Milan welcomes the traveler with at times almost intimidating friendliness, unreserved and inviting, at times befogged in grey, distanced and "smoggy". Milan stands for industry and economy, fashion and design, Scala and Piccolo Teatro, fairs, media and publishers, Italy's most fancy and expensive stores as well as traditional markets. Milan, with its plenty restaurants and delicatessen shops, is the place to be for every gourmet.
If you are looking for amusement, you can enjoy the Milan's nightlife, with its hip bars, jazz- and dance-clubs. If you are looking for art, you will find plenty more than "just" the Pinacoteca di Brera with the worldwide biggest collection of Old Masters, in one of Milan's many museums, churches or art galleries.
But Milan offers more. It takes some patience, even though time and patience seem to be non-existent, because tempo, speed and change are omnipresent in Italy's most important business town. Banks, insurances, advertising agencies, market research bureaus and consulting firms have spread all over the city; also the headquarter of Berlusconi's television company as well as the headquarters of many newspapers and publishing houses are situated in this city. Milan is a center of power: the directorates of major Italian companies, of the small and big political parties, as well as the unions can be found here.
At the same time Milan is due to its five universities a breeding ground for great scientifical achievements and its design school creates the latest trends for fashion and design. But Milan is not only setting trends for fashion and design, but also for gastronomy - the new motto is fusion: elements of the Nouvelle Cuisine get mixed with traditional meals and enriched with oriental flavors.
|
