Buying real estate in Lombardy

There is a host of choices for those looking to buy property in Lombardy. It’s Italy’s most populus, richest and most developed region, yet it boasts some of the finest inland waterways in Europe in Lakes Como, Maggiore and Garda. It suffers more than most areas of Italy from industrial sprawl and pollution, yet it has enticing mediaeval towns and, developed as it is, it has excellent communications, bustling cities and no shortage of things to do.

In passing, whether you're coming to Lombardy to research property, or just for a quick Milan weekend, you'll find a wide range of hotels on ahotelinitaly.com, all offering instant booking, Google mapping and real-time availability. Follow the links below for local hotel listings:

Brescia hotels / Como hotels / Milan hotels

Real estate in Lombardy — a region rich in history

Lombardy’s geographical position has been both a weakness and a strength over the centuries. With its strategic position at the southern side of the Alps, and controlling the passes through the mountains, it was always a prime target for invasion. The Romans came first of course, being ousted in the sixth century by the Lombards, who descended from northern Europe. Charlemagne and Napoleon were crowned in Milan, such was its perceived importance, an effective capital of Italy.

It was ruled by the Spanish, the Austrians and the French, but also profited from its strategic position, growing rich on the constant flow of travellers through the region. It’s been at the heart of modern Italy — the Risorgimento that led to the unification of Italy started here in 1860; fascism flourished here after World War I; and Milan was the crucible of Italy’s economic miracle, which kickstarted the country again in the 1950s. Buy real estate in Lombardy and you are investing in the true heart of Italy.

Purchase real estate in Milan

There are many reasons to consider buying a home in Milan. It is the most populated part of this populus region, thriving on the finance and fashion industries, and with a rich cultural life — The La Scala opera house is here. There is a thriving café and restaurant society, good nightlife and two of Italy’s top football teams in AC Milan and Internazionale (Inter Milan). And there is an undeniable buzz about this home of the international fashion business.

To many northerners, Milan is the de facto capital of Italy. The country’s second-largest city not only has its own stock exchange, but is the national centre for petrochemicals, engineering, textiles, food, furniture, shoes and leather, manufacturing and engineering. It’s not cheap of course — property can cost around €6000 per square metre, the costliest real estate in Italy.

Real estate in Mantua and Pavia

But there’s much more to Lombardy than Milan, and a property in Mantua or Brescia could cost only a third of the equivalent in Milan. Writer Aldous Huxley described Mantua (or Mantova) as ‘the most romantic city in the world’. Verdi set Rigoletto in this city of domed rooftops shimmering above the three lakes around. Retaining its medieval core around a centre of connecting cobbled piazzas, Manuta was one of the richest towns in Renaissance Italy, ruled by the Gonzaga family for three centuries.

Pavia meanwhile, another medieval gem, was known as the city of a hundred towers. Like San Gimignano in Tuscany, only a few remain today, but with many Gothic and Romanesque churches amidst the complex network of alleyways and cobbled piazzas, it maintains a charming feel, and is set in the Ticino Valley national park. Buying a property in Pavia will not only be considerably cheaper than Milan but puts you in touch with the real, medieval Italy. Or head south from here to the little town of Casteggio, which offers exceptional value. Recent properties included a five-bedroom apartment in need of modernisation at €100,000. Heading into the countryside, a beautiful, derelict and frankly huge farmhouse at Borgoratto Mormorolo would provide six bedrooms when refurbished … on the market at €240,000.

Buying real estate in Cremona, Bergamo or Brescia

Other options for buying property in Lombardy include the medieval city of Cremona — the home to Stradivarius, and now the violin-making capital of the world, with around 100 makers active in the town. Or head 50km north of Milan to Bergamo, quarter of a mile up above the Lombardian plain. This is one of Italy’s prettiest cities, with mountain air, yet with easy access to airports and major roads. And Brescia, sandwiched between two lakes, lying between hills clad in vineyards, has a medieval city centre, Renaissance piazzas and Roman remains. Look for property in and around Cremona, Bergamo and Brescia — there are good deals to be had.

Henry James opined that ‘One can’t describe the beauty of the Italian lakes.’ If it foxed one of our greatest writers we won’t try. Pay a visit to Lakes Maggiore, d’Orta, Garda or Como and fall in love with mountain-fringed expanses of clear water, offering a haven to walkers, climbers, riders and lovers of watersports. Buy a home in the Italian Lakes and you can escape to an unspoiled idyll for holidays … or for good.

Moving to Lombardy — what’s on the menu

While pasta may be the carb of choice for most Italians, if you’re looking for real estate in Lombardy it will help if you have a taste for rice. The Ticino Valley is home to endless acres of paddy fields and rice features heavily, particularly in risotto alla Milanese. This delicious dish iw coloured with the golden saffron introduced by the Spaniards and flavoured with veal stock, rosemary and sage.

Ironically, piatti poveri or ‘poor food’ abounds in the rural areas of this moneyed region. Examples include the buckwheat noodles or pizzoccheri of the Valtellina Valley. And polenta is another staple, much to the derision of southern Italians — a maize porridge used as an accompaniment to meat or eaten alone. Lombardy is a big cheese producer: Gorgonzola, Mascarpone, Taleggio and the parmesan-like Grana Padano are all popular. But it would be a mistake to generalise too much about the Lombardy menu — there are remarkable variations from area to area, with some quarters hardly using rice. This is a home to great cuisine, with gastronomic capitals including Sondrio, Cremon, Brescia, Bergamo and Mantua. Wherever you buy a home in Lombardy you’re sure to find surprises on the menu.