Italy Back Roads – Northern Italy This portion of the journey travels along the secondary roads of northern Italy, crossing the fertile plains of the Po Valley between Milan and the historic cities of the Veneto region. The landscape here is characterized by cultivated farmland, small villages, and historic towns that have developed along ancient […]
Duomo di Milano – Milan, Italy The Duomo di Milano rises at the center of Milan and is one of the largest and most elaborate Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Construction began in 1386 and continued for several centuries, resulting in a monumental structure built almost entirely of pale Candoglia marble. The cathedral is famous for […]
Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper) – Milan, Italy The Cenacolo Vinciano, or “Last Supper,” is one of the most famous works of art in the world and is located within the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1495 and 1498, the mural depicts the […]
Castello Sforzesco – Milan, Italy The Castello Sforzesco stands at the western edge of Milan’s historic center and was once the principal fortress and residence of the powerful Sforza family, who ruled the city during the Renaissance. Originally constructed in the 14th century by the Visconti rulers of Milan, the castle was later expanded and […]
Milan – Lombardy, Italy Milan lies in the heart of the fertile Po Valley in northern Italy, surrounded by a network of rivers and canals that historically connected the city to the Alpine regions and the Adriatic Sea. Because of its strategic position along trade routes linking northern and southern Europe, Milan developed into one […]
Church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore – Milan, Italy The Church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore stands in the historic center of Milan and is often described as the “Sistine Chapel of Milan.” Built during the Renaissance, the church originally served as part of a Benedictine convent. The interior is remarkable for its […]
Museo Egizio – Turin, Italy The Museo Egizio in Turin houses one of the most important collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt itself. Established in the early 19th century, the museum grew from collections acquired by the Savoy rulers and later expanded through archaeological expeditions in Egypt. Today the museum contains thousands of […]
Turin – Piedmont, Italy Turin (Torino) lies at the western end of the Po Valley near the point where the Po River begins its long journey across northern Italy. The city is framed by the distant peaks of the Alps, giving Turin a dramatic geographic setting. For centuries Turin served as the capital of the […]
Turin Duomo (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist) – Turin, Italy The Turin Duomo, officially the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, stands in the historic center of Turin near the former royal palace of the Savoy dynasty. Built in the late 15th century, the cathedral is the only major Renaissance church in the city. […]
La Venaria Reale – Venaria, Italy La Venaria Reale stands just northwest of Turin at the edge of the Po Valley, where the plains of northern Italy meet the foothills of the Alps. Built in the 17th century for the House of Savoy, the palace served as a royal hunting residence and one of the […]