The city of Bergamo is located in the north of Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, 40 km northeast of Milan. The city is average by Italian standards - 120 thousand inhabitants. It has an interesting topographic feature - it is clearly divided into two parts: the Upper (Citta Alta) and the Lower City (Citta Bassa). The lower part is larger and more modern. But the historical center with the main attractions is located at the top, on a high hill surrounded by fortress walls of the 16th century.

The city of Brescia is located in northern Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, roughly halfway between Milan and Verona. It is not as popular in terms of tourism as its famous neighbors, but there are many sights and ancient monuments preserved here, so a walk in Brescia is like a journey through time - from one historical era to another.

It’s already clear from the silhouette of Isola dei Pescatori that the island is very compact - the bell tower of the ancient church of San Vittore rises above several three-story houses. Among the Borromean Islands only on this, the smallest - 100 by 350 m, now live permanently about three dozen people. Compared to the other two islands of Maggiore and Bella, it looks very modest. There is a small square, a central narrow street, a circular embankment, many small fish restaurants "Peskeriy" and one church.

Among the Borromean Islands on Lago Maggiore, the largest Isola Madre stands out among others with a beautiful English-style park. This botanical garden with an area of over eight hectares consists of seven terraces on which you can see cypresses, rhododendrons, magnolias, maples, palm trees and a collection of camellias.

It’s not always that when traveling it’s possible to carry out all the plans, it happens that for various reasons it is necessary to change plans on the spot. So, at the end of September last year, it turned out with a trip from Stresa to Lake Orta. On a half-full sightseeing bus in the afternoon, we drove along the picturesque mountain roads for about an hour, and then went downhill from Villa Crespi along a cobbled street running along the lake. Amazing views of the island of San Giulio and the hilly opposite shore of the lake opened in the alleys.

It is believed that the Milan castle of the Dukes of Sforza is a kind of prototype of the Moscow Kremlin. Indeed, the restructuring of the Moscow Kremlin at the end of the 15th century was led by Italian architects. Sophia Paleolog, the wife of Ivan III and the niece of the Byzantine emperor, personally asked Sforza to let architect Aristotle Fioravanti go to Moscow.

Venice has never been on my wish list of places to visit. A terribly public place, as a rule, should have wild price tags, crowds of tourists and the absence of even a hint of authenticity. But everything changes when they come - New Year's holidays. And here, oddly enough, it turned out that starting a new 2019 year in Venice is a very good deal.

Now I know for sure - love at first sight exists! On a pleasant, clear day, glancing at Vicenza from Monte Berico, I was convinced of this. To get to Vicenza - the city in which more than two dozen buildings of Andrea Palladio survived, dreamed a long time ago, but thought that this would remain a cherished desire. But dreams, it turns out, come true!

Bologna - the most controversial of all the Italian cities I have ever seen. Beautiful here is hiding the fact that at first glance it is difficult to be called beautiful, but can be unattractive that was created for entirely different purposes. Going beyond the historical center, you find yourself in another city, or rather, a hundred other cities, as each new quarter recalls different parts of Italy.

I always want to get somewhere higher. More Sasha Vasilyev sang: "..ot sky until the last floors - just apply a hand ..". But as for travel, here I am not original. Almost every tourist tries to look at the possibility of a new city from somewhere above.

This technique has become history ... his genius and controversial practicability. A city in which it was used almost all the inhabitants turned by the desire to evade taxes, in an incredibly beautiful place, which is able to impress even seasoned traveler.

In September of this year, we (Sergei and Konstantin Egorin Dikovsky) climbed the Matterhorn along the crest of Lyon and down the ridge Hoernle, having carried out at the same time, proclaimed the transition from Italy to Switzerland through this wonderful mountain. This relatively simple, by climbing standards, the transition was exacerbated by two factors: the heavy camera, tripod and lots of accessories, as well as the fact that the Matterhorn was in the snow.

In our Italian trip was planned Verona. Honestly, I thought that it would be as if a transit point for travel to Lake Garda, and perhaps in Milan. And it turns out that this town I will climb into the soul of a good long time. Here we go.

What we know about Genoa? The first thing that comes to mind - a port city in Italy (by the way, with a very impressive port). What is it in Liguria, in the north of the country. Milan close, again. It is also known that in Genoa one of the great historical centers in Europe. Some will remember the popular resort area in the suburbs. But you never know what else ... Because I do not aim to create another illustrated guide, I suggest a walk around the city and enjoy the local flavor. This is - the most that neither is the center, and in close proximity to the port.

Located 40 kilometers from Italy and not to visit her - just a crime. And one fine morning, it was decided to cross the border and still admire her beauty, namely the nearby castle of Miramare. Starting from the Slovenian Piran, after 40 minutes we were already in Trieste. Driving along the industrial areas of the city, cherished the thought: "Yes, and look here there is nothing!".