Population:  8.988.951
Surface (Kmq): 23872
Density (Inhabitants/Kmq.): 377
Main city: Milano (MI)
Other towns: Bergamo (BG); Brescia (BS); Como (CO); Cremona (CR); Lecco (LC); Lodi (LO); Mantova (MN); Pavia (PV).

Often referred to as 'Lombardy and the Lakes' due to Lakes Maggiore, Como, Orta and Garda (amongst others), this is the most populous, most developed and most wealthy of the Italian regions. It has the de facto capital of northern Italy, Milan, and many northern Italians will claim that this centre of fashion, commerce, finance and industry is a worthier capital than Rome. Lombardy has superb medieval cities in the shape of Mantua, Pavia, Brescia, Bergamo and Cremona. Pavia was once the Lombards' capital and Cremona is a medieval gem famed as the working place of Stradivarius. North of Milan, the Italian Lakes are truly beautiful and they have inspired artists for centuries - Bellini, Rossini and Verdi were three composers who took lakeside homes. To the east of Milan is the medieval city of Brescia, nestling between twin lakes and surrounded by hillsides covered in vines.