Yay, it’s time to talk about my beloved Lombardy and its many charming gems and peculiarities.
Lombardia is the fourth biggest region of Italy and it has the largest population of all regions. It has eleven beautiful provinces:
Bergamo
Bergamo
Brescia
Brescia
Como
Como
Cremona
Cremona
Lecco
Lecco
Lodi
Lodi
Mantova
Mantova
Pavia
Pavia
Sondrio
Sondrio
Varese
Varese
Milano – The capital of the region and my home away from home
Milano
The name “Lombardia” comes from the Lombards, or the Langobards, a Germanic tribe that occupied the region in 6th century AC. Before that, it had belonged to Romans and Gauls. During middle ages, two strong aristocratic families were born here, who influenced the history of the region for centuries: The Viscontis and the Sforzas. In the 16th and 17th century, Lombardia was occupied by Austria. In 1815, Lombardo-Veneto was constutited and in 1859, Lombardia officially became a part the Kingdom of Italy.
The northern part of Italy is mainly mountainous, with the famous Passo dello Stelvio.
Passo dello Stelvio
The south, on the other hand, is dominated by the lowland of Pianura Padana.
Pianura Padana
Lombardia is rich in rivers – such as:
The Ticino
Il Ticino
The Mincio
Il Mincio
The Adda
L’Adda
The Oglio
L’Oglio
And famous, stunning lakes, my favorite places in Lombardia for long weekends and la dolce vita at its best:
Lago Maggiore
Lago Maggiore
Lago di Garda
Lago di Garda
Lago di Como
Lago di Como
Milan, the capital of Lombardia, is the city of my heart, and you can read some of my previous blog posts about the gems of the city here. Of course, Milan is also the protagonist of my books Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore and Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita. There are so many places to see in Milan, but the basics (the stunning basics) include:
Il Duomo
Il Duomo
Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
Santa Maria Delle Grazie
Santa Maria delle Grazie
Da Vinci’s Last Supper
Il Cenacolo
Other adorable cities you absolutely must visit in Lombardia are:
Mantova
Mantova
Vigevano
Vigevano
Bergamo
Bergamo
And last but not least, let’s talk about food! You may find that the gastronomy of Lombardia is different from other parts of Italy, mainly due to the influence of the many nations that occupied the region in the past.
Risotto is the gourmet pillar of the local cuisine, my favorite being:
Risotto alla Milanese (as you know, I’ve shared the entertaining secret of its origin in Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita)
Risotto alla Milanese
Risotto alla Certosina
Risotto alla certosina
Lombardia produces excellent cheeses that I’m addicted to:
Bitto
Il Bitto
Taleggio
Il Taleggio
Grana Padano
Il Grana Padano
And when in Lombardia, don’t forget to have a glass of excellent local wine with your dinner:
Oltrepò Pavese
L’Oltrepo Pavese Vineyard
Franciacorta
Franciacorta Vineyard
Download Italy to your Kindle:
♥ Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore
♥ Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita
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After looking at your photos, and reading your information, I close my eyes and feel like I’m there. Love this series you’re doing.
Thank you very much, Mary, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I have so much fun writing these post and sharing them with my readers, it makes me want to go back to Italy right now!
Those posts are superb! Will you do one about Trentino-Alto Adige?
Thank you very much, I’m glad you’re enjoying the posts. Yes, I’m doing a post about Trentino-Alto Adige later this week!
Thank you, just loved that region, both provinces, addicted to Bolzano!
Bolzano is fabulous! No wonder you’re addicted
Wow great post – and great pics!!
I didn’t realize there were so many spots in Lombardia – better make another trip soon!
Thank you! Oh, you can never travel to Italy too many times, can you?
Lol – I’m on the plane already!
See you on the piazza!
Barbara,
Believe it or not, there is one bit of Lombardia trivia absent from your excellent article. When Italians were migrating thru the United States, building churches and casinos, hugging and offing each other at family gatherings, and gesturing wildly with their hands for no apparent reason, they named many towns after Lodi. The California one became the hub of Zinfandel wine (the only vintage suitable for preschool children) and the inspiration for the CCR song “Stuck In Lodi Again.”
While stuck in Lodi, specifically in high school geometry class, the author Lyn Fuchs noticed that the shapes being drawn on the chalkboard paled in comparison to those manifesting themselves in the female student beside him. It was this early grasp of “ideal forms” as Plato would say or “the music of the spheres” as Handel would have it that prepared young Lyn to later recognize the Divine symmetry in photos of Italy’s dolce progeny. Is your having the winningest smile in history and Vince LOMBARDI coaching the winningest football team in history a mere coincidence. I think not.
Lyn, believe it or not, my high-school history teacher loved telling a similar story each time he talked about Italian history or art. He usually ended it with the words: “You all have inherited the worst traits and features from your ancestors, which couldn’t happen to Miss B. because she had nothing bad to inherit.” (And yes, the girls hated me for it
)
Well, there you have two good reasons why a chique chique like you might hang out with a rogue rogue like me: it will annoy and confuse those former high school girls, plus you and I will soon pass into the sands of time as Anthony and Cleopatra sunk into the sands of Egypt. While our books will live forever on Amazon and at yard sales in dangerous neighborhoods, we have only a brief stroll in the sun – to grasp those ideal forms, if you know what I’m sayin’. May I propose that we make history before and until we become history?
Absolutely! (Although I’m smarter than Cleopatra and am not planning to sink into the sands of Italy anytime soon
)