The Gray Hotel

Heading up the hills from Lake Garda is the beautiful Monte Baldo region of sloping forests, lush greenery and flowing rivers.

This 18-hole course was built in 1928 in the historic Royal Park of Monza. The three paths of the course are set within an ancient wood, requiring the player to think carefully about each shot, with a focus on precision in the front 9 and long shots on the back 9.

Monte Tamaro rises 1,961 metres above the lake and in this beautiful hilly area there are plenty of wonderful trails and hikes. Notably it is the starting point for the Tamaro-Lema hike. This peak is also worth visiting for the contemporary and innovative Santa Maria degli Angeli church designed by Mario Botta and painted by Enzo Cucchi. It sits on the edge of the hillside with amazing views. There is also an adventure park and mountain bike trails. Something for everyone.

If you want to see an overview of Switzerland in miniature, then this is the place to come.

This large lake, on the eastern side of Milan, was originally built for Mussolini as an airport for seaplanes. Now it is a park for sporting activities and a summer meeting place. Boasting a beach, swimming pools and plenty of open space for walking and cycling as well as other team games, its bursts into life in summer and is a perfect family afternoon with a picnic on a hot day.

The elegant style and furnishings, the neoclassical pieces of art decorating the walls and the hand-painted high ceiling is a dramatic yet fitting setting for the fantastic food of the Palazzo Parigi restaurant. And when the weather is fine, the relaxed atmosphere of the private garden terrace provides an alternative atmosphere for visiting diners.

Located at the luxury Excelsior Gallia Hotel, this rooftop restaurant boasts a menu created under the consultancy of three-Michelin starred chefs Enrico and Roberto Cerea and the Lebano brothers. They serve modern Italian cuisine with a focus on the Lombardy region.

This elegant and sophisticated restaurant is located in a luxury hotel right in the heart of Milan and has been awarded a Michelin star. They serve traditional Italian dishes with innovative touches using local fresh ingredients.

Part of the Armani Hotel Milan, this Michelin-starred restaurant takes a modern approach to classic Italian wining and dining. The stylish decor has been designed to the smallest detail by Giorgio Armani himself.

Michelin-starred experience that draws on the experimentation of the Venissa culinary approach. The enchanting decor completes the tone for dining in a very unique setting.

The 2-Michelin-starred Seta restaurant located in the Mandarin Oriental Milan hotel is a new kid on the block for the Milanese restaurant scene. An open-plan kitchen gives guests a peak of how the stunning dishes are prepared and a more complete experience to their choices.

Located in the historic centre of Milan, in front of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, this is one of Milan’s hottest and trendiest bars in the city at any time of the day.

A casual, all-welcoming cafe offering a lively, homely ambience, tasteful rock tunes and hearty fare. Although this cafe is brimming with customers at happy hour, tables are quick to vacate in good weather as locals spill out to the adjoining park.

Founded in 2005, this glamorous nightclub offers event 5 nights of the week characterised by elegance and fun.

Overlooking the cathedral, this first-floor terrace is a great place for a relaxed aperitivo enjoying one of Milan's most typical drinks, an Aperol spritz.

This club was created by the famous fashion stylist Roberto Cavalli and is located within the largest city garden, Parco Sempione.

Meaning "heart", this vibrant, friendly, atmospheric spot is worth seeking out down a side street for its changing interior, DJ sets and mixed clientele.

Reputedly the oldest shopping arcade in the world, this 19th-century glamorous, 4-storey, arcaded shopping gallery features a rich mosaic floor and a spectacular iron and glass roof complete with cupola that connects Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Scala.

This sweeping square, the grandest in the city, is flanked by several famous sights and landmarks. Most notably the Duomo cathedral, but also the 19th-century shopping arcade the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the 18th-century Palazzo Reale.

Palazzo Marino has been the home of Milan's town council since 1861. Located in La Scala square, the palace was designed by architect Galeazzo Alessi, from Perugia, in 1558.

Located in the very heart of the city, the Duomo is the third largest cathedral in the world and Milan's most famous cultural landmark. Commenced in 1386, the cathedral was initially built in terracotta stone then continued in the white Condoglian marble (shipped from Lake Maggiore) that gives the building its striking crystalline beauty.

Alessandro Mazoni, the famous literate and author of "I Promessi Sposi" or "The Betrothed", lived in this house from 1814 until 1873. It has been restored to show how it must have been when Manzoni died in 1873.

La Scala is one of the most important opera theatres in the globe, where many of the most famous operas were premiered. It now stages concerts, recitals and cultural events as well as ballet and opera.

Located just within 15 kilometres north of Milan, this big but picturesque town, the third largest in the Lombardy region, has been transformed from a mainly industrial trade centre to a popular spot for good cuisine, pretty squares and of course the F1 Gran Prix.

The city of Bergamo is perched atop a hill just within a 30-40 minute train or car ride from Milan. The fourth largest city in Lombardy, it is located at the foot of the Alps.

The lovely town of Angera dates back to Roman times when it was an important stopping point for boats transferring their wares to the road, and vice-versa. Sitting high above the town is the Rocca Borromeo, a fortress dating back to the 11th century.

High up above the lakes is the village of Arcumeggia in the mountains. It is famous because in 1956 the local tourist office decided to ask important Italian painters to fresco the walls of the town's stone cottages.