Milan

Milan is Italy's second largest city after Rome and the capital of Lombardy. It lies in the Po Valley, so the climate is mild, with warm summers and moderately cold winters. Founded by the Celts around 400 BC and taken by the Romans in 222 BC, the city was plundered and destroyed several times, and was razed completely by Frederick Barbarossa in 1162. It rose again under the Sforza family to become a leading city of the Italian Renaissance, and Leonardo da Vinci worked at their court for nearly 20 years. After Spanish and Austrian rule, it became part of the emerging Italian Kingdom in 1859. Since the 1980s Milan has been a thriving metropolis, leading in fashion, design and media. Milan Fashion Week takes place four times a year, and in menswear the city sets the tone ahead of Paris, New York and London.

Culture is a big draw too. The Gothic Milan Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, stands out within Italian architecture for its colorful glass windows and the rooftop statues, including the four-meter gilded Madonnina, the city's symbol. Opera fans will want to see La Scala, the world's most famous opera house. Tickets are nearly impossible to get and individual visits are not allowed, so a guided tour is the way to see the interior.

Milan has the biggest gay scene in all of Northern Italy. Bars and clubs are spread across the city, with a particular concentration around the Porta Venezia area. Annual highlights include Milan Gay Pride in June and the LGBTQ film festival MIX.