VACATION DETAILS

Northwest of Verona is scenic Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, offering Roman ruins and 12th-century castles.

Although some of Lake Garda's towns are now a bit overbuilt (tourists pack the area in July and August), there are still some lovely little villages along its shores, including Malcesine (where you can ride a high-tech cable car with rotating cabins up to Monte Baldo) and Torri del Benaco, both on the eastern shore.

At the head of the lake, Torbole is a paradise for windsurfing and sailing. On the western shore, also at the upper end of the lake, in a truly spectacular setting, is the trendy, upscale Riva del Garda.

On the southern shore, at the end of a slender peninsula jutting into the lake, is Sirmione, with quiet cobblestoned streets, thermal baths, a castle, olive and lemon groves, and Roman ruins. Ferry and hydrofoil services are available on the lake.

Not far from Sirmione is the quaint town of Desenzano del Garda, a former fishing village with a perfectly preserved 16th-century square complete with a castle and cathedral.

Lake Garda is a nice place to relax for at least a night—and a possible base for attending the opera in Verona if hotels in the city are booked.

Like the other northern Italian lakes, Lake Maggiore's credentials as a tourist destination go back a long way. The early twentieth century saw a spate of illustrious visitors enjoying themselves in luxurious lakeside villas and verdant gardens. The most popular Lake Maggiore resorts are on the western shores of the lake. Stresa is a lovely town with beautiful villas and gardens (some open to the public), a good climate and lake views. From the town a cablecar takes you up Monte Mottarone, where from a height of over 4,000 ft you can enjoy views of the Alps and the other lakes. If you spend time at Lake Maggiore, you will soon become familiar with the name of the Borromeo family, who still own the islands named after them. Their most celebrated scion, St Charles Borromeo, was born in the castle in Arona, at the southern end of the west shore. A gigantic statue in the town celebrates San Carlo; if you climb up inside the hollow structure, you can admire the view through the Saint's eyes. The Borromean Islands are unmissable Lake Maggiore tourist attractions. There are three open to the public, containing beautiful gardens, small settlements and restaurants.

Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus. Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.