La Bella Milano

When it comes to visiting Italy, many people flock to the cultural capitals of Rome, Florence, and Venice. However, Milan in the north is every bit as cultured and historic as these cities.

In Renaissance times, Rome was ruled by the popes, Florence by the Medici family, Venice by the doges, and Milan by the Sforza family. Vibrant, open to fresh ideas and little inclined to rest on its laurels, the city has always been at the forefront of business and industry. Fashion and finance trade alongside heavy industry and fabrication in Milan.

While Rome is the political capital of Italy, Milan is the country’s financial and industrial heart. It is the largest city in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, which generated 22 per cent of Italian GDP in 2015 (at an estimated €357 billion).

Milan has been, since the late 1800s, an important industrial and manufacturing centre, especially for the automotive industry, with companies such as Alfa Romeo, Pirelli and Techint having a significant presence in the city. Other important products manufactured in Milan include machinery, pharmaceuticals and plastics, health, chemicals and biotechnologies, and food & beverage technology. Many multinationals also have their Italian headquarters in Milan, including Google, Samsung, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Accenture. Many business visitors to Milan come for the trade fair events, the most important being the Milan Furniture Fair and Milan Fashion Week.