italian country kitchen design pictures

hi, i'm rick steves, back with moreof the best of europe. this time, we're in north italy, enjoying the loftyand inspiring heights of milano. thanks for joining us. many tourists come to italybecause of its past. but milano is today's italy, and no italian trip is completewithout visiting this city. while overlooked by many,

milano has plenty to seeand is a joy to visit. in milano,we'll soar on the rooftop of one of europe'sgrandest gothic cathedrals, window-shop in milan'sfashionable neighborhoods, visit the world'smost famous opera house, and admirea leonardo masterpiece before relaxing in the 19th-century charmof lake como. italy hosts millionsof visitors every year,

but many missthe highlights of the north. in this program,we tour milano and side tripinto the lake district, exploring my favorite --lake como -- specifically, the townsof varenna and bellagio. they say,for every church in rome, there's a bank in milan. italy's second city, and the capitalof the region of lombardy,

milano is a hardworking,fashion-conscious, time-is-money cityof nearly a million and a half. and the city is a fascinating melting potof people and history. italy recently surpassed britainin per capita income, and that didn't happen becauseof its cute riviera ports and tuscan hilltowns. the economic successof modern italy is driven by this city

of publicistsand pasta power lunches. milan is italy's industrial,banking, publishing,and convention capital. as if making up forits blocky architecture, its people are works of art. milan is an internationalfashion center with a refined taste. window displays are gorgeous. yet, thankfully, milan is

no more expensive for touriststhan other italian cities. the importance of milanois nothing new. three hundred yearsbefore christ, the romans called this placemediolanum, or "the central place." by the 4th century a.d.,it was the capital of the western halfof the roman empire. it was from herethat emperor constantine issued the edict of milan,

which legalized christianityin the year 313. after struggling throughthe early middle ages, milan rose to prominence under the powerful viscontiand sforza families. by the time of the renaissance, the city was called"the new athens" and was enough ofa cultural center for leonardo da vincito call home. and then came four centuriesof foreign domination --

spain, austria, france,and more austria. in the 19th century, milano becamea center of revolution against austrian rule, and then it helped spearheadthe movement for italian independenceand unification. in the 20th century,mussolini left a heavy fascist touchon milan's architecture. il duce himself

made grandiose speechesfrom these balconies. and milan's immensetrain station thunders fascism. every time i pass through,i imagine the rush the fascists must have felton the day in 1931 when the grand renovationsof this station were unveiled. it's designedto make you feel small, too smallto question mussolini and his government'sright wing agenda. mussolini's excesses led

to the bombing of milanin world war ii. but milan rose again. the 1959 pirelli towerwas a trendsetter. today, milan is dynamicand a commercial powerhouse. the city's centerpiece is its magnificent duomo,or cathedral -- the fourth-largest in europe. back in the 14th century,when europe was fragmented into countlesslittle independent states,

the dukes of milanwanted to impress their german and frenchcounterparts. to earn their respect,they built this huge and richly ornamentedcathedral. even thoughthe renaissance style, with its domesand rounded arches, was in vogue elsewherein italy, conservative milanostuck with the gothic style. the dukes,

thinking northernerscould relate better to gothic, loaded it with pointed spiresand arches. and everything's made of marble. the statues on the tipsof the many spires seem so relaxed, like they're just hanging out,waiting for their big day. the fanciful gargoyles,functioning as drain spouts, are especially imaginative. the church is a good exampleof the flamboyant,

or "flamelike,"overdone final stage of gothic. step inside, and you're struckby the immensity of the place. the soaring ceiling is supportedby sequoia-sized pillars. started in 1386and not finished until 1810, this construction projectoriginated the phrase italians use to saynever-ending -- "like building a cathedral." much of the brilliantlycolored stained glass dates from about 1500.

so does the fineinlaid marble floor. after 500 years of wear,you can tell that the black marbleis harder than the rest. a grotesque 16th-centurystatue of st. bartolomeo, a martyr skinned aliveby the romans, wears his skin like a robe. you can actually see his limpfeet and dangling face. it was sculptedby a student of leonardo, who obviously picked up

his master'spassion for the human anatomy. cap your visitwith a trip to the rooftop. walking through its forestof pinnacles and statues, you enjoy great viewsof the church's statuary, as well as of the city. and, crowning the cathedral, a golden virgin maryoverlooks everything. "la madonnina," as she'saffectionately called, is an icon of milano.

milan's main square isa classic european scene and a popularlocal gathering point. the statue featuresvictor emmanuel ii, first king of italy. he's lookingat the grand gallery named for him. the words above the triumphalarch entrance read -- "to victor emmanuel ii,from the people of milan." the galleria vittorio emanueleis the pride of the city.

built during the heady daysof italian unification, around 1870, it was the firstbuilding in town to have electric lighting. its art celebratesthe establishment of italy as an independent country. around the central dome, mosaics symbolizethe four major continents. the mosaic flooris also patriotic. the she-wolfwith romulus and remus

honors rome,the national capital. a favorite is the torino,or "little bull." while it representsthe city of torino, for locals,it's a source of good luck. they can't resist steppingon his little testicles. locals claim it works betterif you give it a spin. milan's immense sforza castletells the story of the city in brick. it guarded the gateto the city wall

and defended the ruling family from threatsboth foreign and domestic. in the 1500s, the entire city was circledby state-of-the-art walls, of which this castlewas a key element. it's apparent from the enormityof this fortification that milano wasa strategic prize. while the town wallsare long gone, this massive castle survives,leaving the city

with an inviting and well-usedpublic space. locals and tourists alike enjoy strollingits expansive grounds. a short tram ridetakes you to a different kind of public place -- milan's monumental cemetery. while there are manyevocative cemeteries in europe, this one --with its emotional portrayals of the departedand their heavenly escorts --

in the melodramatic art styles from the late 19thand early 20th centuries -- is in a class by itself. it's a vast garden art gallery of proud bustsand grim reapers, heartbroken angelsand weeping widows. soldiers too young to die. acres of grief, hope, and memories.

the grand,pedestrianized via dante leads from the sforza castle toward the town centerand the cathedral. it was carved out of a medievaltangle of streets to celebrate italianunification. because of that,the facades lining it are relatively new --dating from the late 1800s. over the vigorous complaintsof merchants, the street becametraffic-free in 1995.

today, those merchantswould have it no other way. fashionistas love milan'sworld-class shopping zone, a neighborhood calledthe quadrilateral. this eleganthigh-fashion district was the originalbeverly hills of milan. overseeing the shopping actionare the exclusive and elusivepenthouse apartments with their plush roof gardens. since the 1920s,

this has been the placefor designer labels. in this scene,the people-watching is as entertainingas the window-shopping. for edible fashion, check out one of milan'sgourmet delis like peck. if ever you wantedto have a picnic meal and not save money,buy it here. everything's impeccable,from the staff to the lavish displays.

the busy kitchen is likea gourmet assembly line. posh markets like thisserve fine food to both milan'sbusy professionals and its well-to-do. and if you're spendinghalf your budget on a picnic, you might as well ridethe elevator into the cellar for a bottle of wine to match. catering to peoplewith good taste and more money than time,

places like this putan elegant twist on fast food. 500 years ago,leonardo da vinci contributed to the city's reputationfor design and aesthetics. in fact, leonardo's identifiedwith milan more than any otheritalian city. this is where he spent some ofhis most productive years, enjoying the generous patronageof the sforza family. leonardo was the epitomeof a renaissance genius. that means he waswell-rounded --

he was a painterand sculptor. he was also a musician,scientist, engineer, architect -- you name it. he did everything,and he did it well. this statue celebratesthe many ways leonardo contributedto the city of milan during the yearshe lived here. the reliefs recall leonardo'svaried professional triumphs. leonardo, wearinghis hydroengineer hat here,

re-engineered milan's canalsystem, complete with locks. until the 1920s, milan was one of italy'smajor ports, with canals connecting the cityto the po river and to the mediterraneanbeyond. and leonardo designed the largest equestrianmonument in the world, again,for the sforza family. though the originalwas destroyed in 1499

by invading french troopswho used it for target practice, the giant horsewas rebuilt in 1999 by the american artistcharles dent, from leonardo's drawings. one of leonardo'sgreatest masterpieces decorates the monks'dining hall adjacent the church ofsanta maria delle grazie. admission to thelast supper is by reservation only, and spots can be booked upwell over a month in advance.

good guidebooksexplain the process. because of the fragility of this much-lovedrenaissance masterpiece, the humidityis carefully regulated. we're enjoying a private visitwith our tv camera. but normally, groups of 25are allowed in every 15 minutes, only after dehumidifyingin this waiting chamber. seeing the last supper,

one of the greatest worksin art history, is well worth the hassle. leonardo portraysthe last dinner jesus had with his disciplesbefore he was crucified. the composition is dreamy. leonardo capturesthe psychological drama as jesus says,"one of you will betray me," and the apostles, huddling instressed-out groups of three, wonder, "lord, is it i?"

some are scandalized, others want more information. in this agitated atmosphere, only judas, clutchinghis 30 pieces of silver, is not shocked. leonardo employs hisunderstanding of perspective to give the fresco added punch. the building'slines of perspective converge right on christ.

the viewer doesn't understandthe mathematics, but subconsciously, it's clear to anyoneenjoying this masterpiece that jesus is the powerfulcenter of it all. because of leonardo'sexperimental fresco technique, deterioration began withinsix years of its completion. the church was bombedin world war ii, but -- miraculously,it seemed -- the wall holding the last supperremained standing.

a recent restoration peeled away500 years of touch-ups, leaving a faint yet vibrantmasterpiece. the room depictedin the painting seems like an architecturalextension of the actual room. leonardo even painted as if the lightfrom the real windows hit the frescofrom the side. jesus anticipateshis sacrifice -- his face is sad, all-knowing,and accepting.

like any big european city, milano's public transitis first class, but only if you use it. trams screechand glide everywhere. the old and newshare the well-worn tracks. the modern underground makes this sprawling citymuch easier to manage. while most of the sightsare within walking distance, your day goes easier,

especiallyin the heat of the summer, when you use the metro. milan is home to possibly the world'smost prestigious opera house -- la scala. while tickets are priceyand tough to get, anyone can visit the museum, which comes with a peekat the plush theater, often getting set upfor the next performance.

since it opened in 1778, la scala has been committedto hosting the grandest of operasin all their intended glory. [ man singing aria ] the la scala museum collectionfeatures things that mean absolutely nothingto the mtv crowd -- toscanini's eyeglasses, well-worn batons, caruso's bust,

original scores, and much more. the halls are alivewith memories of the great composersand musicians that made this the ultimate opera scene. for over two centuries,milan's glitterati has enjoyedbreathtaking performances by the biggest namesin opera, from maria callas all the way back to verdi. giuseppe verdi wasthe greatest

of the romanticitalian opera composers. and in the 19th century, his name meantmore than music. he was a champion of the italianunification movement. back when flyingan italian flag could get you in trouble, verdi's arias servedas virtual national anthems. the nearby risorgimento museum tells the storyof italy's unification.

it helps us imaginethe excitement in europe during the mid-1800s as the modern nationsof italy, germany, and otherswere being born. back then,a few royal families -- such as the habsburgs,bourbons, and romanovs -- ruled europewithout regard to nationality. and none of them wanted to see the emergenceof modern nation states.

even without reallyunderstanding the details, just ponderingthe stirring paintings here makes it clearthere are italian equivalents to our battles of bunker hill,valley forge, and yorktown. after four centuriesof foreign rule, milan helped spearheaditaly's road to unity. step by step --whether in bloody battle or by popular vote,as was the case in venice -- italy went froma peninsula of colonies

and small states in 1850 to one united country in 1870. italy's heroic struggleswere led by patriots whose namesare household words today. mazzini -- the intellectualwho spread the notion that italian-speaking peopleshould be one nation. garibaldi --the guerilla war hero whose feisty little armyof red shirts brought sicilyand southern italy

into the fold. and victor emmanuel --the only italian blooded king, who, upon unification,was the slam-dunk favorite to be the first constitutionalmonarch of the new italy. throughout italy, the george washingtonsand thomas jeffersons of the italian independencemovement are celebrated. statues, streets, and squaresare named in honor of the founding fathersof modern italy.

but to be honest,most milanese seem obliviousto all this history. they just enjoy beingwho they are. the special italian loveof life is easy to feelin milan's many fine parks, and in a scene like this, the traveler can glimpse yetanother dimension of this city,its people at play. another favorite placefor the milanese

is an hour away by train. lombardy's seductively beautifullakes district, where italy meets the alps, seems heaven-sentfor communing with nature. in this landof so many popular lakes, the million-euro question is --which one? while all the lakeshave their charms, lake como is my favorite. it offers the best mixof accessibility,

scenery,and offbeat-ness with a heady whiff ofaristocratic-old-days romance. lake como is lined with elegant19th-century villas, crowned bysnowcapped mountains and busy with fleetsof little ferries. it's a good placeto take a break from the intensity ofurban turnstile sightseeing. it seems half the travelersyou'll meet have tossed their itinerariesinto the lake

and are actually relaxing. today the hazy, lazy lake'sonly serious industry is tourism. lake como's isolationand flat economy have left it pretty muchthe way 19th-century romantic poetsfirst described it. bellagio, the self-proclaimed"pearl of the lake," is a classy combination of old-world eleganceand new world luxury.

spendy five-star hotelsgive the well heeled traveler all the comfortsthey're accustomed to. harborfront shopsentice posh travelers with jewelry and accessories. the heavy curtainsbetween the arcades keep the visitors andtheir poodles from sweating. the steep lanesrising from the harbor front lead to a tangleof sun-splashed squares. part of the funof your lake visit

is town-hoppingon the ferries. for me, the ideal home basefor lago di como is 15 minutesfrom bellagio -- varenna. this town of 800 people offersthe best of all lake worlds. easily accessibleby train from milan, yet on the less-developed sideof the lake, varenna hasa romantic promenade... a tiny harbor... and narrow lanes.

these buildingsare stringently protected. you can't even changethe color of your home without asking permission. there are no streetsin the old town, just characteristicstepped lanes. it's an ideal place to savor a lakeside cappuccinoor aperitivo. imagine this sleepy harbor200 years ago. it was busy.

there were coopers craftingoaken chestnut into barrels, stoneworkerscarving and shipping varenna's prized black marble, and fishing boats dragged uponto this cobbled beach. many lake como townshave a villa or two, with their dilapidated19th-century elegance and wistful gardens opento the public, and even transformedinto inviting hotels. in varenna, the sprawlinglakeside villa cipressi

rents rooms and welcomesvisitors -- for a small fee -- to explore its peacefulterraced garden. albergo milano,located right in the old town, is the kind of place i liketo recommend in my guidebooks. it's graciously run by egidio and his swiss wife, bettina. fusing the best of italywith the best of switzerland, the place manages to be bothromantic and very well-run. most of its comfy roomsoffer dreamy lake views.

and egidio is a fine chef. the limited menu changes daily, according to the seasonand the chef's whim. varenna whispersluna dimiele, "honeymoon." and a good placeto enjoy that romance is strolling alongits passerella. you'll passwisteria-drenched villas, evocative vistas, and lakeside loversembracing the moment.

it's places like this where i really feelthe romance of europe. i hope you've enjoyed our lookat milano and lago di como. i'm rick steves. until next time,keep on traveling. ciao.

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