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Milan

City in ItalyIn the north of Italy, Milan lies on the flat Po Valley, roughly halfway between the River Po to the south and the Alpine lakes, such as Como and Maggiore, to the north. It is the capital of Lombardy.

What it's known for

Milan is considered Italy's economic capital and hosts Borsa Italiana, the country's main stock exchange. It is a global fashion capital and the home of two famous football clubs, AC Milan and Inter. In 2026 it co-hosted the Winter Olympics.

Fun facts

  1. The Roman name Mediolanum meant 'in the middle of the plain', and in AD 313 Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan here, allowing tolerance of all religions in the empire.
  2. Milan Cathedral took nearly six centuries to finish, from 1386 to 1965, and a statue of the Virgin Mary called the Madonnina stands on its highest spire.
  3. Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper in Milan, at Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Finding it on the globe

Aim at the top of Italy, on the line between Turin and Venice but closer to Turin, just south of the big lakes near the Swiss border.

Easy to mix up

Milan is Italy's economic capital, but the country's capital is Rome, much farther south.

Sources: Wikipedia: Milan, Wikipedia: Milan Cathedral