Rome is the capital city of Italy and the countries largest and most populated city. It is known by many names, amongst them Capital of the World, The Eternal City and Threshold of the Apostles. Rome was lucky as it was left practically undamaged from the Second World War and so the buildings in the heart of the city remain renaissance and baroque in character. The seat of the Catholic Church, these days, Rome is a sophisticated modern city that attracts thousands of tourists each year.

Locals and tourists alike enjoy meeting for a drink, or attend some planned event at one of the many squares found in Rome, popular for their architecture and many cafes and restaurants. One of the most significant is St Peter's Square, the magnificent access to St Peter's Basilica, the centre of Christianity.

The Pantheon (Temple of all the gods) is the best preserved Roman building in the world and one of the most impressive.

The Colosseum is one of the main tourist attractions in Rome, a huge structure that apparently took around ten years to construct. It is the centre of ancient Roman entertainment and the location of gladiatorial and animal combats.

Rome is a great place to do some serious shopping with a huge array of designer shops and department stores. Some good buys are leather goods and decorative items. Italy's top designer stores such as Armani, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, can be found at The Via Dei Condotti. Via del Corso is the location of famous shops like the Ferrari flagship store and Swarowski Crystal. Piazza Navona is a great place for art lovers with lots of art galleries and antique shops.

Milan

Milan is famous for its fashion houses, many of which are found in the Piazza Duomo claiming to be the world's oldest shopping centre. Milan attract designers, artists, photographers and models and has a air of glamour surrounding it due to the ancient city centre with high and interesting buildings and palazzos, The city hosted the World Exposition in 1906 and is due to host the Universal Expo in 2015.

Duomo is the largest cathedral in Milan located in the city's central square. Its style is late-Gothic and it was started in 1386.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II designed by the architect Mengoni, is today used as a shopping avenue with elegant cafes, restaurants and shops.

La Scala is a world-famous opera house first opened in 1778 with a theatre museum next door containing Verdi's death mask.

Milan is known as the city of fashion and there are a lot of choices here. All the top designer names can be found here, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Cartier Chanel and Kenzo. Corso Buenos Aires is one of the longest streets in Europe and home to the more commercial and affordable stores. Corso di Porta Ticinese is for more alternative purchases with second-hand clothes shops, stores with bizarre objects for the home, and handmade clothes.

Finding accommodation in Rome or Milan should not be too difficult, since there are hundreds of hotels in Rome and Milan hotels available from budget to luxury class, in any suburb of the cities.