Walking out of either train station in the middle of the day puts you immediately into the frenetic pace that is Milan. Not content to be another romantic, sleepy village, Milan is the epicenter of Italian business and wears its shield with modern day pride and, of course, style. But dig a little deeper, under the designer label fashions, behind the few skyscrapers, and around the winding, cobblestone back streets and you’ll discover a charm common to most Italians and a quirkiness that is uniquely Milanese.

Very different from other Italian cities, Milan offers an unusual mixture of modern architecture that, but walk down Via Della Spiga, Milan’s Rodeo Drive, or any significant shopping street for that matter, and you’ll see lively windows giddy with the season’s frivolous frocks in the colors of the moment. Milan also has its pockets of old world Italian charm. The heart of the city is the Duomo, the world’s fourth largest church dating back to 1384. Climb to the rooftop of this truly impressive piece of Gothic architecture and you may find, among the more than 3000 statutes, a few laughing heads taunting you from long ago.

You’ll find genuinely warm and charming folks eager to tell a story or hear yours, particularly if you speak their language. Whether it’s the café barrista who creates a little “ciao” in the froth of your cappucino, or the large group of Italian friends out for their weekly dinner, you will feel the energy and enthusiasm for all things beautiful – “la bella vita”.