article_susie boulton bgtw2015

9
Destinations > ITALY > MILAN > SUSIE BOULTON Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for Expo 2015 ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments Photos - click to enlarge. LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS ITALY EXPO MILANO 2015 The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015 Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy. Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org ) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations, 50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and receive an expected 20 million visitors. COUNTRY Select... CITY / TOWN Select... KEYWORDS Show articles Sign up to receive the latest news from Tour-Smart direct into your inbox Sign up free Follow Tour-Smart Visit Tour-Smart on Be the first of your frien Tour-Smar 80 likes Like Page Like Page UNITED KINGDOM - WORLDWIDE TRAVEL INFORMATION Tour-smart's latest travel information for the U.K. Read more CRUISE NEWS Bringing Tour-smart's avid cruisers the latest from the world's cruise lines. Read more Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap DESTINATION SEARCH EMAIL NEWSLETTERS Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 1 / 9

Upload: brescia-tourism

Post on 03-Dec-2015

16 views

Category:

Documents


3 download

DESCRIPTION

La giornalista inglese Susie Boulton della British Guild of Travel Writer parla di Brescia a seguito del Press Trip organizzato in collaborazione con EXPLORA a gennaio 2015

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 1 / 9

Page 2: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 2 / 9

Page 3: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 3 / 9

Page 4: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 4 / 9

Page 5: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 5 / 9

Page 6: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 6 / 9

Page 7: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 7 / 9

Page 8: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 8 / 9

Page 9: Article_Susie Boulton BGTW2015

Destinations > ITALY > MILAN >

SUSIE BOULTON

Photos SUSIE BOULTON & Artist Impressions for

Expo 2015

ITALY - MILAN 0 Comments

Comments Community Login 1

Sort by Oldest

Start the discussion…

Subscribe✉

Add Disqus to your sited

Privacy

Recommend

Photos - click to enlarge.

LATEST WORLDWIDE TRAVEL NEWS

ITALY

EXPO MILANO 2015

The Thailand Pavilion at EXPO 2015

Milan has seen a makeover for Expo 2015. Susie Boulton visits the city as it gears

up for the great global fair, and discovers the nearby delights of Lombardy.

Undisputed city of fashion and design, Milan is now turning its attention on two of

its other great strengths: food and art. From May to October the city is hosting

EXPO 2015 (www.expo2015.org) whose theme is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life’. This mammoth exhibition will feature a record 140 participating nations,

50 cutting-edge pavilions, many designed by top international architects, and

receive an expected 20 million visitors.

The UK 'Hive' Expo Pavilion

Dedicated to the plight of the honey bee.

Taking place on a million square metre site north-west of the city, the fair will

celebrate food cultures around the world, including of course those of Italy and its

host city, but more importantly will focus on sustainable food production and how

we might feed a world population of 9 billion by 2050. On the less serious side

there will be activities for youngsters, DJ sets, cooking shows, concerts, a 12,000-

seater open-air theatre and the famous Cirque du Soleil performing an exclusive

nightly show. Not to mention the tasting of some of the best dishes in the world.

To coincide with Expo the city of Milan and surrounding regions (Lombardy,

Piedmont and Liguria) are offering a rich programme of cultural events. Milan has

seen a makeover, not only with major urban development projects (still in

progress), but with new and revamped museums, creative new shopping hubs,

luxury hotels, night spots and cultural centres.

The trendsetting Triennale Design Museum will be mounting the Expo-linked

exhibition ‘Arts and Food: Rituals since 1951’, while the Palazzo Reale (RoyalPalace) is to host the largest ever Leonardo da Vinci retrospective with over 100

original drawings along with manuscripts and paintings. For Leonardo's iconic Last

Supper, hidden away in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie,

book as far in advance as you can on www.cenacolovinciano.net. Models of the

ever-inventive genius can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology

Leonardo da Vinci while the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana will be displaying 12 chapters

– one a month during 2015 - of Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus, the vast collection ofhis notes and drawings. The manuscripts, normally only accessible to scholars,

span almost the entire life of Leonardo and provide evidence of how his studies

anticipated great scientific discoveries ahead of time.

The Duomo in Milan

During Expo numerous other musical events will take place throughout the city,

including jazz, dance and free concerts in Piazza Duomo in the heart of the city.

The dazzling Duomo (cathedral), third largest church in Europe, provides

sensational views of the city from its roof terraces, stretching as far as the

Matterhorn on a really clear day. The renowned La Scala opera house

(www.teatroallascala.org) will be hosting 140 events during Expo, including

recitals, opera and ballet, many aimed at families. If you don’t get to aperformance at the opera house you can usually get a peek into the fabulously

opulent auditorium on a visit to the La Scala museum.

The city has also seen the opening of culinary hotspots, inspired by Expo, such as

the innovative Carlo e Camilla restaurant (www.carloecamillainsegheria.it)

converted from a sawmill and part-owned by top Chef Carlo Cracco or the four-

storey food concept store, Eataly (www.eatily.it) occupying the site of the former

Smeraldo Theatre, with 19 eateries (one Michelin-starred), top-of-the range delis,

food workshops and free music, from pop to opera.

Eatily Smeraldo

Beyond Milan

Food-themed Expo is spreading its tentacles beyond Milan. The city is capital of

Lombardy, a land of infinite variety embracing great lakes, art and culture, wine

and gastronomy - all within easy reach of the Milan.

The underrated city of Brescia, 45 minutes from Milan by train, is hosting an Expo-

linked exhibition on Food in Art, Masterpieces from the great masters from 17th

century to Warhol at Palazzo Martinengo. This takes you on a culinary journey from

still lives of the Old Masters to Andy Warhol’s interpretation of The Last Supper andshows how artists, at least up until the 19th century, used to love painting the

dishes of their native regions.

If this foodie exhibition whets the appetite head for La Sosta (www.lasosta.it ) in

the beautiful Palazzo Martinengo delle Palle, a five minute walk away. Try their

fabulous Casoncelli, pasta parcels resembling perfectly-wrapped sweets, which

are stuffed with cheese and herbs and served oozing with sage-flavoured butter.

Brescia’s modern outskirts are pretty grim but the city has outstanding art andarchitecture, an attractive old centre, good food and fashion boutiques with far

cheaper price tags than those of Milan. The not-to-be-missed cultural site is the

Santa Giulia City Museum, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Santa Giulia City Museum

Converted from the 8th century Benedictine convent of San Salvatore it was turned

into a church and convent complex and covers Brescia’s history from Roman toRenaissance times. Exhibits number 11,000 and include the exquisite 8th cross of

Desiderio, encrusted with 212 jewels. You would need a couple of days at least to

absorb it all.

Beguiling Bergamo is a walled medieval city in the foothills of the Alps, rich in

culture, strong on gastronomy and liberally endowed with stylish shops – Bergamohas it all. What’s more it is only two miles from Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s ‘Milan’airport (www.ryanair.com). While summer tourists make a bee-line for Milan the

Milanese make for to Bergamo for a weekend break in the cool hills – it’s just 45minutes by train from the city.

Seen from a distance the city is a mass of bell towers and domes, silhouetted

against the mountains. It is in fact two towns, the more modern Città Bassa (LowerTown) and the Città Alta (Upper Town) which is bound by a circle of 16th centurywalls, built by the Venetians after the city expanded beyond its medieval ramparts

and fortresses. A funicular links the two, trundling up through terraced gardens,

and bringing you to a medieval quarter far removed from the bustle below.

Brescia Castle

In the atmospheric streets of the Città Alta you can feast your eyes on home-curedhams, handmade pastas, honeybread and pastries, local wines and liqueurs.

Bergamo is also all about polenta, but the bright yellow 'polenta e osei' you see in

the shops are polenta only in name. These sugar-coated cakes, topped with little

marzipan black birds, hark back to an earlier age when polenta was served with

spit-roasted wild birds on top. For eating out, which is one of the great pleasures

of Bergamo, look no further than Da Mimmo (www.ristorantemimmo.com) on

Via Colleoni 17 where two of the seven Mimmi sons carry on the family tradition

producing honest Bergamesque cuisine. Try specialities such as Chisöl from a 17thcentury recipe: a little polenta antipasto oozing creamy Stracchino cheese from the

Orobiche valleys, or the home made casonsèi alla bergamasca, ravioli stuffed with

meat, pear, amaretti, cheese and pancetta.

'polenta e osei'

Bergamo’s architectural showpiece is the Piazza Vecchia , often described, despiteits medley of buildings, as the most perfect square in Italy. The piazza has an

enchanting fountain with marble lions of St Mark, and is overlooked by the Palazzo

Ragione and the Campanone (belltower) which chimes 180 times every night at

10pm in memory of the curfew under the Venetians. Beyond the arcades the

hybrid Duomo may disappoint but Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Lombardy’sfinest Romanesque churches, albeit partly shrouded by later buildings. The

renowned Venetian condottiere (mercenary) Bartolomeo Colleoni had no hesitation

in demolishing an apse of the basilica to build his own mausoleum, opting for one

of the most prestigious locations in the city. Known as the Capella Colleoni, this is a

masterpiece of the early Lombard Renaissance, with an interior sheltering ceiling

frescoes by Tiepolo and the tomb of the condottiere.

Piazza Vecchia

Lago di Como, the Celebrity Favourite. Como city no longer sells fine silk, but it has

a glorious Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and makes a great base for boats trips

on the lake. From Milan central station you can be by the lakeside in 40 minutes.

Ferries for Bellagio, ‘pearl of the lake', stop at lakeside villages en route, and are

more fun but far slower than the enclosed hydrofoils. The renowned villas and

gardens are on the sunny west bank, among them Villa d’Este, the most luxurioushotel on the lake, hosting royalty, politicians and film stars and Villa Le Fontanelle,

favourite home of the late Gianni Versace (he had four), now home to a Russian

multimillionaire. If passengers get excited and act like paparazzi as the boat

approaches the little village of Laglio, it’s all about the 25-room Villa Oleandra onthe waterfront which belongs to George Clooney. The actor fell in love with the

mansion while on a motorcycling holiday around the Alps in 2002. House prices in

the vicinity have been soaring ever since and the mayor has made Clooney an

honorary citizen of Laglio.

Villa del Balbianello

A waterside village on Lake Como

Before you reach Bellagio, you'll see the lovely Villa del Balbianello

(www.fondoambiente.it) on the tip of a wooded promontory between Lenno and

Sala Comacina. Romance, peace, seclusion, tranquillity and fabulous gardens: this

villa has everything you might hope to find in the region. Visitors can be taken

across in the private shuttle boat at Lenno (where the public ferry stops) or walk

from the village (about half a mile). The villa, which was bequeathed by the last

owner to the FAI (the Italian National Trust), has featured in numerous movies set

in the region, among them A Month on the Lake (1995), Star Wars II: Attack of the

Clones (2002) and Casino Royale (2006).

Villa del Balbianello

Lago d’Iseo- The Lakes’ best kept Secret. You won’t find celebrity villas or movielocations on lovely Lake Iseo. This peaceful and atmospheric little lake, tucked

between lakes Como and Garda, tends to be neglected in favour of its larger

neighbours. Overlooked by mountains it has fine walks and a beautiful central

island, Monte Isola, which supports a 200-strong community of fishermen, boat

builders and net-makers. The pace of life on the island is palpably slow and the

only car belongs to the local vigile (policeman). You can walk or cycle right round

the lake promenade (just over 5 miles), stopping for refreshments and fine views

from little fishing villages, where salted lake sardine (translated as 'twite shad' on

menus) dry out on poles by the lakeside. A steep climb through tiers of olive

groves, vineyards and chestnut groves, will bring you to the highest peak (nearly

2000ft), surmounted by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Cerioa, built over a

pagan shrine.

Drying out the salted lake sardines

Dotted around Lake Iseo are villages worth visiting for their medieval centres and

waterside promenades. Lovere has a grandiose basilica and Count Tadini’spalace, full of Old Masters and ceramics collected on his Grand Tour. At Pisogne

across the water the fascinating Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve, dubbed 'The

Poor Man's Sistine Chapel', is entirely frescoed with scenes from the Passion of

Christ by Girolamo Romanini, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Clusane in the south

is famous for restaurants serving tinca ripiena, tench stuffed with cheese, bread

and spices, and busy little Iseo retains a medieval core and offers attractive strolls

by the lakeside. One of the loveliest place to stay is Riva Lago (www.rivalago.it)

at Sulzano, right on the lake and just a ferry hop away from Monte Isola. Order a

glass or two of the sparkling Franciacorta, the rolling wine-growing region to the

south, and enjoy the views across to Monte Isola from the lakeside terrace. With a

car, follow the hairpin bends up to Polveno, high in the hills, for the lovely

Ristorante Ginepro (www.gineprofoodwine.it). Try the mouthwatering malfalde

verde alla zucca, green pasta with pumpkin flowers, the bagoss cheese from the

Brescian valleys or pike or perch from the lake. The views from this rustic

restaurant down to the lake have to be seen to be believed.

malfalde verde alla zucca

With the tranquillity of lakes and mountains less than an hour away from their city,

it’s little wonder that the Milanese take short breaks year round from the bustle ofthe metropolis.

For information on Expo, Milan and surrounding regions go to:

http://wonderfulexpo2015.info

WEATHER

www.worldweather.org

CURRENCY

www.xe.com

DESTINATION INFORMATION

Back to top

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ

ITALY > LAKE COMO

ITALY - IN SEARCH OFMUSSOLINI An interesting piece of Italian history

uncovered for Tour-smart by Norma

Rowlerson.

Read more Back to top

ITALY > ROME

ITALY - ROME Explore Rome by wheelchair - a new

option for Tour-smart travellers with

walking difficulties.

Read more Back to top

COUNTRY

Select...

CITY / TOWN

Select...

KEYWORDS

Show articles

Sign up to receive the

latest news from

Tour-Smart

direct into your inbox

Sign up free

Follow Tour-Smart

Visit Tour-Smart on

Facebook

Be the first of your frien

Tour-Smar80 likes

Like PageLike Page

UNITED KINGDOM -

WORLDWIDE TRAVEL

INFORMATION

Tour-smart's latest travel

information for the U.K.

Read more

CRUISE NEWS

Bringing Tour-smart's avid

cruisers the latest from the

world's cruise lines.

Read more

l inkonthomas The author

was patience that he describe

the Sweden in very beautiful

manner. I also went to

Sweden last month. Liseberg

amusement park was very

nice,and the flowers are

beautiful i never saw those...

Sweden

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Sweden · 4 years

ago

te lav ivvacat ionapartment

so many wonderful spot and

place,seems that I will enjoy

this places too.

Ecuador

information,tourism,holiday

destinations,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture,Ecuador,South

America · 4 years ago

Shantanu I'm heading to Hong

Kong in 3 weeks so this was a

timely article. Thank you.

Hong Kong Travel News

Article from Tour-Smart · 4years ago

James Kamroon Hello,

Very informative and helpful

post. You have good

command on the topic and

have explained in a very nice

way. Thanks for sharing.

Unwrapping-

Albania,Business Travel

,Information on

Albania,Vacations and

Holiday Magazine. · 4 years

ago

Best Cruise Lines for

Couples Denmark is one of

the beautiful place i've seen.

Denmark

information,tourism,holiday

destination,vacation

ideas,accommodation,travel

& culture in Denmark · 4years ago

RECENTCOMMENTS

Home About us Destinations Articles archive News Contact us Sign up free Advertise With Us Sitemap

DESTINATIONSEARCH

EMAILNEWSLETTERS

Home

Contact Tour-Smart

Sitemap Links

© 2015. All rights reserved

Click here to fill in the online

registration form.

MALAYSIA, Overview

ALBANIA, Overview

ALGERIA, Overview

ANDORRA, Overview

ARGENTINA, Overview

ASIA, OVERVIEW

Want to advertise with Tour-Smart? Popular Destinations

Web Design Ipswich

Web design with

flawless clarity

Rubious

Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 9 / 9