Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region, has a secret soul
An ancient crypt under the city
The northern Italian city which is synonymous with fashion and finance, easily conjures up visions of haute couture and bustling streets. But for the discerning traveler Milan holds a secret, softer charm, a hidden world where the city's soul whispers rather than shouts. Such as descending into the Cripta di San Sepolcro crypt which is a realm of hushed reverence. This ancient crypt, which is less than half a mile from Milan’s iconic Duomo, and easily reached on foot, dates back to the 4th century and lies beneath the city. Dimly lit and serene it is a space that exudes a quiet spirituality that contrasts with Milan’s surface energy.
The secrets of a popular digestif liqueur
Above ground Milan’s industrious spirit takes a creative turn at the Branca Museum, located in the north-western Bovisa district. This museum is a celebration of the craft behind one of Italy's most iconic digestif liqueurs, Fernet-Branca. Enormous oak barrels tower in a cavernous space, the air heavy with the scent of botanicals in this place where you can learn about the family legacy and the secrets of how Fernet Branca is produced.
Milan’s memorial Holocaust Museum
Closer to the city's fashionable core Binario 21 offers a hauntingly different perspective. This memorial space is the city’s Holocaust Museum and lines beneath Milan’s Central Station. It unveils a sobering chapter of history: the deportation of Jews and political prisoners during World War II, and walking through this space the contrast between Milan's polished present and its poignant past becomes strikingly clear. 
The Museo Bagatti Valsecchi is a time capsule
For a final flourish, the opulent world of the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi awaits. This is a time capsule in the heart of the city, a 19th-century mansion where art, architecture, and history merge. Every corner reveals exquisite treasures - from Renaissance tapestries to intricate ceramics -collected by two visionary brothers. In these hidden corners of Milan we find not the city of showy runways and 5-star excellence, but one of quiet elegance and unexpected surprises. Here, in the shadows and light, Milan reveals some of its best-kept secrets.
