I have the impression Milan is more famous for being the main industrial, commercial and financial centre of Italy, rather than for its landmarks (compared to Rome, Florence, Pisa or Venezia), but between la piazza del duomo and la piazza della scala you can find the remarkable one: the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, named after the first king of Italy. This is not only one of the world's oldest shopping malls, but it's probably the most beautiful one. Once you enter the shopping arcades, you can't stop looking at the amazing structures of the ceiling. At night, with the lighting, it is even more impressive. Last weekend we enjoyed a short city break in Milano, and this place was definitively one of the highlights.

I visited Italy last Christmas having the opportunity to go for the first time to the eastern city of Trieste. Even if this place is very Italian when you walk around and observe the buildings, you are constantly reminded that this region used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is also possible to find reminders of how once there was a considerable Slavic population living in this area. The Saint Spyridon Serbian Orthodox church is one of these reminders (1751 when Empress Maria Theresa allowed free practice of religion, prompting the migration of Orthodox Serbs). Unfortunately, it was a short day trip, so I didn't have time to cross to Slovenia. Next time, I will try to visit the southern part of the former "Free State of Trieste."

In the summer of 2010 we were looking for a short break holiday and we found some cheap tickets to Bergamo, so we decided to go there. I was gladly surprised by this beautiful town, particularly the “Città Alta” area with its medieval town architecture, narrow streets, and a history you can breathe in every corner. We were not very lucky with the weather on that occasion (we experienced some torrential rain) and were in our summer outfits; nevertheless, we enjoyed the visit to this place, and I would gladly come back.

Venice is one of those places you can read about in many different guides or websites, hear stories from the people who have been there already and browse photo galleries, but nothing compares to actually going to Venice by train, get off at the Santa Lucia train station and start strolling around the narrow streets, crossing bridges until you get lost or, if you are lucky, find by chance the Rialto bridge. I found a connection flight back to Dublin passing by Venice and I got the chance to spend a couple of days in the Italian former city state.

In the summer of 08, I had the opportunity to visit the nice villa my friend J.'s in this small Tuscany town called Campiglia Marittima. I really had a good time with him, since we had the time to have long conversations about many topics, particularly about relationships. I took this picture from the window in the dining room on a sunny day. If you look closely, you can see in the background the famous Elba island (Famous because Napoleon was exiled there). It was a really nice week in Tuscany!

Florence (Firenze) is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. I visited for the first time several years ago, but I still have in my mind the lasting impression of such beautiful architecture. When I was in the terrace of the Uffizi gallery, I had the opportunity to take a picture of the amazing Duomo di Firenze. The cathedral is probably next to the Ponte Vecchio, one of the most recognized spots in Florence. This Duomo, created by Brunelleschi, was a remarkable achievement during the Renaissance period. I wouldn't mind visiting this city again!

One of my favorite European cities is Rome, because I love history, and when you walk around this city, you can see ancient Roman remains everywhere. A place I really liked during the visit in the summer of 07 was the "Foro Romano". As you can see here, it was a very sunny day, and the view was just magnificent!