EXPO Milan 2015 is heavily accented with a theme at the heart of man’s survival: feeding the world.

The 145 countries participating in the exhibition are showcasing innovative ideas on sustainable food production, as well as the latest technologies related to energy saving and safeguarding the world’s natural resources.

The expo, subtitled “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” runs through October 31. It is focusing on how mankind has transformed the natural environment, with an emphasis on food as a symbol of hospitality, community and celebration.

The 110-hectare exhibition area is located northwest of the center of Milan, Italy’s second-largest city. It is laid out in a giant cross, with east-west Decumanus and north-south Cardo roads intersecting in a the fashion of ancient Roman street plants. About 20 million visitors are expected to visit the six-month event.

Milan is celebrated as a global center of design, and the stunning architecture within the expo site enhances that reputation.

At the heart of expo, the Italy Pavilion is designed as a permanent structure to symbolize where Italy meets the world. The six-level Palazzo Italia is the highest building at the site. It was Studio Nemesi & Partners, along with Proger and BMS Progetti, in line with an original concept by Marco Balich.

Built with sustainable construction techniques, including a biodynamic concrete that can capture smog and a photovoltaic glass in the roof, the structure evokes two hands joined together to form a “nest.”

When expo is over, the building will remain as a center for technological innovation in Milan.

Long queues typically form outside the pavilion, but the wait is well worth a visit inside.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, and the 465-square-meter China Pavilion stands testament to the close ties. It is the second largest foreign pavilion in terms of space, hosting an exhibition called “Land of Hope, Food for Life.”

Designed by Tsinghua University in collaboration with New York-based studio Link-Arc, it was conceived as “a cloud hovering over a land of hope” that can be achieved when cities and nature exist in harmony.

The China Pavilion has five main exhibition areas — introduction, sky, earth, humanity and harmony. Its restaurant is a popular tourist stop. After expo, the Chinese pavilion will be dismantled and relocated to the Shandong Province port of Qingdao.

In addition to the main pavilion, China has two corporate pavilions: the China Corporate United Pavilion and the Vanke Pavilion.

China’s China Corporate United Pavilion is an exhibition interpreting “the dream of Chinese companies seeking conservation of natural resources and food security.” Shenzhen-based Vanke, China’s property development giant, has as its theme of contemporary life in China. It is the first time a Chinese enterprise has participated in a foreign expo with its own pavilion.

The Vanke structure was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, inspired by ideologies ranging from the ancient thoughts of Confucius and Lao Tzu to contemporary philosophy.

Another attraction at the Milan expo is the UK Pavilion, whose design was inspired by the role of the bee in agriculture. Nottingham-based artist Wolfgang Buttress teamed up with designer and engineer Tristan Simmonds to create the hive-like structure.

Visitors entering the site pass through a meadow landscape and into a giant aluminum hive, lit at night by 1,000 LED lights.

The Japan Pavilion is also proving one of the most popular attractions. Designed by architect Atsushi Kitagawara, it comprises a 17,000-piece wood grid housing an exhibition of Japanese food culture.

Among other national pavilions turning a lot of heads at the Milan Expo are those of Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Austria and South Korea.

Architecture aside, this expo is a gastronomic festival. There are more than 150 restaurants, bars, food trucks and stalls at the site.

On the northeast side of Cardo Avenue is an area dedicated to Italian wine. The Wine Pavilion offers visitors a history of one of Italy’s most famous industries and the opportunity to sample vintages from different regions of the country.

Last month, more than 60 of Italy’s most talented chefs created the world’s longest pizza, stretching about 1.5 kilometers. Visitors were invited to enjoy free slices.

But this expo is not just about enjoying food. It’s also about growing it.

Many exhibitions feature demonstration gardens. The Thais planted rice paddies around their pavilion, and nine coffee-producing nations have coffee plants on display. The French have an eye-catching plot of fruits, vegetables and grapevines. The Chinese exhibition features a model farm.

There’s a Slow Food pavilion trumpeting the virtues of microfarming, heritage seeds and boutique wines and cheeses. The Dutch offer samples of edible bugs and burgers made from seaweed.

Pavilion Zero, created by award-winning set designer Giancarlo Basili, explores the foundations of the United Nations’ “Zero Hunger Challenge,” including food production processes, the evolution of agriculture and diverse cultural food rituals. There’s also an enormous wall of video screens broadcasting food and beverage commercials from around the world.

Apart from food, there are endless other attractions for visitors. In the Etihad Airways and Alitalia pavilion, there are two fully operational flight simulators allowing visitors to get behind the controls of a jumbo jet.

If you go

Alitalia and Etihad Airways, as the joint Expo Milan 2015 official global carriers, have increased the frequency of flights to Milan and expanded routes to accommodate the needs of expo tourism.

Visitors from Shanghai now have more direct flight options following Alitalia’s return to China, introducing a non-stop flight linking Milan and Shanghai until the end of the exposition. Alitalia is offering 39,000 seats to Shanghai over the six-month duration of the expo.

From Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, Alitalia flights to Milan depart every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

And from Milan Malpensa the new Alitalia flights to Shanghai leave every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Trenitalia, the official rail carrier, will transport millions of visitors arriving from other parts of Italy and abroad during the expo. The new Frecciarossa 1000 train comes into service during the expo period and there are no fewer than 67 stops a day at the Rho Fiera Expo Milano 2015 station.

The expo site itself can be reached by both public and private transport. Visitors are advised to use the metro or local trains which are inexpensive and convenient.

There are numerous types of tickets for the expo, coming with a variety of prices. These range from a senior’s ticket at 20 euro (US$22) up to a season ticket for 115 euro. Discounts are available for families. For details, go to www.expo2015.org.

If you don’t want to buy online (there is no commission to pay), in addition to ticket offices in Milan, there are authorized dealers around the world. For the official list, go to

Www.expo2015.org/it/rivenditori-autorizzati-biglietti-expo-milano-2015.