Milan – the northern capital of Italy
If you want to get acquainted with high world culture and fashion during your vacation, go to Milan. There are not many cities where, when you visit for the first time, you simply must buy concert tickets to a local theater. Milan is, without a doubt, one of those cities.
Of course, the world-famous La Scala opera house will not leave you the option, while in Milan, of not attending a performance by the best opera singers of Italy, especially since you can order concert tickets from any hotel room in the city. However, it is not only opera that annually attracts millions of tourists to the second city of Italy.
Piazza del Duomo – a unique center of urban life – is a must-visit place. The majestic cathedral, dominating the square and the surrounding neighborhoods, will impress you not only with its magnificent execution in the Gothic style but also with its size. The Duomo is one of the largest medieval cathedrals in the world – it was built over more than four centuries. Designed in the 14th century, it was only fully completed in 1813.
In addition to the cathedral, Milan can boast of many dozens of remarkable examples of sacred architecture. The Church of Sant'Ambrogio, built in the fourth century AD, although rebuilt several times, still retains the characteristic features of the first Christian churches of the Roman Empire.
The Renaissance left Milan numerous monuments of architecture and painting. The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is rightfully considered a grandiose embodiment of Renaissance ideas – the Gothic church of the medieval Dominican monastery is known worldwide for the fresco 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci.
For those who wish to touch ancient history, the museum of the ancient Roman city of Mediolanum, on the site of which modern Milan is built, will open its doors. Numerous art galleries and museums, where masterpieces of world art are collected, will leave no one indifferent, even people far from fine art.
Milan's nightlife is very diverse. Of course, the city does not have numerous youth clubs where the sounds of disco do not subside until morning, but it is rightfully considered one of the centers of European fashion. The endless galleries of shops of the most fashionable brands are usually open around the clock, making shopping a very romantic activity.