VACATION DETAILS

Italians say that Turin (Torino), the major city of the western Alps, seems more French than Italian. Its wide boulevards in a grid pattern and its 17th- and 18th-century architecture do bear more resemblance to Paris than Florence. A stroll about the city center provides architectural enthusiasts examples of Renaissance, baroque, turn-of-the-century and modern buildings. The city is also distinguished by miles/kilometers of 18th-century colonnades.

Turin is the capital of Piedmont, a region that even Italians consider to have the best food in Italy. Many years of French occupation have left a mark on Piedmontese cuisine, which includes more cheese dishes and sauces than is common in traditional Italian cooking. The Piedmontese are an independent-minded people who have invented their own style of cuisine that is neither French nor Italian, but incorporates the best of both. Turin also has a well-deserved international reputation for its coffee and claims to have invented chocolate, or at least gianduiotto, the delicious confection made from chocolate and hazelnut. Temptation beckons in every window, so it is best to leave your diet at home.

The city of the most famous lovers in history: Romeo and Juliet. But Verona has much more to offer. The city, also known as Urbs Nobilissima, is the second biggest city in Veneto (after Venice). It is one of the cities that has better preserved its artistic heritage in Italy.

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.

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”.