I Love Touring Italy - Milan

If you are looking for a European tourist destination,
consider the city of Milan in the Lombardy region of
northern Italy. We certainly can't say that Milan whose
population exceeds 1.3 million (the urban area is well over
5 million) is undiscovered by vacationers. But as Italy's
media and finance capital it is definitely less tourist
infested than many, many other Italian cites. Milan is
often considered to be Italy's most European city. Is that
a reason not to go visit? On the other hand, Milan is
Italy's fashion capital and one of the great fashion
capitals of Europe, which is an excellent reason for
stopping by. (We'll let you decide which is more chic,
Milan or Paris.) Let's not forget that Milan is home to
Europe's greatest opera house, La Scala. You really should
consider visiting Milan, as well as other Lombardy
destinations, described in companion articles in this
series.

Over the millennia Lombardy has been in the hands of
numerous invaders including the Etruscans and the Gauls,
then the Romans, Franks, and Goths, and finally the French,
Spaniards, and Austrians. Did we forget the Lombards? All
of these invaders left their mark, some more and some less.
Keep the region's history in mind as you tour this
impressive city.

We start our Milan tour with the Gothic Duomo (Cathedral)
whose ground was broken in 1386 under the first duke of
Milan and yet was only finished in time for Napoleon's
coronation as King of Italy in 1809. With an estimated
capacity of forty thousand it is Italy's second largest
church; only St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome is bigger. To
get an idea of its immensity, the Milan cathedral boasts
135 marble spires and contains well over two thousand
marble statues. Yet in spite of its size and central
location those who seek refuge from the outside world
(believe me, central Milan hustles and bustles) can usually
step inside and find a solitary corner. Believe it or not
there has been a church at this prime Milan location since
at least the beginning of the Fifth Century.

The Duomo's architecture and art are certainly worthy of an
extended visit. Let's quote Mark Twain in his famous
travelogue Innocents Abroad: "The central one of its five
great doors is bordered with a bas-relief of birds and
fruits and beasts and insects, which have been so
ingeniously carved out of the marble that they seem like
living creatures -- and the figures are so numerous and the
design so complex, that one might study it a week without
exhausting its interest...everywhere that a niche or a
perch can be found about the enormous building, from summit
to base, there is a marble statue, and every statue is a
study in itself... [and to sum up] They say that the
Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter's at Rome. I
cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by
human hands."

Right next door to the cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio
Emanuele, a Nineteenth Century upscale shopping mall named
for the first king of united Italy. Just before its
completion in 1877 its designer fell from scaffolding to
his death. Talk about grandiose; the gallery stretches 640
feet (about 200 meters) from the Cathedral to the Opera
House. Its arcade is 96 feet (about 30 meters) high and the
octagonal glass dome is considerably higher. The Galleria
is one great place for shopping and people watching, but
bargains are to be found elsewhere. Should you so desire
the Park Hyatt Hotel is right nearby and presumably you
could "do" Milan with a four-point landing; the Cathedral,
the Galleria, the Hotel, and the Opera House (described
next). Don't; there is a lot more to see and do.

In the mind of many the Teatro alla Scala (La Scala Opera
House) is another cathedral. Its season runs for about six
months, and because there are only 2800 seats you have to
scramble for a ticket. La Scala's beauty is matched only by
its magnificent acoustics. Needless to say the performances
are top of the line. And make sure to visit the Museo
Teatrale alla Scala.

Other Milan museums include the Nineteenth Century Museo
Poldi-Pezzoli devoted to paintings including Botticelli and
Bellini, porcelain, and textiles, the Pinacoteca di Brera
(Brera Gallery) whose collection spans the centuries
(Fifteenth to Twentieth), and Villa Belgioioso Bonaparte -
Museo dell'Ottocento previously known as the Galleria di
Arte Moderna. The Fifteenth Century Santa Maria delle
Grazie Church (Saint Mary of the Graces) is worth seeing on
its own. Its refectory houses a recently restored da Vinci
masterpiece, Il Cenacolo, perhaps better known by its
English-language name, The Last Supper. Please note that
you must reserve well in advance to get a fifteen-minute
look at this masterpiece.

Still other Milan museums include the Museo Civico
Archeologico (Municipal Archeological Museum, the Museo
Nazionale della Scienzo e Technica (National Museum of
Science and Technology) with paintings and technical
drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, and the Pinacoteca
Ambrosiana art gallery with the adjoining Biblioteca
Ambrosiana. Make sure to visit the Museo Civico de Storia
Naturale (Municipal Natural History Museum) along with its
adjoining planetarium and Giardini Pubblici (Public
Gardens). The latter is extra fun for the little ones with
its pony rides, merry-go-round, and miniature train.

What about food? Of Italy's twenty regions Lombardy trails
only Emilia-Romagna in food production. A lot of the food
has a foreign origin, not surprising when you think how
often Lombardy fell under outside domination. For example,
the Spanish brought saffron and rice, two major components
of Milan's saffron risotto. Lombardy may be home to the
only buckwheat pasta in all Italy.

Let's suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with
Risotto alla Milanese (Risotto with Saffron). Then try
Costoletta alla Milanese (Veal Chop Milanese Style). For
dessert indulge yourself with Panettone (Milanese Christmas
Cake). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by
including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Lombardy wine. Lombardy
ranks 11th among the 20 Italian regions for both the
acreage devoted to wine grapes and for its total annual
wine production. This region produces about 62% red and
rose and 38% white wine, but there is little rose. There
are 15 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine
Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of
Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in
DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no
guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 47% of
Lombardy wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. There
are three DOCG wines: the sparkling Franciacorta, said to
compete with French Champagne and priced accordingly, the
red Sforzato di Valtellina, and the red Valtellina
Superiore.

No DOC or DOCG wine is produced near Milan. Given its place
in the business world one may assume that a lot of
Franciacorta is consumed in Milanese restaurants and bars.
I recently shared a bottle of rose Franciacorta with my
wine tasting group ' and was quite disappointed. I recall
that the general consensus was fair to middling, which in
no way justified this bubbly's price nor its reputation.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine,
diet, health, and nutrition website
http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

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