With sumptuous palaces and romantic waterways, Venice is straight out of an 18th-century Canaletto masterpiece. No matter how many times you have seen it in movies or TV commercials, the real thing is more surreal and dreamlike than you ever imagined ... more

With sumptuous palaces and romantic waterways, Venice is straight out of an 18th-century Canaletto masterpiece. No matter how many times you have seen it in movies or TV commercials, the real thing is more surreal and dreamlike than you ever imagined. Its landmarks, the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale are exotic mélanges of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. It is full of secrets, ineffably romantic, and - at times - given over entirely to pleasure. You must walk everywhere in Venice and where you cannot walk, you go by water.  (close)

Treviso is a prosperous small city in the northern Veneto. The charm of Treviso does not just lie in its heritage of churches and buildings, but much more in the intimate atmosphere of the city. The main attractions are the medieval palazzi and house ... more

Treviso is a prosperous small city in the northern Veneto. The charm of Treviso does not just lie in its heritage of churches and buildings, but much more in the intimate atmosphere of the city. The main attractions are the medieval palazzi and houses with painted facades, churches frescoed by Tomaso da Modena, and the medieval streets cut across by pretty canals. The most charming corners of the city are: Isola della Pescheria, Canale dei Buranelli, Ponte San Francesco with the windmill.  (close)

Situated 60 km west from Venice, Vicenza is a town with a great history. Surrnamed "the City of Palladio" due to its great Palladian architectural treasures considered of exceptional interest and value, Vicenza has been included in the UNESCO's World ... more

Situated 60 km west from Venice, Vicenza is a town with a great history. Surrnamed "the City of Palladio" due to its great Palladian architectural treasures considered of exceptional interest and value, Vicenza has been included in the UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1994. Don't miss the Villa Capra (also known as "La Rotonda"), centrally located in Vicenza's Piazza dei Signori, of which Palladio himself said that it might stand comparison with any similar work of antiquity the Teatro Olimpico.  (close)

The city of Verona in the province of Veneto, Northern Italy, rivals Venice in terms of magic and romance. Visitors turn here in numbers, making this town the most visited of the province after Venice. Aside from Romeo and Juliet's strong pull, Veron ... more

The city of Verona in the province of Veneto, Northern Italy, rivals Venice in terms of magic and romance. Visitors turn here in numbers, making this town the most visited of the province after Venice. Aside from Romeo and Juliet's strong pull, Verona is a charming medieval and Renaissance city, with numerous medieval palazzi, churches, towers, and centuries-old piazzas. Among other objectives of interest are the Roman amphitheatre (the third largest in Italy), Arco dei Gavi, Basilica of San Zeno.  (close)

Having a charming location, on the meandering river Mincio, Mantua is one of Lombardy's finest cities that reached its peak on both the administrative and artistic level under the rule of the Gonzaga family. It still keeps the mark of the Renaissance ... more

Having a charming location, on the meandering river Mincio, Mantua is one of Lombardy's finest cities that reached its peak on both the administrative and artistic level under the rule of the Gonzaga family. It still keeps the mark of the Renaissance period in its monuments and art collections. The old historic city centre has small medieval streets, many piazzas, churches or palaces, the most renowned one being the Palazzo Ducale with its many rooms, numerous courtyards and impressive frescoes.  (close)

Bologna is one of the most overlooked gems in Italy, one of the most architecturally unified in Europe - a panorama of sienna-colored buildings, marbled sidewalks, and porticos. Located at the crossroads between Venice and Florence and surrounded by ... more

Bologna is one of the most overlooked gems in Italy, one of the most architecturally unified in Europe - a panorama of sienna-colored buildings, marbled sidewalks, and porticos. Located at the crossroads between Venice and Florence and surrounded by hills, Bologna provides the best of several worlds; it has beautiful piazzas, churches and museums, as well as being a thriving university town, filled with cafes, bars and nightlife. The bars, cafes, and squares fill up with students, and an eclectic mix of concerts, art exhibits, and avant-garde ballet and theater performances always marks the calendar.  (close)