Professor Marina Brambilla
Rector of the University of Milan since 1 October 2024, the first woman to hold the post, and a professor of German linguistics.
University of Milan, International Medical School
A six-year medicine degree taught in English at an Italian public university, for about €402 a year for an Indian student.
1,500+ Students trust us
Italy
Country
Milan
City
€402 a year
Tuition and taxes, about ₹42,700
English
Medium, with Italian at B2 before Year 3
For Indian Students
Can Indian students study MBBS in Italy?
Short answer: Yes, Indian students can study medicine in Italy. No, the Italian degree does not currently meet the NMC rules, so it does not lead to the FMGE or an Indian licence.
Admission is open to Indian students
Indian students apply for the non-EU places at public universities through the IMAT, which can be sat in India, while Humanitas University runs its own admission test. A qualified NEET UG result is still required before taking up a medical seat abroad.
Why the degree is not NMC compliant
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training inside the course and no separate internship, so it does not meet this rule.
What this means if you want to work in India
As things stand, an Italian medical degree does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force). Italy is the right choice if you plan to practise in Italy, the EU or the UK, or to take the USMLE route.
Introduction
The International Medical School at the University of Milan
- Study programme:International Medical School (IMS): Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (LM-41), equivalent to MBBS
- Language:English, with Italian at B2 needed before clinical training starts in Year 3
- Duration:6 years, 360 credits, with clerkships from Year 3 and the tirocinio in Years 5 and 6
- University type:Italian public university in an EU member state, founded in 1924
- Per academic year fees:About €402 · ₹42,700 (India in Group A: €146 plus €256)
- Entrance examination:IMAT (29 September 2026 for the 2026/27 intake)
- Application window:IMAT registration on Universitaly, 26 August to 9 September 2026
- International seats:15 places for non-EU students living abroad, out of 75
Inner courtyard of the Ca' Granda at the University of Milan at dusk, with the colonnade lit and a modern glass installation on the lawn
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Recognition & Prestige
Rankings & Recognition
The University of Milan sits in the 126 to 150 band for Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health in the Times Higher Education 2026 subject rankings. It is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), and its courses are accredited by ANVUR, which is recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education.
126 to 150
Times Higher Education 2026, Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health
Years one and two of the International Medical School are taught at the LITA campus in Segrate, and clinical training from year three runs at Niguarda and other affiliated hospitals in Milan. EU Directive 2005/36/EC lists the Italian medical qualification at Annex V, point 5.1.1, and since 2020 the degree itself is the licence to practise in Italy. Because the school is listed in WDOMS, graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and the USMLE. The GMC lists the Italian degree as a relevant European qualification, so UK registration is applied for directly, without PLAB. For India, the degree includes three months of practical training (the tirocinio) and no separate 12-month internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India.
Accreditations and Recognition
WDOMS
The University of Milan's medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
WFME
Courses accredited by ANVUR, Italy's national agency, which is recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education
EU
Italy is an EU member state, and the Italian medical qualification is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.1 of EU Directive 2005/36/EC
Complete Information About the Milan International Medical School
Get complete information about the IMS programme, including tuition, living costs, the IMAT and recognition for Indian students.
Success stories
Student Success Stories
Hear directly from students who are studying medicine in Europe with futureMBBS.
Academic Excellence
Why Study Medicine at the University of Milan
Milan charges an Indian student about €402 a year, has taught medicine in English since 2010 and has nonstop flights to Delhi. Against that, Milan is an expensive city, Italian at B2 is needed before Year 3, and the degree does not meet the NMC rules for practising in India. Both sides are set out below.
About €402 a Year
A Ranked Medical School
Running Since 2010
Clinical Training at Niguarda
A Nonstop Flight to Delhi
Fifteen Places for Non-EU Students
An Expensive City
Italian at B2 Before Year 3
Plan Around the NMC Position
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How to Apply
Admission Process for the International Medical School
Admission runs through the IMAT into 15 places for non-EU candidates living abroad. NEET does not decide the Italian place, but a qualified NEET UG result is a separate Indian requirement before you take up a medical seat abroad.
Admission Timeline
- 1Before applyingQualify NEET UG
Indian students need a qualified NEET UG result before taking up a medical seat abroad, and the result stays valid for three years from its declaration. This is an Indian requirement, separate from the Italian process.
- 2Pre-enrolmentChoose your university on Universitaly
Pre-enrol on the Universitaly portal and name the University of Milan, because a non-EU candidate living abroad competes only in the ranking of the one university named there. Arrange a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value for your Class 12 certificate at the same time.
- 326 August to 9 September 2026Register for the IMAT
For 2026/27, IMAT registration ran on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and India was one of the test countries. The 2025 reform that replaced the entrance test for Italian-language medicine with an open first semester did not apply to English-taught courses, which still admit through the IMAT.
- 429 September 2026Sit the IMAT
Sixty multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes: 4 reading, 5 logical reasoning, 23 biology, 15 chemistry and 13 physics and mathematics. A correct answer earns 1.5 marks, a wrong answer loses 0.4 and a blank scores zero, to a maximum of 90.
- 5RankingCompete for fifteen places
Places go in rank order of IMAT score. An Indian applicant competes only for the 15 places for non-EU candidates living abroad, not for the 60 places for EU candidates and residents of Italy.
- 6After the resultEnrolment, visa, permit and health registration
Enrol and pay, then apply for the Italian type D study visa, showing at least €10,179.85 a year (about ₹10.8 lakh) and proof of accommodation. After arriving, apply for the permesso di soggiorno, the residence permit. Non-EU students on a study permit also register with the Italian National Health Service, at €700 a year (about ₹74,200) for a student without dependants. At Milan the first fee instalment is €146.
Eligibility Criteria
Academic Qualification
Applicants need Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, after at least twelve years of schooling, backed by a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value. Under Indian NMC rules an Indian applicant also needs Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English at Class 12, with at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology for the general category, 40% for SC, ST and OBC candidates and 45% for general-category candidates with benchmark disabilities, together with a qualified NEET UG result.
Subjects:
PhysicsChemistryBiologyEnglish
Age Requirement
Under Indian NMC rules the candidate must be 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year, with no upper age limit.
- Minimum 17 yearsAge to be completed by 31 December of the admission year, under Indian NMC rules
Requirements
Two things govern a Milan application beyond the test.
Fifteen Places for Non-EU Applicants
The non-EU quota for candidates living abroad is 15 of 75 for 2026/27. Because you compete only in the ranking of the university you name on Universitaly, weigh this quota when you choose.
Italian at B2 Before Year 3
Italian is not needed to enrol, but the university asks for B2 before clinical training starts in year three. Start learning Italian in the first year.
Entrance Examination
Admission rests on the IMAT score against the non-EU quota.
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | 100 minutes, 60 multiple-choice questions with five options each, maximum score 90 |
| Sections | Reading 4, logical reasoning 5, biology 23, chemistry 15, physics and mathematics 13 |
| Marking | Plus 1.5 for a correct answer, minus 0.4 for a wrong answer, zero for a blank |
| 2026/27 dates | Registration on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026; test on 29 September 2026 |
Required Documents
To apply, students need to submit essential academic and identification documents:
- Class 12 certificate with a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value
- Universitaly pre-enrolment and IMAT registration
- Proof of English for pre-enrolment, such as IELTS
- Valid passport and the documents the Italian consulate asks for
- NEET UG scorecard, required separately of Indian nationals
- + More
Admission Guidance & Document Checklist
Get the complete document checklist or admission guidance from our experts.
Programme Structure
MBBS Curriculum & Internship Structure
The International Medical School runs six years and 360 credits, taught in English, with clerkships from Year 3. The tirocinio, three months of practical training required by Italian law, is taken in Years 5 and 6. Since 2020 the degree itself is the licence to practise in Italy, so there is no separate internship after it, which is the point that matters for Indian students (see the FMGE section below).
Medicine Course
Total Duration:
6 Years, 360 credits, with clerkships from Year 3 and a 15-credit tirocinio in Years 5 and 6
Degree:
Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (equivalent to MBBS)
Curriculum Phases at the International Medical School
Year 1
Foundations
Cells, molecules and genes with the basic sciences and the first anatomy teaching:
Cells, Molecules and GenesFundamentals of Basic SciencesHistologyAnatomyBiochemistryBiomedical ImagingYear 2
Function and Mechanism
Integrated biochemistry, physiology and anatomy alongside the mechanisms of disease:
Biochemistry and PhysiologyGeneticsMicrobiologyAnatomy and PhysiologyMechanisms of DiseaseYear 3
Clinical Medicine Begins
The first clinical year, with clerkships in cardiovascular, kidney, respiratory, internal medicine and surgical blocks; Italian at B2 is needed from here:
Fundamentals of Clinical MedicineTranslational MedicineBiostatisticsPharmacologyClerkshipsYear 4
Specialty Clinical Medicine
Specialty teaching with continuing clerkships:
Clinical OncologyHead and NeckInfectious DiseasesOrthopaedics, Trauma and RehabilitationClinical and Surgical PathologyClinical ImagingMedical PsychologyYear 5
Surgery, Women's and Children's Health
The surgical and specialty disciplines, with the medical and surgical blocks of the tirocinio:
SurgeryNeurological and Behavioural DisordersGynaecology and Reproductive MedicinePaediatricsPublic, Occupational and Forensic MedicineTirocinioYear 6
Emergencies, a Chosen Track and the Final Exam
Emergency and multidisciplinary care with a chosen track, the general medicine block of the tirocinio and the final exam:
EmergenciesMultidisciplinary Clinical ManagementElective TrackTirocinio in General MedicineFinal Examination
Clinical Training
Teaching moves from the Segrate campus to Milan's hospitals:
| Clinical base | Role in training |
|---|---|
| LITA campus, Segrate | Years one and two of the International Medical School |
| Niguarda and affiliated hospitals | Clinical training from year three, with Italian at B2 needed first |
| The tirocinio | Fifteen CFU under Ministerial Decree 58 of 9 May 2018: one month in medicine, one in surgery and one with a family doctor, about three months in all, inside the degree |
Get the full curriculum
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European Framework
Recognition, the Italian System and the European Framework
An Italian medical degree sits inside a national and European framework, and the terms are set nationally rather than by each university. The table sets out what that means for the International Medical School.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| World Federation for Medical Education | Italian medical courses are accredited by ANVUR, Italy's national agency, which is recognised by the WFME |
| EU Directive 2005/36/EC | Italy is an EU member state, and the Italian medical qualification is listed at Annex V, point 5.1.1. Automatic recognition across the EU applies to EU nationals, so an Indian graduate moves to another EU country through that country's own process for non-EU graduates |
| Licence to practise in Italy | Since Decree-Law 18 of 17 March 2020 (Article 102), the degree with its practical training completed is itself the licence to practise in Italy, with no separate state exam |
| UK registration | The General Medical Council lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. The degree alone supports provisional registration; for full registration, graduates since March 2020 send the alternative evidence the GMC asks for, because the Diploma di abilitazione is no longer issued |
| WDOMS and the USMLE | The medical school is listed in WDOMS, which lets graduates apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE |
| Health service registration | Non-EU students on a study residence permit register with the Italian National Health Service, at €700 a year for a student without dependants |
Understand the Recognition Framework
The table above sets out where an Italian medical qualification is recognised and on what basis.
Legacy
The People and the Lineage
The university has taught medicine since its founding in 1924, and its historic seat is a hospital building begun in 1456.
Riccardo Giacconi
A graduate of the University of Milan who shared the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in X-ray astronomy.
Fabiola Gianotti
A physicist who earned her doctorate at the University of Milan and went on to lead CERN as Director-General.
Faculty
The Faculty of Medicine runs Italian-language Medicine and Surgery tracks alongside the English-taught International Medical School, which is the university's only English-taught medicine course. Humanitas University and Vita-Salute San Raffaele, which also teach medicine in English in the Milan area, are separate universities.
Academic Expertise
THE 2026 Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health: 126 to 150
Medicine taught in English since 2010
Clinical training at Niguarda and affiliated hospitals
Founded in 1924
Student Support & Mentorship
About €402 a year for Indian students in Group A
Italian courses to reach B2 before Year 3
Fifteen non-EU places a year
A Consulate General of India in Milan
About University
History Information
A Hospital From 1456
Founded in 1924
The International Medical School From 2010
The 2020 and 2025 Reforms
Get all information about Milan Medicine in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine in Italy.
Role in medicine
Role in medical education
A Ranked Medical School
A Hospital Building Older Than the University
Inside a Recognised National System
Get all information about Milan Medicine in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine in Italy.
Cost of living
Living Cost in Milan
Milan is the most expensive Italian student city, and the rent decides most of the budget. The table uses a private single room, the Milan figures on our Italy page, converted at about ₹106 to the euro (October 2026).
Monthly Living Cost
| Cost Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (private single room) | ₹63,600 to ₹1.17 lakh (€600 to €1,100) |
| Groceries/meals | ₹15,900 to ₹27,600 (€150 to €260) |
| Utilities/internet | ₹3,200 to ₹7,400 (€30 to €70) |
| Public transport (pass for under-27s) | ₹2,300 (€22) |
| Miscellaneous (books, etc.) | ₹5,300 to ₹10,600 (€50 to €100) |
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Average monthly living cost
₹90,300 to ₹1.65 lakh (€852 to €1,552)
Housing
Accommodation
In Milan the housing decision matters more than the fee, because the rent can cost more in a month than the tuition does in a year.
Why Housing Decides the Budget
University Residences
Sharing a Flat
Think About the Commute
Plan Housing Before the Visa
Getting Around
Need accommodation details?
Get a full overview of housing options with our university guide, or reach out to an expert.
Food & Dining
Indian Food and Daily Life in Milan
Lombardy has a large Indian community, and Milan has Indian restaurants, groceries and a Consulate General of India.
Northern Italy has a long-established Punjabi Sikh community, historically working in the dairy farms of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, which is why Indian grocery supply and places of worship exist across the region.
Indian restaurants operate across Milan, so Indian food is easy to find.
The Consulate General of India is in Milan itself and covers Lombardy and much of northern Italy.
Eating out in Milan is not cheap, so most students cook. Italian food is vegetable-heavy, which makes vegetarian eating straightforward, and EU-wide online spice and grocery suppliers deliver without customs or payment friction.
Location
How to Reach the University of Milan International Medical School
Address
Years one and two of the International Medical School are taught at the LITA campus of the University of Milan in Segrate, just east of Milan, and clinical training from year three runs at Niguarda and other affiliated hospitals. The university's historic seat is the Ca' Granda at Via Festa del Perdono 7 in central Milan.
Nearest Airports
Milan Linate (LIN), close to Segrate, and Milan Malpensa (MXP) for long-haul flights
Direct Flights From India
Air India flies nonstop between Delhi and Milan Malpensa
Your Roadmap to Success
Career Pathways After the International Medical School
Graduates receive the Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (LM-41), the Italian primary medical qualification and the equivalent of an Indian MBBS rather than an Indian postgraduate MD.
Since Decree-Law 18 of 17 March 2020 (Article 102), the degree with its practical training completed is itself the licence to practise in Italy, with no separate state exam. The graduate registers with the Ordine dei Medici, the provincial medical council. Specialist training is entered through a national competitive exam (concorso), is paid, and usually lasts four to five years.
The Italian medical qualification is listed at Annex V, point 5.1.1 of EU Directive 2005/36/EC. Automatic recognition applies to EU nationals, so an Indian national with an Italian degree moves to another EU country through that country's own process for non-EU graduates.
The General Medical Council lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia issued by an Italian university as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. The degree alone supports provisional registration. For full registration the GMC also lists the Diploma di abilitazione, which Italy stopped issuing in March 2020, so graduates since then send the alternative evidence the GMC asks for.
The medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), so its students and graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE, the route to residency in the United States.
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training (the tirocinio) inside the course and no separate internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India, and it does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force). Choose Milan if you plan to practise in Italy, the EU or the UK, or to take the USMLE route.
Understand the Medical Licensing Pathway
A clear overview of the exams and requirements after graduation.
Practising in India
FMGE (NExT Deferred and Not in Force)
To practise in India, a foreign medical degree must meet the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 before its holder can take the FMGE (NExT is deferred and not in force). The Italian degree does not currently meet those rules, and the steps below explain why.
Step 1
The NMC Internship Rule
The regulations ask for a course of at least 54 months and a separate internship of at least twelve months after it, in the same foreign institution. The six-year Italian degree clears the course length.
Step 2
What the Italian Degree Contains
The degree includes the tirocinio, three months of practical training inside the course (one month in medicine, one in surgery and one with a family doctor), and no separate internship. Since 2020 the degree itself is the Italian licence to practise, so Italy has no internship after graduation at all.
Step 3
FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force)
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences runs the FMGE twice a year, with a pass mark of 150 out of 300. In December 2025, 42,872 candidates appeared and 10,262 qualified, a pass rate of 23.95%. Because the Italian degree does not meet the NMC rules, it does not currently lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE.
Step 4
Where This Leaves a Milan Graduate
Milan suits a student who plans to build a career in Italy, elsewhere in the EU, the UK or the USA. The degree licenses its holder in Italy, the GMC accepts it for UK registration without PLAB, and the WDOMS listing opens the USMLE route. If practising in India is your main goal, plan this with our counsellors before applying.
Student Life Style
Student life at the University of Milan
Milan is Italy's financial capital, a busy northern city with good transport and a large Indian community.
The Grand Canal in Venice, east of Milan, with historic palazzi and the dome of Santa Maria della Salute
The Full Cost
Pastel buildings above a turquoise bay on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy
Italian at B2 Before Year 3
Coloured houses and moored boats around the harbour at Portofino in Liguria
A Northern Climate
A Ligurian coastal town seen across the water, with palms in front
Getting Home
Safety
A Consulate and a Community
Money and Payments
Scholarship & Financial
Scholarship & Financial Aid
The fee is already very low for Indian students, so the means-tested borsa di studio, which helps with Milan's living costs, matters most.
Fees for non-EU students follow a country group because income earned abroad cannot be assessed in Italy. India is in the University of Milan's Group A: a first instalment of €146 and a second of €256, about €402 a year.
- About €402 a year, about ₹42,700
- About €2,412 over six years, about ₹2.6 lakh
- Health service registration of €700 a year (about ₹74,200)
Italy's regional borsa di studio is based on family means, not marks, and is open to non-EU students. Here it is run by the University of Milan itself, as Lombardy's universities run the scheme. For 2026/27 the national minimum grant for a student living away from home is €7,171.11 a year (about ₹7.6 lakh), and grant holders are also exempt from university tuition. An Indian family shows its means through an ISEE Parificato, prepared from family income and property documents certified by the Italian consulate, so collect those papers before leaving India.
The Italian Government (MAECI) scholarships do not fund single-cycle degrees such as medicine, so a new medical student cannot enter that way.
Compare
Compare Colleges
Compare University of Milan with AIIMS New Delhi, India's top-ranked government medical college.
Quick Comparison:
University of Milan vs AIIMS New Delhi
| University | University of MilanMilan, Italy | AIIMS New DelhiNew Delhi, India |
|---|---|---|
| University Type | Public, founded 1924 | Institute of National Importance (government) |
| Medium | English, with Italian for clinical work | English |
| Course Duration | 6 years, 360 CFU, including a 3-month tirocinio | 5.5 years, being 4.5 years plus a 12-month internship |
| Admission | IMAT, 60 questions in 100 minutes, plus a qualified NEET result | NEET UG |
| Recognition | Listed in WDOMS; EU Annex V 5.1.1; licenses in Italy; not NMC compliant (no 12-month internship) | Listed in WDOMS |
| Non-EU places | 15 for 2026/27, from 1,362 nationwide | Allocated through NEET UG counselling |
| Global Ranking | THE Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health 126 to 150 (2026) | NIRF Medical 1 (2025) |
Compare Top MBBS Universities for Me
See key differences in fees, ranking, eligibility and recognition.
Our blog
Medical Education Insights
Articles that turn complex MBBS-abroad rules into simple, practical steps for students and parents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions students and parents ask most often about studying medicine at the University of Milan.
India is in the university's Group A, so an Indian student pays €146 plus €256, about €402 a year (about ₹42,700, at about ₹106 to the euro, October 2026). Non-EU students also register with the Italian health service at €700 a year, and Milan's living costs are high.
Ministerial Decree 1005 of 6 August 2026 gives the International Medical School 75 places for 2026/27: 60 for EU candidates and non-EU candidates living in Italy, and 15 for non-EU candidates living abroad, the pool an Indian applicant competes in.
The IMAT is Italy's entrance test for English-taught medicine. For 2026/27 it was held on 29 September 2026, with registration on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and India was one of the test countries. It has 60 questions in 100 minutes, scored plus 1.5, minus 0.4 or zero, to a maximum of 90.
Only for Italian-language courses. From 2025/26 Italian-language Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary degrees replaced the entrance test with an open first semester. English-taught courses still admit through the IMAT.
Yes, and no Italian is needed to enrol. The university asks students to reach Italian at B2 before clinical training starts in year three, because placements are in Italian hospitals, and it runs Italian courses to get them there.
Years one and two are taught at the LITA campus in Segrate, and clinical training from year three runs at Niguarda and other affiliated hospitals in Milan.
Times Higher Education places the University of Milan in the 126 to 150 band for Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health in its 2026 subject rankings.
No. Humanitas University and Vita-Salute San Raffaele also teach medicine in English in the Milan area, but they are separate universities with their own admission. The International Medical School is the University of Milan's own course and admits through the IMAT.
Not as things stand. The NMC asks for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training and no separate internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India and does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force).
In the UK, the GMC lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. In the USA, the school's WDOMS listing lets graduates apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE.
Air India flies nonstop between Delhi and Milan Malpensa.
Venice photo: Dan Novac on Unsplash.