Lombardy is the leading industrial and commercial region of Italy. Iron, steel, automobiles, trucks and machinery are produced here. It is a finance center, a wholesale and retail hub and considered the international gateway to Northern Italy. It is a center for animal breeding for cattle and pigs and produces 30% of the country’s milk. Now, that’s all very interesting, but some more exciting information is that it’s also a fashion hub, Leonardo da Vinci rose to artistic prominence here, the scenery belongs on a postcard, it’s got castles, cathedrals, celebrities and flagship stores for top fashion designers.

Have we piqued your interest? Advisors at GetAway Travel can get you to the Lombardy region for a fabulous adventure.

Fantastic cathedral, superb museums

 Milan is Lombardy’s capital city and the second largest city in Italy. It is home to Italy’s largest cathedral and, the country’s oldest shopping mall.

The Piazza del Duomo is Milan’s main city square and you can’t miss the Duomo also known as the Milan Cathedral. Huge, intricate, breathtaking, it took more than 500 years to complete.

Spanning 126,000 square feet, it one of the largest Roman Catholic cathedrals in the world and the third largest of any cathedral in the world. There is a dress code — no shorts, hats or miniskirts and no off the shoulder or low-cut blouses if you are planning on going inside.

It was constructed of pinkish, white marble sourced from Lake Maggiore and the building built in Gothic, Renaissance and Neoclassical styles is just as impressive inside as it is outside.

The roof of the Duomo is decorated with more than 100 towers and thousands of sculptures. You can get a closer look at the decorative features on the Duomo terraces on the rooftop. There’s also fabulous views of the city and the Alps from the roof. Take the 250 stairs up, or, thankfully, take the elevator.

The interior features lovely stained glass windows, beautiful patterned floors made of marble and impressive soaring columns. The Duomo Museum, on site, gives insight into the history of the cathedral and also has collections of sculptures, paintings, terracotta and tapestries.

The Santa Maria delle Grazie church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where Leonardo Da Vinci painted “The Last Supper.” The fresco, an unforgettable piece of art history, is located in the rectory.

There are no shortages of museums in the city as well as on the grounds of Sforzesco Castle.

Around the city you will find: The Pincacoteca di Brera, the city’s premiere art museum with a vast collection of paintings by Italian artists including Raphael, Caravaggio and Montegna; the Museo del Novecento has modern and contemporary art including pieces from Giorgio de Chirico, Umberto Boccioni and Lucio Fontana; contemporary art leaning more towards the decorative arts can be found at the Fondazione Prada with furniture, glass, ceramics, paintings and sculptures, from the medieval period to the 18th century. The Museo Bagatti Valsecchi has decorative art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

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