Lombardia
Italy's most dynamic region blends the fashion and finance of Milan with romantic lakes and Alpine valleys.
Lombardy is Italy's economic engine and, in Milan, its capital of fashion and design. Yet the same region holds some of the country's most romantic scenery: the deep-blue lakes of Como and Garda, ringed by villas and gardens, and the peaks of the Alps beyond.
Milan rewards those who look past the surface: Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, the Gothic Duomo, the Brera district and a calendar of design and fashion weeks. An hour north, Lake Como offers old villas, wooden boats and a slower, more elegant pace.
What to see and do
- See Leonardo's Last Supper and climb Milan's Duomo
- Cruise Lake Como and visit Bellagio and Varenna
- Taste Franciacorta sparkling wine among the vineyards
- Wander the upper town of Bergamo Alta
- Shop and dine in Milan's Quadrilatero della Moda
When to go
April–June and September–October are ideal for the lakes and city. Milan is a year-round destination; the lakes are quietest and loveliest outside high summer.