Lombardia

Lombardy or Lombardia in Italian is the biggest region and is known for being the most industrial and most populated area of the country, however, it is much more than just industries and offices and people, and it has a varied landscape from large plains to the South, the Pianura Padana, to breathtaking hills and mountains in the north, including some of the most famous Italian lakes.

The capital of Lombardy is Milan which is also known as the fashion capital of the world, but Milan isn’t all about fashion and shopping though, a visit to the city should include the Duomo, the Cathedral, the Castello Sforzesco and the Teatro La Scala, the opera house, and the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is home to the famous “Last Supper” painting by Leonardo da Vinci, together with visits to the many fashion shops located in and around via Montenapoleone. But Lombardy is not just fashion and Milan, is also lakes, some of the most beautiful lakes and certainly the biggest in Italy, the stunning Lake Garda, or the Lake Iseo or part of the Lago Maggiore or the Lake Como, with their beautiful stretch of blue water and cafes on the shores.

When it comes to food, Lombardy is particularly popular for rice and rice dishes, the most famous of all is the risotto alla Milanese, and for the Panettone, invented in Milan or the Amaretto, the soft biscuit made with almonds invented in Saronno.

Surprisingly, while Lombardy is one of the largest and more important Italian regions, there are very few well known wines from this region, the most important are the Franciacorta, a classic method sparkling wine grown in a small area that rivals the champagne, the Oltrepo Pavese, the biggest Pinot Noir wine growing region in Italy or the Valtellina, with its Sforzato della Valtellina.