Unlike anywhere else in Italy, Milan feels like it has more in common with European cities further north. This is a bustling, businesslike metropolis, with fashionable boutiques lining the streets. It's home to the Italian Stock Exchange, an ever-growing skyline of sleek skyscrapers, and some of the most upmarket bars and restaurants in the country. On the face of it, Milan looks like a thriving modern business city – but to think of it as just that would be doing it a real disservice.
Look a little closer and Milan's history runs just as deep as any other Italian city. The Duomo di Milano sits at its heart, a vast Gothic cathedral that took nearly 600 years to complete and is well worth the climb up to its rooftop terraces for sweeping views across the city. Just around the corner, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the oldest shopping arcades in the world, with a stunning glass-domed roof that's worth seeing even if you're not there to shop. We'd always recommend booking ahead for Santa Maria delle Grazie too, home to Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper – viewing slots are limited and tend to sell out well in advance.
Milan is also Italy's fashion and design capital, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the Quadrilatero della Moda, where the world's biggest designer names have their flagship stores. But there's a more relaxed side to the city too – head to the Navigli district in the evening, where canal-side bars and restaurants spill out onto the water, and locals gather for aperitivo as the sun goes down. Whether you're shopping, sightseeing, or simply people-watching over a spritz, Milan has a style all of its own.
