The Italian city of Milan is one of the international tourism destinations, appearing among the forty most visited cities in the world, ranking second in Italy after Rome, fifth in Europe and sixteenth in the world. One source has 56% of international visitors to Milan are from Europe, 44% of the city's tourists are Italian, and 56% are from abroad. The most important European Union markets are the United Kingdom (16%), Germany (9%) and France (6%). Most of the visitors who come from the United States to the city go on business matters, while Chinese and Japanese tourists mainly take up the leisure segment.
The city boasts several popular tourist attractions, such as the Milan Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo, the Teatro alla Scala, the San Siro Stadium, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Castello Sforzesco, the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Via Montenapoleone, the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, the Navigli and the Brera district. The Milan Cathedral is the city's most popular tourist destination. Milan has a plethora of museums, ranging from science and industry to antiquities and art.
The city also has numerous hotels, including the ultra-luxurious Town House Galleria, which is the world's first seven-star hotel according to Société Générale de Surveillance (five-star superior luxury according to state law, however) and one of The Leading Hotels of the World. The average stay for a tourist in the city is of 3.43 nights, whilst foreigners stay for longer periods of time, 77% of which stay for a 2-5 night average. Milan is one of the key transport nodes of Italy and southern Europe. Its central railway station is Italy's second, after Rome Termini railway station, and Europe's eighth busiest. The Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio airports serve the Greater Milan, the largest metropolitan area in Italy.
Tourism and statistics
Milan is one of the international tourism destinations, appearing among the forty most visited cities in the world, ranking second in Italy after Rome, fifth in Europe and sixteenth in the world. One source has 56% of international visitors to Milan are from Europe, 44% of the city's tourists are Italian, and 56% are from abroad. The most important European Union markets are the United Kingdom (16%), Germany (9%) and France (6%).
Most of the visitors who come from the United States to the city go on business matters, while Chinese and Japanese tourists mainly take up the leisure segment. Results from the same study also say that 60% of tourists who visit Milan are male, while 40% are female. Over 58% of visitors travel by air, and 26% by car.
Visitors to Milan appreciate it for different reasons; for example, 65% of visitors say that public transport is efficient, while 35% say that it is expensive and inadequate. Usually, tourists find that Milan has good entertainment and cultural opportunities (i.e. shopping, cuisine, music, nightlife and the arts) and that leisure activities are organized well and to a professional level.
Overall, the average tourist visiting Milan is satisfied by the city; over 63% say it was as they expected, 80% would want to return and 74% would advise a friend to go. They also find that taxis are efficient and easy to find and that communication (i.e. advertising events and attractions) is good. However, many say that there is not enough green space, that the city is very expensive and that the average level of English, as of 2009, is not very high.
The number of international tourists has been steadily increasing, and as of 2015 there were around 3.21 million international arrivals.
History of Milan
Founded around 590 BC under the name Medhelanon by a Celtic tribe belonging to the Insubres group and belonging to the Golasecca culture, it was conquered by the ancient Romans in 222 BC, who Latinized the name of the city into Mediolanum. The city's role as a major political centre dates back to the late antiquity, when it served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire. During late antiquity, the Edict of Milan was promulgated, which granted freedom of worship to all Roman citizens, therefore also to Christians.
From the 12th century until the 16th century, Milan was one of the largest European cities and a major trade and commercial centre; consequently, it became the capital of the Duchy of Milan, one of the greatest political, artistic and fashion forces in the Renaissance. Having become one of the main centres of the Italian Enlightenment during the early modern period, the city subsequently became the industrial and financial capital of modern Italy. Capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, after the Restoration it was among the most active centres of the Risorgimento, until its entry into the unified Kingdom of Italy.
With the unification of the country, Milan became the dominant commercial center of northern Italy. In 1919 Benito Mussolini rallied the Blackshirts for the first time in Milan, and later they began their March on Rome from Milan. During World War II Milan was extensively damaged by Allied bombings. Upon the surrender of Italy in 1943 German forces occupied northern Italy until the end of the war in 1945. Members of the Italian resistance in Milan took control of the city and executed Mussolini, his mistress, and other leaders of his Fascist government by hanging in Piazzale Loreto, Milan.
Since the end of World War II, Italy experienced an economic boom. From 1951 until 1967 the population of Milan grew from 1.3 million to 1.7 million. The city was reconstructed, but in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the city suffered from a huge wave of street violence, labor strikes and political terrorism during so called Years of Lead. During the 1980s, Milan became one of the world's fashion capitals. The rise of financial services and the service economy during the late 20th century further strengthened Milan's position as the Italian economic capital. The city's renewal in the 21st century was marked, among others, by hosting of the World Expo 2015 or big redevelopment projects such as Porta Nuova district or CityLife district.
Most popular tourist attractions
The architectural and artistic presence in Milan represents one of the attractions of the Lombard capital. Milan has been among the most important Italian centres in the history of architecture, has made important contributions to the development of art history, and has been the cradle of a number of modern art movements.
The city boasts several popular tourist attractions, such as the Milan Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo, the Teatro alla Scala, the San Siro Stadium, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Castello Sforzesco, La Scala, the Royal Villa of Milan, the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Via Montenapoleone, the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, the Navigli, the Brera district, the Royal Palace of Milan, the Chiaravalle Abbey, the Porta Sempione, the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio, the Bosco Verticale, the Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Cimitero Monumentale di Milano, CityLife district, the Colonne di San Lorenzo, Corso Buenos Aires, Palazzo Marino, Palazzo Mezzanotte, Palazzo Lombardia, Piazza Mercanti, Piazza Cordusio, Piazza Gae Aulenti, the Piccolo Teatro, Porta Nuova district, the Quadrilatero della moda, the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Via Dante, and Via Monte Napoleone. The Milan Cathedral is the city's most popular tourist destination.
Museums
Milan has a plethora of museums, ranging from science and industry to antiquities and art. Below is a list of the main museums and permanent exhibitions in the city.
Pinacoteca di Brera, a public gallery of art set up in the 1700s hosting works by Francesco Hayez, Andrea Mantegna, Caravaggio, Anthony van Dyck, Titian, Donato Bramante and Piero della Francesca. Museo del Novecento, a museum created in 2010 with a collection of paintings and sculptures from the first half of the 20th century. Its collection has works by Italian futurists such as Umberto Boccioni, Giorgio de Chirico, Fortunato Depero. It also has works by foreign artists such as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano, a museum of natural history. It boasts a whole sperm whale skeleton and a vast collection of dioramas. Sforza Castle museums, which are around 6 different museums, there being the Antique Furniture & Wooden Sculpture Museum, the Applied Arts Collection, the Egyptian Museum, the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Museo d'Arte Antica, and the Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco. Mudec, "the museum of cultures", a space hosting a permanent exhibition of artefacts from different cultures and many temporary exhibitions, such as one on Roy Lichtenstein during the summer of 2019 Civic Aquarium of Milan, founded in 1906, is one of the oldest aquariums in the world. it is housed in a Viennese art nouveau building in the Parco Sempione area. ADI Design Museum displays the historic collection of the Compasso d'Oro design award. Planetario di Milano, inaugurated in 1930, continues to be Italy's largest planetarium as well as one of the most prominent in Europe and the rest of the world. Archaeological Museum of Milan is a civic collection of Ancient Greece, Romans, Etruscans and Early Middle Ages archeologic reperts. Galleria d'Arte Moderna (GAM), housed in the Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, hosts a collection largely of Italian and European works from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Gallerie d'Italia - Piazza Scala hosts a paintings and sculpture collection of 19th and 20th century belonging to Intesa Sanpaolo international banking group. Alongside hosts temporary exhibitions. Triennale di Milano. International cultural institution established in 1923, host exhibitions meetings and conferences. It showcases a permantent collection of Italian design and hosts the Triennale Teatro dell' Arte. Leonardo3 Museum. Leonardo da Vinci's 3D machines, physical reconstructions and restorations of artwork in virtual reality. Housed in the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery. Memoriale della Shoah di Milano. Shoah memorial built on the site where Jews and political opponents were deported during the German occupation of Italy. Brera Astronomical Observatory. Houses scientific instruments that were used by astronomers from 1760 to the middle of the 20th century, including the Merz telescope that was used by Giovanni Schiaparelli for his early observations of Mars. Bagatti Valsecchi Museum. One of the well-preserved house museums in the world. Hosts a collection of 15th and 16th century paintings and artefacts. Diocesan Museum of Milan. Houses a permanent collection of sacred artworks, especially from Milan and Lombardy area. Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci. One of the biggest science museum in Europe. It is also home of the submarine Toti and Vega space vector. Museo Poldi Pezzoli. Displays a collection of paintings and decorative arts from archeological times to 19th century, belonged to Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli. Museo Teatrale alla Scala. Founded in 1913, reopened in 2004 after restoration works. Showing a collection of artifacts, paintings and instruments related to the Teatro alla Scala opera house history. PAC - Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea. Exhibition venue of Italian and international contemporary artists designed by architect Ignazio Gardella. Palazzo Moriggia - Museo del Risorgimento. The collection include works and antiques from the Napoleonic period to the annexation of Rome by the kingdom of Italy. Royal Palace of Milan. Milan's main exhibition venue from ancient to contemporary art shows. San Siro Museum. About Inter Milan and A.C. Milan football clubs. Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Historic library founded in 1609 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, also housing a painting collection most from the Renaissance, one of the main in the city.