Lombardy

The region of Lombardy stretches from the Alps on the border with Schwizerland, down through the romantic lakes of Como and Maggiore to the broad, flat plain of River Po. It is an area of lakeside villas with azalea-filled gardens, of wealthy towns with imposing palazzo and highly decorated churches, and of efficient modern industry and large-scale agriculture, the financial heart of Italy. At its centre stands Milan, the style-conscious capital of Lombardy.