Population: In Milan proper there are about 1.5 million inhabitants.

Currency: The Italian currency is the Italian Lira. Bank accounts are now in use with the European-wide Euro, however The currency itself will be introduced in January 2001.

Weather: Generally the weather is warm from June to September, although rainfall can be high in September. Winters are cold, but snow is extremely rare. Average temperatures in winter go from the 30s to the 50s F (0 to 10 C) and in summer from 75 to 85 F (20 - 30 C).

Food: The city has a strong provincial cuisine. Polenta is served with a lot of dishes and risotto dominates the first course of the city's menus, as compared with more pasta in the south of Italy. The most typical dishes are Risotto alla Milanese (yellow-saffron rice), Cotoletta alla Milanese (fried beef chop), and Ossobuco (veal shank).

Public Transportation: Milan has three underground/subway lines that are very reliable and safe and reach many parts of the city. It also has an extensive network of buses and trams that go where the underground doesn't reach. A ticket costs 1,500 lira. Taxis are also available and relatively inexpensive.