Odds and Ends

In the shadow of the Duomo di Milano, the largest church in all of Italy, sits the equally famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the oldest shopping mall in the world, where it is possible to indulge in the most stratospheric levels of "retail therapy." The Galleria is often nicknamed il salotto di Milano (Milan's drawing room), due to its numerous shops and importance as a common Milanese meeting and dining place.

The Galleria opened in 1867, and in 1915 the Camparino Bar opened, and the aperitif Campari was first introduced to the public. The bar has been the haunt of many famous Milanese, including Giuseppe Verdi, and Arturo Toscannini, who used to stop by after performances at La Scala, the famous Opera house, right up the street.