Northern Italy


	The Japan Times WORLD EYE REPORTS NORTHERN ITALY

©THE JAPAN TIMES	Saturday, March 13, 2004

The lure of Milan and its environs

The business capital of northern Italy offers more than designer flash. And it’s not an unworthy introduction to the cultural and artistic riches of the region either. Italy’s industrial heartland offers the discerning visitor much more than meets the eye.

Milan, akin to its own sister city Osaka, is a fast paced business and industrial city that doesn’t slow down. Take a look around any day except Sunday and you will see impeccably dressed executives hustling to and from appointments.

The city’s subway system (the Metropolitana), urban trains, trams and bus system connect virtually every part of this bustling metropolis with ease and convenience. Even coming from its three airports: the central Linate, newer Malpensa and regional neighbor Bergamo is no chore due to easy train connections.

The Duomo

Once in the city the traveler may think the city is merely a place to shop for Armani suits, Prada handbags and Gucci shoes or take in a Champions League football match at San Siro stadium (home to both AC and Inter Milan). But the city actually has a plethora of things to offer.

The Galeria Vittorio Emanuele

If you’re looking for a good dinner you can sample from the large array of restaurants that offer seasonal delicacies such as autumn mushrooms and spring lamb. Before you sample your last meal in the city, though, make sure to visit Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” in the church of Santa Maria della Grazie. It will leave you yearning for more.

With Milan’s large number of museums and historical sites to visit, your taste for Italian history and art will be supremely satisfied in this elegant and practical Lombardian city.

And even if you only come to Milan for a short stay, the city has a lot to offer. Visit the cafe-lined banks of the Naviglio canal. On certain Sundays it doubles as a fabulous antiques fair.

Go on to the center of the city where you cannot miss the Duomo. Beside it is the chic Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade and close by are the designer palaces of Via Montenapoleone, the heart of Italian fashion.

Once you’ve dressed for success you can show off your new threads on a visit to the opera at the Teatro alla Scala. Or you can simply relax by taking a walk in one of Milan’s many public parks.

Where to stay in Milan:

Hotel Principe di Savoia

Piazza della Repubblica 17 Milan 20124 (Tel: +39 02 62301 Fax: +39 (02) 659-5838)

A very upmarket hotel right in the business district and close to the Duomo and shopping areas.

Townhouse 31

Via Goldini 31 Milan 20129 (Tel: +39 02 7015-600 Fax: +39 02 713-167)

A trendy hotel with style and finesse.

La Scala

Antica Locanda dei Mercanti

Via San Tomaso 6 Milan 20121 (Tel: +39 02 805-4080 Fax: +39 02 805-4090)

A great little hotel that won’t break your budget but still will offer all the luxury a discerning traveller needs.

Leonardo da Vinci Hotel and Residence

Via Sennigallia 6, Milan 20 161(Tel: +390264071 Fax:+39024839)

This congress and conference center is away from the center of Milan, but convenient for visitors who drive in because it is close to the city’s ring road. Business visitors also appreciate its moderate prices. It has both a hotel wing and a residence wing with kitchen-equipped apartments for long term stays. The huge 1970’s style buildings project a newly fashionable retro chic. Commuters can take a nearby suburban train to the city center and connect with the Metropolitano.

Eating out in Milan:

Ristorante Altopascio da Pietro

Via G. Fara 17 Milan 20124 (Tel: +39 02 670-2458)

Highly recommended for dinner. Closed Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.

La Fettunta

Via Santa Marta 19/A Milan 20123 (Tel: +39 02 805-6630)

A great Tuscan establishment, closed Sundays.

A Casa Mia
Piazza Martiri Della Deportazione 2 (Bruzzano) Milan 20161 (Tel: +39 02 662-21027)

A bit out of the city but worth a visit. Take a train to the town of Bruzzano on the outskirts of Milan or grab a taxi (around $20 from the city center). Wonderful home cooking.

Piazza Vecchia, Bergamo

Outside Milan:

Milan is by no means the only place to see in Northern Italy. The surrounding countryside is filed with treasures, from agro-tourism country villas for rent to charming towns. To name a few: Genoa and Turin to the west, Parma and Bologna just south of Milan, Lake Como and the Alps to the north and Verona and Venice to the east.

A quick day trip away is the town of Bergamo (only 45 kilometers from Milan). Lower (Bassa) Bergamo is the industrial center for many textile producers that service the Italian fashion trade. Above this new city is Alta Bergamo, an ancient citadel overlooking Lombardy.

Finally there is the highest and oldest part, above the highest of the tram stops. This oldest and most beautiful part rewards the small numbers of tourists who happen upon almost secret place. Reservations for the small number of rooms available in the old parts of the town are quite necessary, more so on weekends.

Places to stay in Bergamo:

Agnello d'Oro

Via Gombito 22 (tel 035.249.883, fax 035.235.612)

Sole

Via Rivola 2 (tel 035.218.238)

Both are traditional hotels in Bergamo Alta with great restaurants.

Another amazing place is roughly double the distance from Milan to Bergamo in the direction of Venice. It is a place Aldous Huxley called the most romantic city in the world. The city of Mantova, which the Gonzagas – one of Renaissance Italy's richest and most powerful families – ruled for three centuries, is marked by interlinked cobblestone squares. It is the setting for Verdi's Rigoletto. Its frescos by the flashy Mannerist Giulio Romano have entertained and outraged generations of visitors with their combination of steamy erotica and fantasy.

Places to stay in Mantova:

ABC

Piazza Don Leoni 25 (tel 0376.322.329)

Bianchi Stazione

Next door at Piazza Don Leoni 24 (tel 0376.326.465, fax 0376.321.504)

Both are classic hotels. ABC lends bicycles to its guests.

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