while overlooked by many, milano has plenty to see and it's a joy to visit. fashionistas love milan's world-class shopping zone, a neighborhood called the quadrilateral. this elegant high-fashion district was the original beverly hills of milan. overseeing the shopping action are the exclusive and elusive penthouse apartments with their plush roof gardens. since the 1920s, this has been the place for designer labels. in this scene, the people-watching is as entertaining as the window-shopping. another favorite place for the milanese is an hour away by train. lombardy's seductively beautiful lakes district, where italy meets the alps, seems heaven-sent for communing with nature. in this land of so many popular lakes, the million-euro question is -- which one? while all the lakes have their charms, lake como is my favorite. it offers the best mix of accessibility, scenery, and offbeat-ness with a heady whiff of aristocratic-old-days romance. lake como is lined with elegant 19th-century villas, crowned by snowcapped mountains and busy with fleets of little ferri