Milan

As Italy's fashion capital (spawning the likes of Armani, Prada, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana), Milan is serried with sleek boutiques, smart bars, swanky restaurants and glamorous clubs. Its inhabitants' discerning tastes have pushed the envelope on design, vetoing foreign chains in favour of independent businesses. Milan also sets a super fast style pace for the rest of Italy. Residents compare it to New York's Upper East Side, with which it shares a similar sense of sophistication, decadence, snobbery and vanity, and a love of lounge bars, partying and Sunday brunches. The 2nd edition of Hg2 Milan gets under this veneer of snobbery and reveals all the latest hotspots where the out-of-towner fashionista (and entourage) can hob-nob with those in the know or escape the crowds for some low-key luxe.