Millin’ in Milan

If Milan were a country, it would be the 28th largest economy in the world. It’s Italy’s largest city and the country’s commercial hub, as well as an international giant in the world of design and fashion.

But as a tourist destination, it’s not exactly brimming with attractions in the same way that Italy’s other cities are. There’s the gorgeous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, reputed to be the world’s oldest shopping mall (see if you can find the McDonald’s there in the pics below). Right next door is the aptly named Milan Cathedral, the fourth largest in the world and admittedly grandiose.  And then there’s the tough-looking Sforza Castle just a few blocks away.

Unless, of course, you have a hefty spending account, in which case Milan’s collection of high-end fashion shops and boutiques is quite the draw and the perfect locale to hobnob with the rich and stylish. Overall, though, the sense one gets from the city is one of busy, no-nonsense work and industry, a far cry from the laid-back misty gondola rides of Venice to the east.