In 1939, singer Giovanni D'Anzi released a song whose title exalted Lombardy's capital – In Milanese dialect, Milan l’è un gran Milan means “Milan is a Grand Milan.” A long time has passed, but the song still rings true. In fact Milan, today, is even grander. The true Italian city of international scopes like London, Paris, and New York, Milan is where things happen. A lot of things: there's modernity, art, culture, design, and joie de vivre, but also sacrosanct respect for tradition.
Holidays in Lombardy: eating in Milan
Let's talk about dining. The Lombard capital has become the point of convergence of the world's gastronomic trends, in a "high" version, such as the Indian one in Cittamani, the Novo-Andean one in Pacifico, and the fusion one in Iyo, the first non-Italian restaurant in Italy to earn a Michelin star. This delicious invasion hasn't taken anything away from the existing kitchens, and so next to ceviche, sushi, and tandoori there old and new trattorias thrive. There, you can taste ossobuco, risotto alla milanese, mondeghili (meatballs) and cassoeula, a pork and cabbage stew, and more.
Holiday in Lombardy: where to go?
Then there's the rest of Lombardy, and alongside places that have always been devoted to tourism, such as the superstar Lake Como and magnificent art cities such as Bergamo Alta. Territories traditionally linked to agricultural reality are emerging, driven by a growing desire to regenerate contact with nature and with the earth in general. One such place is Lomellina in the province of Pavia around 35 miles southwest of Milan. Its flat and rural landscape is known for the intensive cultivation of rice and the influence of the Po and Ticino rivers. To preserve biodiversity there are two regional parks, which are destinations in and of themselves.
Roberto Conti, after having worked at luxury Trussardi alla Scala, a high-end restaurant in Milan, and the five-start Hotel de la Ville in Parma, returned home to his native town of Mortara to open his RC Resort. The rooms overlook the rice fields and at the restaurant, Conti makes use of the bounty of the nearby Lomellina (his risottos are delicious).
Thirty minutes away, the Eridano hotel in Sannazaro de 'Burgondi is also a destination. At the Ottocentodieci Ristorante, Rigels Tepshi, who has Albanian origins, cooks up incredible food using local ingredients such as Breme onions from the province of Pavia, Cassolnovo caviar from the nearby Parco del Ticino, and Riserva San Massimo Rice cultivated in the Lombardy Natural Park of the Ticino Valley, first established in Italy in 1974.
For a change of scenery, head north of Milan to Valtellina where the sites vacillate between history and landscape. Neolithic graffiti from the Park of engravings alternate with Roman remains, such as the Plinian thermal spring in Bormio (now an enjoyable at QC Terme), and medieval castles, which were constructed to protect Duchy of Milan. All surrounded by granite mountains to the delight of those who climb, waterfalls that compete with Venezuela's Angel Falls, and the natural pyramids of Postalesio. Here the food is good, simple and traditional: pizzoccheri, bresaola, and cheese. But also ennobled at the Michelin-starred La Preséf di Mantello, Cantinone di Madesimo and at the Green Lantern at Villa di Chiavenna. The latter also earned a Michelin green star for sustainable cuisine.