Travel in city Milan

When I backpacked through Europe for the first time after college, I often found myself gazing not at the famous paintings in the Louvre or the grandeur of La Sagrada Familia but at European dudes’ sneakers. Especially in Paris and Barcelona, there were so many unfamiliar styles and brands on display that just looked so...cool. Eventually I ducked into a random shop in Florence and came out with a pair of white-and-red Golas that would make me feel much more stylish than I probably was as I sauntered around San Francisco the rest of the summer.

When The White Lotus chose a breathtaking cliffside resort—the Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel—in Sicily as the playground for all the drama of the second season, they unintentionally raised the bar for what is considered impressive when it comes to Italian hotels. But one hotel in Milan doesn’t feel the need to compete: Hotel Principe di Savoia.

Untouched by the coastline or national borders, and instead boasting unspoiled landscapes and spectacular views, Umbria has always been one of Italy's most mysterious and off-the-beaten-track regions—quite unlike its famous neighbor, Tuscany. But Umbrian food is just as good, and the atmosphere will often feel even more authentic given its wide array of cultural stimuli, from its widely known Jazz Festival to the incredible art collections scattered across medieval palaces, castles, and fortresses that are bound to take you back to bygone times.

I woke up to the braying of donkeys. Opening the window to morning air perfumed by wisteria and honeysuckle, I could see the herd — 16 sweet-eyed animals in all — grazing by the olive groves of La Pescaia, a country estate turned idyllic inn that embodies a fantasy of pastoral happiness for me: life among animals and bird song and olive trees, encircled by the rugged nature of Maremma, in Italy.

Next year, Italy will introduce a flurry of new train routes, especially for tourists.

I've been a Taylor Swift fan for a long time, so when she announced her Eras Tour in the US, I did everything I could to grab tickets. 

It’s hard to know if Milan’s fashionistas are bemused more by my driving or by my vehicle as I stall, splutter and crunch the gears while double-parking the tuk-tuk on Via Monte Napoleone, the city’s swankiest street. Both it and I look comically out of place on a thoroughfare dripping with designer shops and high-end motors. I’ve just seen a Hermès shirt with a €10,500 price tag and spotted the Argentina World Cup winner and Inter Milan star Lautaro Martínez laden with Gucci shopping bags, and bouncing into a blacked-out Hummer with his girlfriend and minder.

Wearing a crimson and sunshine-yellow flower crown, the young man is surrounded by his family, before there is the pop of the vino frizzante and the royal blue cups are filled for a merry toast to celebrate his graduation.

When you think of enjoying an espresso in Italy, you probably don’t envision getting one at Starbucks. Italy is the same country that gave us the cappuccino, the macchiato, and—my personal favorite—the affogato, which comes with a big scoop of gelato. Drinking coffee in Italy is an event in itself, so it’s no wonder the country has resisted the super-sized coffee chain for so long. But with the opening of the first Starbucks in Italy, that attitude might be changing.

To understand how central the aperitivo is to Milan culture, you need only stand in the middle of the Piazza del Duomo, the city’s pulsing center, and face the cathedral. To your right you’ll see a huge version of the Martini vermouth logo glowing atop a modest skyscraper in nearby Piazza Armando Diaz. At its top is the rooftop bar Terrazza Martini. There, Martini’s various vermouths are poured into everything from Americanos to Manhattans.

You probably don’t know Monica Poli’s face, but you might recognize her voice. Deep, booming and coming from your phone during a late-night TikTok scroll.

Lake Como, or Lago di Como, is what the Riviera is to France: An area of the country that is so beautiful and serene it has attracted the rich and famous for centuries. (It is no secret that George Clooney has a swanky villa along the lake.) All these wealthy celebrities have managed to create a bubble of luxury around this magnificent part of northern Italy by building immense and luxurious villas along the lake’s shore, but if you’re a non-millionaire traveler who wants in on the action, worry not, there are ways to have a good and affordable time on the shore of Italy’s most famous lake.

Ski Aosta Valley in North West Italy and you're close to both France and Switzerland for cross-border skiing, plus you can choose from a range of ski resorts and have access to three of the highest peaks in Europe. The information in this article is taken from The Rough Guide to Italy your essential guide for visiting Italy.

Milan (Milano) is one of the world’s fashion capitals, and home to both Leonardo’s Last Supper and the world’s premier opera house, La Scala. Above all, Milan is the centre of business in Italy, a hub for media and advertising companies, and a magnet for design and fashion. Here's our guide to where to stay in Milan.

Where to stay in Milan? Italy’s fashion capital and city of designers and global influencers offers an eclectic range of places to stay, from five-star hotels to hostels. Take a look at our Milan accommodation guide to help find your perfect city base.

Ischia (of Italy) is fantastic for an island escape. Located in the Bay of Naples, and neighbour to busy Capri — this destination is an underrated gem. Ischia is crowd-free, packed with history and close enough to Procida for some lovely island hopping. Take a closer look at Ischia with our in-depth guide.