Lombardy - Itineraries

Trip ideas

Milan, shopping and art

Milan is one of Europe's most fascinating and exciting cities and hosts two massive international trade fares but much from its past has been preserved. The old centre resembles a spider's web, at the heart of which is the monumental cathedral, The "Duomo, the second biggest in Italy after St. Peter's in Rome. Started in 1386, the building was not, in fact, completed until the beginning of the 19th Century. Outside, the building...

Lake Como and its villas

Breathtaking, inspiring terrain and an apparently unending string of palatial villas typify Lake Como. Begin the tour of the lake by taking the old "Strada Regina", stopping first at Cernobbio. Here the splendid Villa Erba, the childhood home of the film director, Visconti, stands, facing the lake, amidst vast grounds. A medieval town, Cernobbio is a favourite haunt of the famous, both Italian and international. When not...

Salt Road of Old Piedmont

Pavia, the ancient capital of the Val Padana, is situated in the north of Oltrepò Pavese, a territory shaped just like a bunch of the grapes which are produced here. An important university city, Pavia was one of the main stopping points on the Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrim route which led from Canterbury all the way to Rome. The historic center is home to impressive works of Longobard architecture such as the Basilica of...

The treasures of the Gonzaga

Mantua: a city built on a peninsula of land on the banks of the Mincio River and the historic realm of the Gonzaga family. The immense power enjoyed by the Sovereigns of Mantua is immediately apparent as you enter the city's Piazza Sorbello, square dominated by Palazzo Ducale, one of the largest palaces in Europe. You could easily spend more than a day or two wandering through the palace's 500 rooms, admiring the incredibly ornate...