Swiss Alps and Cinque Terre

Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north. Switzerland is known for its polite and efficient people, and the crisp, clean beauty of the landscape.

Switzerland is renowned  for its awe-inspiring mountains (Alps in the south, Jura in the northwest) but also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet while Lake Maggiore (on the Italian border) is only 640 feet above sea level. The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, precipitation-laden winters and warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers.

Besides the magnificent landscapes, mild climate and quaint, clean cities and towns, Switzerland is known for its neutrality in world affairs. It is considered an extremely safe and pleasant place to travel.

Italy (Italia) is a large country in Southern Europe. It is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites anywhere—art and monuments abound throughout the country. Italy is also famous worldwide for its cuisine, fashion, wine, luxury sports cars and motorcycles; as well as for its beautiful coasts, lakes and mountains (the Alps and Apennines).

Italy has a number of world-famous cities, among them Rome, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Pisa, Turin, Venice and Verona. All are spectacular in their own right. Other popular destinations around Italy include Tuscany, the islands of Capri and Sicily, Vatican City and the Italian Alps.

Shop ‘til you drop in Milan, one of Europe’s fashion and design capitals. Whether you choose to hit the Galleria Vittorio Emamuele or the small boutiques, you can’t go wrong in this northern Italian city.

Milan’s cuisine tends toward the golden. Beginning in the 14th century, the elite added golf leaf to their food, believing it ensured good health. In more modern times, the coloring is seen in polenta or saffron (which is featured in risotto alla Milanese).

Many of Milan’s attractions (besides the shops) are located right in the center of town, starting with the Duomo, the fourth largest church in the world. Its marble spires look like sugar confection, and rise well above the roof of the cathedral. Catch a performance at ornate opera house, La Scala. Brave the long line of people to view Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, in the 15th century church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Drink in the artwork in museum galleries such as Pinacoteca Ambrosiana or Museo Poldi-Pezzoli. Or just grab a gelato and take in the urban scenery.