Il Duomo di Milano is the perfect embodiment of Gothic architecture; in fact, this is the second largest Gothic cathedral in the world, after the Cathedral of Seville in Spain. On the top of the church, a statue of the Virgin Mary made in gold was placed. Built from the late 14th well into the 19th century, it is the most imposing and beautiful building in Milan. 
 
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is situated on the northern side of Piazza del Duomo in Milan, and connects to Piazza della Scala. It is named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of united Italy, and it was built between 1865 and 1877. The Galleria hosts many luxury goods' shops like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, as well as restaurants and bars. 
 
La Scala is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. The theater was inaugurated on 3 August 1778. A fire destroyed the previous building, the ancient Teatro Ducale, on 25 February 1776, after a carnival gala. Archduke Ferdinand I of Austria contributed to the reconstruction of the theater, in response to the request of ninety wealthy Milanese owning 'palchi' (private boxes) in the theater.
 

Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) houses several of the city museum and art gallery collections. The original construction on the site began in the 14th century.
 
The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio is one of the oldest churches in Italy. It was built by Bishop Ambrose in 379-386 in a typical medieval architecture, in an area where numerous martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. The first name of the church was in fact Basilica Martyrum. Sant Ambrogio is the patron saint of Milan. 
 
Santa Maria delle Grazie is a famous church and convent in Milan, included among the UNESCO World Heritage sites. The church is also famous for the mural of the 'Last Supper' (Il Cenacolo or 'La Ultima Cena') by Leonardo da Vinci, which is in the refectory of the convent.

If you are a Formula 1 fan, in the outskirts of Milan lies one of the oldest tracks in Formula 1, Monza. The Italians are very passionate about soccer and Milan has two major clubs; matches at the San Siro stadium are real spectacles.


If you are keen on spending pleasant time in Milan, you should check out the bars and restaurants. Milanese cuisine includes 'cotoletta alla milanese' (a breaded veal cutlet pan-fried in butter), 'cassoeula' (stewed pork rib chops and sausage with Savoy cabbage and tomato sauce), 'ossobuco' (stewed marrow-bone with tomato or lemon sauce), 'risotto alla milanese' (with saffron, white wine and beef marrow), 'busecca' (stewed tripe with beans and tomato sauce), and 'brasato' (stewed beef or pork with wine and potatoes).

Milan is synonymous with the word fashion and is, in fact, renowned as one of the world capitals of design and fashion. The Lombard metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops such as those along via Montenapoleone and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Piazza Duomo, considered the world's oldest shopping mall.
Typical products like 'salame milanese', a kind of salami with a very fine grain, can be found in every specialized shop. The best-known Milanese cheese is 'Gorgonzola', from the nearby town of the same name.