Lombardy is a region located in Northern Italy. It borders Switzerland and includes mountainous and hilly areas, as well as having several rivers running through it including: Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore, Lake Idro and Lake Iseo. It is broken down into twelve provinces. The capital of Lombardy is the city of Milan. Other notable towns are Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Lecco, Varese, Sondrio, Pavia and Cremona.

Lombardy accounts for one-sixth of the Italian population with around 10 million inhabitants and is a region that is thriving economically. Milan in particular is a city that attracts a large number of tourists due to interest in its history, arts and culture, which also adds to the region’s economical growth.

Attractions here include the Cathedral of Milan, and several other examples of gothic and Romanesque architecture. There are also several art galleries and museums to explore the culture and history. Milan is of course a great place to check out the art, while Como’s Civic Museum is also worth a visit. There is also a Civic Museum in Cremona which houses mosaics and other historical relics. Brescia has a great Roman museum and the city of Mantua is famous for the Museo del Risorgimento.

The city of Milan makes Lombardy a place that is highly influential in the fashion world. Famous Italian designers such as Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Armani and Gucci have their head offices in Milan. The region’s link to the textile industry continues with areas such as Vigevano, Pavia and Cremona producing silk.

A trivial fact is that Lombardy is the place that created Minestrone soup.  And speaking of food, some features of Lombardian cuisine include the risotto which is popular here (probably due to the vast amounts of rice fields) and there are several variations of the dish. Butter and cream are common additions to the food here making it very rich and another popular component of the diet there is Panettone, a sweet type of bread enjoyed at Christmas and New Years. Another dish unique to Lombardy is Polenta, a golden-yellow porridge-like dish of Italian cornmeal served as a side to meat, fish and cheese. Also, cotoletta is a cutlet of meat, which is often breaded to form Cotoletta alla Milanese which makes for a crispy, delicious meat served with potatoes and salad. Lombardy is a great place for gastronomy holidays, and sure to satisfy the appetite of any food-lover.

Weather
The climate here is typically Europe, which allows the cultivation of fruits and olives, although parts such as Como are prone to sub-tropical climates. It typically sees thick fog in the late autumn and winter months.



Transport
The main transport system in Lombardy is ATM, which connects around 85 towns to one another including Milan via underground trains, buses and trams. Services run 6:00 to midnight, although some services continue to run until 2am.

Most major airlines offer flights to Lombardy and Milan, with two major airports in Milan (Malpensa and Linate) and airports in Brescia and Bergamo. Lombardy’s location on the border of Italy-Switzerland means it is easy to get to Switzerland by car or train, though remember your passports; you will need them for checks if you decide to cross the border.

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