The small town of Malcesine has a picturesque location on the northern shore of Lake Garda. Not without reason does it number among the most visited places on the lake, with its friendly old town, the lovely harbour and the defiant castle of Scaliger. The Scaliger castle is located on a rock ledge directly on the lake and thus guarantees fantastic views. Inside, the rooms house an interesting natural history museum of the local Monte Baldo and Lake Garda with numerous findings and plates depicting local animal and plant species. One of the rooms is dedicated to Goethe; a few sketches are exhibited here which the poet drew during his trip to Italy. The tin-topped Palazzo dei Capitani del Lago built in Venetian gothic style and in which the Venetian Governor once lived is also worth a visit. Nature lovers will enjoy Monte Baldo since the area around its summit is home to some very rare plants. If you do not wish to walk the whole way up, you can cut most of the corner off in a modern rotating cable car.

In the steep, gray rocks of the 1540 m high Monte Rocchetta, the beautiful, proud, northernmost town of the lake is located. On the wide Piazza Tre Novembre, from the cafés and restaurants under the shady bowers of the 14th century, you can see the medieval municipal and military buildings as well as the bobbing sailboats in the harbor. Via the lively streets of the old part of town with their elegant boutiques you reach the atmospheric Piazza delle Erbe, the market place and the photogenic Rocca, which was rebuilt several times starting from the 12th century and which houses the Museo Civico. To the east of the castle you walk further along the lake through charming gardens (Giardini di Porta Orientale, Parco del Lido).

Mussolini's fascist regime, led by German troops after his liberation from the Gran Sasso, was nicknamed Repubblica di Salò, but actually the residence of the Duce was the Villa Feltrinelli in Gargnano. The eclectic style of the late 19th century building now serves the University of Milan as a Summer Academy. The private residence of Mussolini, the second Villa Feltrinelli 1 km further towards Limone, now houses one of the most prestigious (and expensive) hotels of Lake Garda. However, the stroll along the lovely promenade, perhaps the nicest one of the whole area, is free. With the old part of town in the background, it leads around the small harbor. Also take a look at the church of San Francesco at the town's southern exit: The capitals in the cloister are lined with lemons and oranges!

The Roman poet Catull once wrote: "All hail, oh wonderful Sirmione". This "Queen of Lake Garda" situated on a peninsula on the southern lake shore with its picturesque alleyways and squares is just as attractive as in the olden days. The Scaliger water castle built in 1250 is one of the best preserved castles in Italy. A 47 m (154 ft) high tower (Mastio), which offers a unique panoramic view, protrudes over the battlements, merlons, water graves and drawbridges. Inside there is a small museum with Roman and Medieval findings. The di Catullo grottoes can be found at the end of the peninsula. This extensive archaeological excavation with the ruins of a Roman villa from the 1st-2nd century AC is incorporated into the wonderful beauty of the landscape. Excavation has revealed that the site was used more for an Emperor's palace with thermal baths than caves.

The "Spanish city" Alghero is an architectural treasure. It was expanded and fortified by the powerful Genoese ruling family Doria. In 1353 the city was taken over by Aragonian-Catalonian hands. Sardinians and Genoese were exiled, proud Spanish buildings were erected. Up to this day an old Catalonian dialect is spoken in Alghero. Paella is still a popular dish. Even the street signs are bilingual. The picturesque old town district is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places on Sardinia. The lido spreads out north of the city, an endless and beautiful beach, given a lively atmosphere by parades of sunshades, bars, cafes and restaurants. The Gothic-Catalonian cathedral (sanctified in 1730), the San Francesco church (2nd half of the 14th century, rebuilt in the 16th century) with its romantic cloister, and the San Michele church (beginning of the 17th century) with the colorfully shining majolica dome, and a splendid chantry made of golden carven wood, are worth seeing as well.

Ever since its foundation, Cagliari has been the political, economic and cultural center of Sardinia, whereeverything is decided. All important institutions have there headquarters here. With a population of 240,000 people, Cagliari is the biggest city on Sardinia. 400,000 people live in the wider Cagliari area, making up more than a fourth of the entire population of the island. The historic city center of Cagliari is home to countless art treasures and museums. It is divided into the the quarters of Marina, Villanova, Castello and Stampace. The heart of the city is Via Roma at the harbor. Marina quarter starts right behind it. With its many restaurants, it can be seen as the "stomach of the city", drawing in people to stroll around and have some food. Via the nice Piazza Yenne one reaches the Torre del Elefante fortified tower that grants access to the Castello quarter. The majestic Santa Maria cathedral, with its magnificent Pisan front, towers over the Piazza Palazzo, Cagliari's most beautiful plaza. The Citadella dei Musei, situated in the old citadel, is the cultural pinnacle. The old citadel is also home to many other museums, e.g. the Archeological National Museum with its unique collections.

The famous emerald coast is, without a doubt, the best-known vacation coast on Sardinia. Prince Karim Aga Khan, and other well-to-do people like the brewer Guinness, established the refuge for the rich and famous in 1962. Today, the coast, north of Olbia, has turned into a special type of attraction. Because all buildings and villages along the 34 mi (55 km) long coast with its 83 beaches were set up by the almighty "Consorzio Costa Smeralda" that jealously protects the registered trademark "Costa Smeralda." The 5-star hotel Cala di Volpe that resembles a playful fairy tale-like castle was the first building on the Costa. The Porto Cervo, which resembles an ancient fishermen's village was equally lavishly erected from scratch. The buildings were designed in the so called "neo-Sardinian style" and, through sophisticated technical skill, made to look old. As enticing this artificial scenery might be, the gigantic yachts at the harbor of Porto Cervo and their illustrious owners are just as seductive. The world famous Madonna of El Greco inside the little village church of S. M di Stella Maris was donated by the Thyssen company.

"Cimitiero dei Sassi", cemetery of stones is what the Sardinians call the mostly windy and stormy Capo Testa, the southern cape of Sardinia. Their gray granite rocks have been turned into a fantastic fairy-tale garden of strange and bizarre sculptures formed by millions of years of constant wind and eternal waves. Well-recommended is an extensive walk criss-crossing this wondrous garden, during which one meets gnomes, goblins, giants and other fairy-tale characters, who change their form depending on the time of day and lighting. The climax is the hidden, legendary Valle di Luna, where once hippies from all over the world celebrated their notorious lunar festivals. Today this small beach is a gorgeous destination for a beach picnic. Attention: During the summer months the route to the cape is blocked for bigger vehicles such as buses or camper vans due to limited parking.

Venice's largest and most magnificent canal is lined with dense rows of impressive palaces, churches, apartment buildings and museums that form a unique ensemble of buildings from different architectural periods. The best way to get to know the Grand Canal is with a sightseeing tour on a Vaporetto. The shining white Baroque gem that is the church of Santa Maria della Salute was built as thanks for the end of an outbreak of the plague. The interior is decorated by, amongst other things, a group of sculptures representing the church's construction, a ceiling fresco by Titian, and paintings by Tintoretto and Bellini. Venice's most famous bridge is the Ponte di Rialto, a mighty (now souvenir) shop-lined marble archway that has spanned the canal since the end of the 16th Century. In September 2008 the new, ultra-modern fourth bridge Ponte della Constituzone, locally known as Calatrava, was inaugurated. It links Santa Lucia station with the Piazzale Roma. A jewel of Gothic architecture along the Grand Canal is the Ca' d'Oro, an oriental-looking palazzo which now houses a collection of paintings.

The three-winged Doge's Palace, built in its present form from the 14th to early 17th Century, was once the centre of power in the Venetian republic and the duke's residence. The Porta della Carta, where petitioners presented their requests to members of the Great Council, is edged with allegorical figures and ornamentation. It is considered a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The Scala dei Giganti derives its name from the larger-than-life figures of Neptune and Mars who symbolise Venice's former power at sea and on land. The dukes of Venice were traditionally crowned on the top step. The rooms - some of which may be closed for renovation or special exhibits - are fascinating for their splendour and luxurious decorative detail, including frescoes and paintings by Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian.

The magnificent church of San Giorgio Maggiore rises up impressively on the island of the same name. It was built by Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) in 1566 and forms part of a Benedictine monastery which is today owned by the Vittorio Cini Foundation and used as a centre for art and historical research. The pillars and triangular gable of the church façade bear the distinctive hallmarks of this, the greatest of the Renaissance architects, who sadly did not live to see the complex completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1610. The three-nave interior of the church is designed in the shape of a cross and enthrals visitors because of the numerous artworks by J. Bassano, G. Campagna and J. Tintoretto, whose world-famous late work "The Last Supper" can be admired on the right wall of the chancel. Campagna's 16th-Century bronze masterpiece on the high altar is no less famous. It depicts the four Evangelists supporting a globe on which the Almighty is enthroned. If you take the lift up to the Campanile, you'll get a fantastic view over the lagoon and Venice, and even as far as the Alps on clear days.