Archive for 'Lombardy'

HangarBicocca is a contemporary art space in Milan. A former industrial space previously owned by Ansaldo-Breda in the area which was once dominated by Pirelli factories, it was converted to house exhibitions and events. The area has become urbanised and trendy with shops, houses and galleries popping up all around since HangarBiccoca's opening. With a unique approach to organising events, utilising space and involving the general public as well as a rather special site, the HangarBicocca is one of the most interesting contemporary art spaces in the world.

Milan is not only the fashion capital of Italy but one of the major fashion capitals of the world, hosting one of the key global fashion weeks each season. If you're visiting the city, it's hard not to be aware of how stylish its citizens are, or of fashion itself. Presumably, any tourists who are even vaguely interested in this part of Milan's heritage will want to bring a little piece home with them. However, unlike other cities such as Paris, there isn't quite the international understanding of where to shop in Milan. So, to help you out, we've rounded up a list of some of the best places and shops to visit on your next trip. Find a holiday rental in Milan and shop until you drop.

The Cathedral of St. Ambrose is a building in Lombardy with roots going as far back as the tenth century, though the present structure dates to the sixteenth.

It is the seat of the Bishop of Vigevano and the current building was commissioned by Duke Francesco II Sforza in 1530.

Dedicated to St. Ambrose, it was designed by Antonio da Lonate and thought it was begun shortly afterwards, work was not completed until 1612.

With beautiful painted interiors, a newer Baroque façade and a famous treasury and museum inside, it is a typical Italian cathedral in many ways.

This month, coordinating with the label's 40th anniversary, Armani opened a museum and exhibition space in Milan called Armani Silos. It is dedicated to Giorgio Armani's designs of the last 40 years, displaying around 600 items of clothing and over 200 accessories. Located in the fashionable Tortona area in Milan, the building is a former granary for the Nestlé company and is comprised of exhibition space, a café, gift shop and digital archive.

Find a holiday rental in Milan and you could experience this unique museum for yourself.

In the lovely little town of Sirmione, right on Lake Garda, there stands a rather unique building. A rare example of medieval port fortification, Scaliger Castle, or Castello Scaligero, was begun in 1277 by Mastino della Scala and work was continued in three phases into the fifteenth century.

Why not find a vacation villa rental on the Garda lake and spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the grounds of this magnificent structure before descending into the historic centre of Sirmione below and grabbing something to eat in a local restaurant?