Italy's biggest lake is in the North and it is surrounded by many well-known cities suchaa as Milan, Verona, Brescia and Venice is not far away as it takes you two hours and a half by car. Tourists come from all over the world (Europe: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Belgium; Great Britain and the U.S.A.) because they love the landscape and the opportunities for doing so many activities: swimming, canoeing, sailing, riding a bike, climbing, relaxing, touring in the cities and having great fun at amusement parks. You can do almost everything in one place!

The lake is of volcanic origin and it is surrounded by by acres under the cultivation of fruit trees (orange and lemon), olive trees and vineyards. The shores can be of sand or stones and there are many harbors where ships sail for towns on the coast. When there you can go for shopping in their weekly markets or stay on the boats and enjoy the trip on the lake.

Concerning amusement parks, the most famous is Gardaland where you can spend the whole day with your kids by riding on various machines and trying to win prizes in games. There are also dolphin and skaters' shows, fireworks and a lovely green dragon that will entertain your children.

Some places worth visiting are:

- SIRMIONEis a spa town in the South where you can do inhalations, drink the water, bathe in it or take mud baths in order to improve your health. In the past those curatives properties attracted the Romans who built palaces all over the lake. The most well-known villa, called Grotte di Catullo, has become a museum where valuable findings are kept. You are allowed to visit its caves and the garden as well.

- SAN MARTINO is a small town in the South where several historical monuments belonging to different periods can be seen: the tower, called La Spia d'Italia, was built in 1893 and is a memorial to all the people who took part in the battle of the Second Italian Independece War on June 24, 1859; the war cemetery is a memorial to World War I and the History Museum, which was built in 1939, recollects Italy's history.

- GARDONE RIVIERA here you can visit a marvellous botanic garden built between 1910 and 1971 by Arthur Hruska and then bought by Andre Heller's Foundation. The garden extends over 10.000 mq and there are more than 2.000 plants from all over the world.

In the South of Italy there is a promontory of calcareous origin jutting into the Adriatic sea for 2.000 kmq, called Gargano, which extends from the torrent Candelaro to the river Fortore and has become National Park recently. Here you can see great differences as in the in the inland there are arid zones opposed to flourishing ones on the coast best represented by woods such as Monte Spigno, Quarto, Rozzo, Alto and the Foresta Umbra, which is the biggest and most well-known of them. Lesina and Varano are two saline lakes in the North of the area where coromorants and other sea-birds nest and catch fish by diving into the sea. Moreover, the whole area has a characteristic odor of juniper, rosemary and Aleppo pine that will impress you.

The DOLOMITES are mountains in the North of Italy named after Dr. Deodat Dolomieu who analyzed for the first time the composition of the mountain range in 1789. Extensive areas of the Dolomites are protected by law and they have become National Parks so you can take lots of walks.

One of the most beautiful routes anywhere in the Alps is the Strada delle Dolomiti or "Dolomite Road" that leads you from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo by crossing many passes, resting at many places and admiring views of wonderful mountains. Some of them are: Passo del Pordoi;

Arabba a pleasant resort with a cable car to the Col Burz to the North; Pieve di Livinallongo: offers spectacular views of peaks and cliffs of the Dolomites and is the main town of Cordevole valley ; the Castello di Andraz was built in the 14th century; Falzarego where battles during World War I between Austria and Italy took place (1914-1918);

Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of Italy's top ski resorts much favoured by the elite from Turin and Milan. Here there are many restaurants and bars; the Olympic ice stadium; several swimming-pools, tennis courts and riding facilities. In summer Cortina becomes an excellent base for walkers.

The Cinque Terre are five fishing villages on the Tirreno sea located in Liguria: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.

Riomaggiore, the first village after La Spezia, is developed vertically and crossed by steps and stairs that spread among the houses which are built one next to the other and painted with the typical colours of Liguria. The famous Via dell'Amore begins at Riomaggiore and leads to Manarola, the second village of the Cinque Terre, is a path in the rock overlooking the sea - a very beautiful scene. In the past the road was said to be a shelter for lovers beause they were inspired by the sea to tell each other they were in love. And for poets and painters it was the same as they were inspired by the place for their works of art. Corniglia differs from the other villages because it is on the top of a promontory, surrounded by vineyards and terraces. To reach Corniglia from the sea you may climb the "Lardarina", a long brick flight made up of 33 flights and 377 steps. Vernazza is a noble and elegant village, which has maintained more than the others the features of a sea village because of its maritime tradition. Monterosso is a characteristic medieval centre with its defence walls and a Castle overlooking the sea.

The National Park of Cinque Terre was established in December 1999 and encompasses hills overlooking the sea and terraces made by man. The Protected Marine Area is of the same year and it includes part of the coast, the sea and the deep seabed. Here you can meet the fishermen with their fishing nets, eat the typical focaccia and walk along the narrow alleys called carruggi.

Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest in Italy. It is 5 miles off the coast of Tuscany; it has an area of 100 square miles and a spectacular 70-mile long coastline. The area is divided into eight municipalities.

You can reach Elba by ferry from Piombino, which is on the coast of Tuscany, in an hour and a half. The ship will berth in Portoferraio, in the North. Or you can arrive by plane. When you are there the isle offers many facilities from swimming pools, golf courts, riding stables and rentals of all types, to hotels and campings where you can stay while on holiday. There are many Natural Areas as well where you can dive, swim or take a sunbath.

Elba is well-known also for having hosted Napoleon, who arrived there on March 4, 1814 and stayed for 9 months. It was not a long time but he deeply changed the island as he built streets and developped laws which favoured the mining industry and he designed the flag of the island, which is still used today.

• Sirmione. Retreived on January 17, 2007 from http://www.termedisirmione.com/

• San Martino.Retreived on January 17, 2007 from http://www.correrenelverde.it/cultura/sanmartino/sanmartino.htm

• Gardone Riviera. Retreived on January 17, 2007 from http://www.bresciainvetrina.it/bresciaturismo/lagodigarda_gardoneriviera.htm

• The Dolomites. From: "Dorling Kindersley Travel Guides: Venice & the Veneto"

• Gargano and Foresta Umbra. Retreived on January 17, 2007 from http://www.garganoplanet.com/i/frame/

• Cinque Terre. Retreived on January 17, from http://www.cinqueterre.it/

• Isola d'Elba. Retreived on January 17, 2007 from http://elba-online.com/