Centre of fashion, business and, in recent years, political scandal, Milan has a bustling, businesslike feel about it.
It is smart rather than attractive, a city of wealth as opposed to immagination, the hearthland of the italian economy.
To the Goths who took it over from the Romans it was "Mainland", the land of May, a place of warmth and inspiration.
It has long been an important trading centre at the junction of transalpine routes, and a prize for powerful dynasties.
Today, it is the place to see Italy at its most stylish.

Sights at a glance:
Castello Sforzesco;
Duomo;
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele;
Teatro alla Scala;
Via Montenapoleone;
Palazzo Reale;
Pinacoteca di Brera;
Sant'Ambrogio.