South Loop

Destination

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  Ancona

  A port town through and through, the town does have a fascinating history, a handful of sights to warrant an extra day or two, and the downtown area is very pedestrian friendly.

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  Florence

  One of the most written about cities in Italy, the list of its famous sons reads like a Renaissance Who’s Who and its celebrated cityscape lingers in the memory long after you’ve left town.

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  La Spezia for Cinque Terre

  Liguria’s eastern Riviera boasts some of Italy’s most dramatic coastline, the highlight of which is the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre (Cinque Terre National Park), just north of La Spezia.

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  Lauterbrunnen

  Bijou Lauterbrunnen, with its main street cluttered with Swiss chalet architecture, is friendly and down to earth. It’s known largely for the crash-bang spectacle of the Trümmelbach Falls.

  Lauterbrunnen

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  Lucerne

  Recipe for a gorgeous Swiss city: take a cobalt lake ringed by mountains of myth, add a medieval old town and sprinkle with covered bridges, sunny plazas and waterfront promenades.

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  Munich

  The capital of all things Bavarian. It’s a heady mix of worldclass museums, historic sites, cosmopolitan shopping, exhausting nightlife, trendy restaurants, roaring beer halls, vast parks and, of course, Oktoberfest.

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  Nice

  Nice is the Côte d’Azur’s most cosmopolitan city. It’s a heady mix of old and new, ethnic and domestic, sunshine and smog but somehow Nice still manages to be irresistible.

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  Rome

  An epic, monumental metropolis, the reality is every bit as enticing as the reputation. With its architectural and artistic treasures, its romantic corners and noisy markets, Rome is a city that knows how to impress.

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  Siena

  Siena is one of Italy’s most enchanting medieval towns. Its walled centre, a beautifully preserved warren of dark lanes is a lovely place to get lost.

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  Venice

  Arriving in Venice (Venezia) is like stepping into a surreal never-never land. Where most cities have car-choked roads and impenetrable one-way systems, Venice has gondolas vaporetti (water buses) and a labyrinthine network of canals. 

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