Welcome to one of the most beautiful and unique European cities, where history, art, fashion, industry and sport meet. Milan is one of the most important opera centres, shopping places and football capitals in the world. This is the city where medieval churches and skyscrapers are major symbols at the same time. Modern art is appreciated no less than paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. The city is full of things to see for every kind of tourist. In Milan, you can always find something special for you.Milan is the second Italian city after Rome in terms of its importance and population. It is also the capital of the Lombardy region. There are about 1.3 million residents, and its urban area is the most populous in Italy, with more than 5 million citizens.Milan was founded by the Insubres, a Celtic people, at the beginning of the VI century BC. It was then conquered by the Romans in 222 BC and was named Mediolanum, which means “situated in the middle of plain”. During its history, Milan has played different roles, always as a political and cultural centre of Italy. It was also the capital of the Duchy of Milan in Renaissance times and capital of the Kingdom of Italy during the Napoleonic era. In the XIX century, the theatre season at La Scala and its opera traditions made Milan the musical centre of the world. During the industrial revolution, Milan also became an important economic region, forming the “Industrial triangle” with Turin and Genoa. This led to a strong process of urbanisation and growth in the nearby cities. After the Second World War, Milan was an emigration centre also. In the XX century, it became the main financial market in Italy, as well as a fashion capital and important centre for industrial design. Milan’s emblem is a white flag with a red cross and a gold crown on top and branches of laurel and oak on each side. One of the traditional characters of the Italian commedia dell’arte is called Meneghino. He is associated with Milan, so citizens of Milan are also called ‘meneghini’ in Italian. This character plays a major role during the Milanese Carnival, also called the Carnival of Saint Ambrose.Saint Ambrose is a patron of Milan. Every year, on the 7th of December, Milan celebrates his Day. Traditionally, on Saint Ambrose Day, the La Scala Theatre starts its season.Milan is also a European capital for media, with the highest number of internet users and the largest broaband-connected area. Milan was the first city in Italy to have wireless internet, and today lots of places in the city offer free Wi-Fi access, as well as every public institution. The majority of Italian publishing houses and mass-media editorial offices are situated in Milan. The city is home to both public and private television broadcasters, including Mediaset, which was founded by the former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who remains the controlling shareholder. One of Milan’s football teams, AC Milan, also belongs to Berlusconi. It is the most successful Italian team. Their rival is FC Internazionale, better known as Inter. Both teams play in the San Siro stadium (also known as Giuseppe Meazza stadium) that hosted the World Cup in 1934 and 1990, as well as many other international competitions. Milan also has a world famous Monza Formula 1 circuit, situated in a suburban park area. Every year, the most important car races in the world are held there. Most of the places of interest are situated in historical centre of Milan. The city is very well connected by public transport and the subway and trams are very easy to use. We start our journey from Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo). You can reach it by any kind of public transport, but the most convenient one is the subway (‘metropolitana’ in Italian). If you arrived at Milan’s Central railway station (Stazione Centrale) by train or bus from the airport, take the yellow line that runs directly from the railway station (Centrale FS) to the Catherdal (Duomo). Take any exit from the ‘Duomo’ stop – they all lead to the main square.