Archive for 'Northwest Italy'

One of the world's major fashion capitals and the financial center of Italy, Milano is modern, fast-paced, and unique from the rest of the country.

There are many sights to see within Milan, ranging from cultural institutions to churches and art galleries. The Duomo and Piazza are must-sees, for their classic design, for example. The Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is home to the  famous "L’ultima cena" painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

You can also visit other notable sites such as the Milan Cathedral, and Teatro alla Scala, or simply relax in the city's notable ritzy cafes and lush parks.

Lago di Como, or Lake Como in English, has long been a popular retreat for the rich and the famous since Roman times. It has many stunning villas and palaces along its banks, with the likes of Madonna, George Clooney, Richard Branson, and Sylvester Stallone owning property there today. It is the third largest lake in Italy, with a depth of over 1320 feet. Along its banks is thecity of Como, which not only offers easy access to the lake and the surrounding Alps but also to a number of gardens, museums, artworks, palaces, and churches.

The Mille Miglia is an open-road endurance race that is held in Italy.

The original race was started by Franco Mazzotti Bianchelli and Vount Aymo Maggi di Gradella after their hometown of Brescia lost the Italian Grand Pix hosting bid to the rival city of Monza.

The original track extended from Brescia to Rome in a figure-eight shape. It covered a distance of about 1,500 km, which is equivalent to 1,000 Roman miles. The route and distance of the race changed over the years. The original series lasted from 1927 to 1957.

The race was held 24 times during this period but was terminated subsequently after a fatal crash involving a 4.2 liter Ferrari, and another one with Triumph TR3. The race was again revived in 1982.

Lunigiana is in the northern part of Tuscany, between Liguria and Pianura Padana. It’s one of the most scenic areas of the region, and is the location of 3 valleys surrounded by rivers. Its borders derive from the ancient Roman settlement, later the medieval diocese of Luni, which no longer exists. It’s a region of medieval villages with historic Romanic churches and over 100 castles.

You can visit the little towns in the area or learn about local culture and history in such places as the Museum of the Lunigiana Stele Statues of Pontremoli, the Abbey of San Caprasio, and the Ethnographic Museum of Villafranca.

The fantastic Stupinigi Hunting Palace can be found in Northern Italy, just southwest of Turin. It was originally built by order of Victor Amadeus II of Savoy as a hunting lodge. Its design and decorations were actually those of famous architect Filippo Juvarra, who turned it into a genuine representation of a royal palace.