooks the central courtyard and gardens. Leonardo da Vinci helped design the defensive walls. Today the castle houses a handful of excellent museums and galleries. See sculptures by Michelangelo in the Museum of Ancient Art off the courtyard, and a rich collection of paintings by the likes of Titian and Bellini in the Pinacoteca ("art gallery") on the 1st floor. Wooden sculptures and furnishings fill the Museum of Applied Arts, again on the 1st floor, next door to the Museum of Musical Instruments. You’ll also find Egyptian and prehistoric collections in this huge castle complex.

In a city of many trendy neighborhoods, the Brera district in Milan is one of the most charming. Located very close to the Duomo in the historic center, this is the part of Milan that might make you forget about the city’s hustle-bustle reputation. The Brera neighborhood is a maze of narrow, cobblestoned streets lined with boutiques and cafes - during nice weather, cafe life spills onto the sidewalks and makes for an excellent place to do some serious people-watching. The designer shopping district called the Quadrilatero d’Oro is nearby, so you can get a peek at some of Milan’s shopping class making their rounds, too. Aside from just wandering through the Brera and enjoying the scene, the main attraction in the neighborhood is the Pinacoteca di Brera, a fantastic art museum with works by Botticelli, Raphael, Hayez, Titian, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Mantegna, Piero della Francesca, Rembrandt, and Rubens.

There are many important churches in Milan besides its famous Duomo, including the Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, also known as Chiesa di Milano. As the name suggests, it was once associated with a major convent, but that building is now used as Milan's archaeological museum. The church is still used as a house of worship, as well as a venue for concerts. The church of Saint Maurice al Monastero Maggiore (in English) was built in the early 1500s, and it contains what is believed to be the oldest pipe organ in Milan. The organ was built in 1554 and has been unused for many years, so a new effort is underway to restore the organ to working order. There are also frescoes on the walls that date back to the 16th century, including a series that covers the life of the saint for whom the church is named – San Maurizio.

The lakes of northern Italy are popular tourist destinations, but some are more well-known than others. Lake Orta, for instance, is much less visited than its famous neighbor, Lake Maggiore. Orta is significantly smaller than Lake Maggiore and slightly further from Milan, so it's not surprising that most tourists head for others in the area. Many Milanese, however, spend their lakeside vacations at Lake Orta specifically because it's less crowded. One of the picturesque charms of Lake Orta is the sweet little island at its center. Isola San Giulio is home to a basilica, a monastery, and not much else. Around Lake Orta there are towns with smaller hotels, but this isn't the tourist-centered experience of Lake Maggiore or Lake Como. Come to Lake Orta to really get away.

Not all visits to Lake Como are about waterfront towns – a trip up into the hills over the lake to Brunate offers spectacular views. The small hilltop town overlooks not just Lake Como, but the town of Como itself. The two are roughly 1,600 feet apart, so while you won't be dipping your toes in the lake from Brunate, you'll be enjoying views that the people in Como can't see. The Como-Brunate Funicular linking the towns was built in 1894, but you can keep going up even after you reach Brunate – climb the steps to the 1920s lighthouse for an even better view.

While the Piazza del Duomo is the most important square in central Milan today, that title went to the Piazza Mercanti in the Middle Ages. The Piazza Mercanti, or Merchants Square, is in Milan's historic center, a short walk to the northwest of the Duomo. The square originally was much larger than it is today, once occupying part of present-day Via Mercanti. Some of the buildings on the square date from its heyday, including the 13th century Palazzo della Ragione (essentially Milan's city hall at the time) and the 14th century Loggia degli Osii (another administrative building). In the center of the piazza is a 16th century well that was later fitted with two columns in the 18th century. It's covered and unused today There was a stone found nearby upon which merchants found guilty of cheating – or bankruptcy, depending on the story you read – were punished by public shaming, forced to stand on the stone with their pants down, before being sent to jail.

Shopping in Milan isn't limited to the boutiques in the city center; there are outlet malls near Milan, too, including the Serravalle Designer Outlet. The town of Serravalle Scrivia is southwest of Milan, en route to Genoa, and the outlet center there has nearly 200 shops. You'll find designer brands like Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Prada, and more, all at discounted outlet prices of 30 to 70 percent off retail. The outdoor shopping center at Serravalle is Italy's first and largest shopping mall, and the architecture is designed to reflect Italian style.

Many churches in Italy are built on older worship sites. What makes the Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro in Milan different is that the old church was incorporated into the new one, both in design and name. The original church on this site was dedicated to San Sitiro (Saint Satyrus), built in the 9th century. In the late 15th century, the church was also dedicated to Mary. The name "Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro" indicates that the new church was "staying with" (presso) the old one. When the church got its additional dedication, it also got a bit of a redesign. The artist Bramante played a role in the renovation. One of the most interesting pieces of artwork at the church is Bramante's wonderful trompe l'oeil behind the altar; it looks like there's a series of columns that recedes into the distance, but it's just paint.

Milan is a busy, modern city that - when you’re really yearning for Italian medieval hilltop towns - can feel a little hard to love. At those times, it’s important to do as the Milanese do and escape the city (even for just a little while) in one of the big green spaces. One of the most popular is Parco Sempione in central Milan. Parco Sempione covers 116 acres in the city center, just behind the Castello Sforzesco. It was laid out in the late 1800s, and received a major facelift in 1996. The grounds include gravel paths for walking or jogging, a triumphal arch at the far end of the park, a lake, and even a small arena used for concerts and some sporting events. There’s also a tower in the park - the Torre Branca - built in 1933 and offering views over the entire city.

Lying on the western flank of thin, wispy Lake Maggiore, Stresa is an elegant resort backed by the Alpine foothills of Monte Mottarone and beloved of travellers for the grandiose hotels spread along its tree-lined promenade. Summer sees lidos bordering the lake and visitor-thronged craft markets on Thursday afternoons; come the balmy evenings the cobbled streets of the town are equally packed with locals and tourists alike enjoying a passeggiata (nightly stroll) before they settle down to dine al fresco in leafy Piazza Cadorna. Once the hang out of literary stars Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway, the jewels in Stresa’s crown are undoubtedly the three miniature Isole Borromee (Borromean Islands) just minutes away across Lake Maggiore by ferry. Owned by the all-powerful Borromeo clan since the 12th century, today they exist in a Baroque time warp; while Isola Bella and Isola Madre both boast extraordinary 17th-century palazzi.

Located in the Lombardy region of Italy, Franciacorta Outlet Village is one of the largest and most important retail outlets outside of Milan. Travelers on the lookout for international brand name fashions will find a selection of more than 70 retailers offering discounts of up to 70 percent off normal retail prices. Popular brands include Calvin Klein, Guess, Pinko, Hilfiger Denim, Nike and The North Face. Besides shops, the outlet complex also houses several restaurants and cafes, including a Lindt Chocolatier shop. There’s a playground for the kids, as well as a beauty salon and spa.

The town of Sirmione occupies the tip of a tiny peninsular that protrudes into the southern edge of Lake Garda in northern Italy. Its unique position makes it a popular tourist destination. Sirmione is known to have been a popular resort town since the 1st century B.C.E., largely because of its thermal hot springs. Much of what you see in Sirmione today is newer, but there are Roman ruins in the historic center, too. The remains of a Roman villa are at the end of the peninsula, and are called the Grottoes of Catullus - the name of a Roman poet whose family lived in Sirmione in the 1st century B.C.E. Another attraction is the Rocca Scaligera, a 13th-century castle. The picturesque and small historic center gets very crowded during the summer months, so if you can spend the night you may enjoy some peace and quiet.

In addition to fine artwork, great libraries are the mark of high society – so in the early 17th century Cardinal Federico Borromeo founded the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan (the Ambrosiana library and picture gallery, in English). Cardinal Borromeo stocked his library with more than 15,000 manuscripts and 30,000 books that he and his employees had picked up all over Europe. The contents of the library included ancient Greek and Roman works, as well as some from the middle east. The first reading room of the Ambrosiana library was opened to the public in 1609. Celebrity visitors to the Ambrosiana library included the poet Lord Byron and the novelist Mary Shelley, who came to see famous manuscripts like Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus, the love letters of Lucrezia Borgia, and works of Petrarch.

The Arch of Peace is an arch of celebration in Milan, Italy. Originally called the Arch of Triumph, it was built in the early 19th century to honor Napoleon's victories, although it was not completed. Several years later, under Austrian rule, construction resumed in a few different phases and was finally completed as the Arch of Peace in 1838. The arch marks the place where the Strada del Sempione enters Milan. This road, which is still in use today, connects Milan with Paris. It was built using marble from the Swiss Alps, and at the top visitors can see a bronze chariot with six horses known as the Victories on Horseback. The arch was designed with a large central passageway and two smaller ones based on the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum. It's decorated with Corinthian columns and various sculptures, including reliefs that depict events in Italian history from the time after Napoleon's rule.

One of the most famous attractions in Milan, the thing that nearly everyone wants to see even on a short visit, is Leonardo da Vinci's “The Last Supper” fresco in the Santa Maria della Grazie church. That's not the only thing to see in that church, however. You can also visit the beautiful Bramante sacristy, designed by the Italian architect Donato Bramante in the late 15th century. The Duke of Milan hired two of the best artists of the time to work on expanding and beautifying the existing Santa Maria della Grazie convent. Leonardo da Vinci was asked to paint a fresco on the wall of the refectory, while Donato Bramante was asked to build a new sacristy. Bramante's sacristy was built a short distance from the church, and the architect connected the two with a pretty cloister. The Bramante sacristy is a long, rectangular room with a small chapel-like space at one end.

Milan is home to two major soccer teams and Italy's largest stadium – San Siro Stadium – where both of them play their home games. San Siro was built in 1925, originally home to just the AC Milan team. In 1947, AC Milan's rivals, FC Internazionale, also moved in. In addition to these top-tier teams, the Italian national team also plays games at San Siro, and it's frequently used as a concert venue for big touring bands. As a football stadium, the capacity of San Siro is now just over 80,000, Italy's largest stadium. There is a museum at the stadium dedicated to both AC Milan and FC Internazaionale, and when you take a guided tour of San Siro you get to visit each team's locker room.

Piazza delle Erbe is one of Mantua’s most popular squares—and certainly one of its most dynamic. Lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and churches, the piazza is a popular place to enjoy sunshine, company and local flavor. A 15th-century clock tower marks the square’s southern end, adjacent to the city's oldest church, the 11th-century Rotonda di San Lorenzo. While Piazza delle Erbe is great for an afternoon coffee or glass of wine at a sidewalk café, the area is most often visited on walking tours that highlight its top attractions, including the Rotonda di San Lorenzo, nearby Palazo della Ragione and the iconic clock tower.