Some of the Places You Will Visit

There is an old Roman saying "Anyone who has not seen Cologne has not seen Germany". Founded by the Romans, Cologne is the oldest of the major German cities and still characterized by its 2000 years of history.

Situated on the river Rhein in North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany with around 1,000,000 inhabitants. It is one of the nation's media, tourism and business hotspots and is renowned as the country's gay capital.

Since 1300, Cologne has been a centre of commercial fairs and is now a world class arts and trade fair city. The area within a radius of only 500 kilometers around the city generates over 40 percent of the entire gross domestic product of the European Union.

Cologne is known for its unique churches - the Cologne Cathedral is the most-visited building in Germany. The Cathedral is a 'must see' when you visit Cologne and has been described by past Smart Tour participants as "colossal".

Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and (together with Cologne and the Ruhr Area) is the economic center of Western Germany. Düsseldorf is located on the River Rhine and it is one of the main centers of the densely populated Rhine-Ruhr area. Düsseldorf has just over 500,000 residents.

Düsseldorf is known as a stronghold of the German advertising and fashion industries. In the last few years the City on the Rhine has become a top telecommunications center in Germany, as well.

The 'Altstadt', or old town, is the heart of Düsseldorf. This pedestrian zone is said to be the 'longest bar in the world' and most of the city's outdoor and indoor events take place here.

Düsseldorf is known for architecture and its vibrant arts and cultural community. It has 18 museums to add to your sightseeing pleasure - like the fine German Museum of Ceramics.

Parma is the capital of Italy's famous "food valley" where Prosciutto di Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese reign supreme. Parma is considered to be at the heart of the Italian food industry.

The city of Parma is located in north central Italy, mid-way between Milan and Bologna. With a population of 170,000, this city is nestled in the fertile valley of the Po River in the heart of the richest of all Italian provinces, the Emilia-Romagna.

In 2004, Parma was appointed the seat of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Parma also has two food multinationals, Barilla and Parmalat.

Milan (Milano) is Italy's cultural, industrial and financial center. The capital of Lombardia (Northern Italy) is also one of the main fashion centers in the world, and the second biggest city in Italy. The design industry has made Milan famous with names like Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Giorgio Armani and Prada.

The world famous L'ultima cena by Da Vinci, the Opera House La Scala, the numerous museums and art galleries are located in Milan.

Milan proper has a population of 1.3 million inhabitants while the population of the urban area (Greater Milan, La Grande Milano) is estimated to be 4.3 million people.

The cultural and historical impact of Florence (Firenze) is overwhelming. Florence lies on the Arno River and has a population of around 400,000 people, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000 persons. The greater area has some 956,000 people.

A center of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and was long ruled by the Medici family. Florence is also famous for its magnificent art and architecture. It is said that, of the 1,000 most important European artists of the second millennium, 350 lived or worked in Florence. The city has also been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.

Tuscany is known for its landscapes and its artistic legacy. It is also known for its wines (Chianti, Morellino di Scansano and Brunello di Montalcino) and has 120 protected regions or nature reserves.

Other agricultural products include Chianina cattle (famous Fiorentina steak) and the production of olive oil. There is an industrial base producing Piaggio cars, motorcycles, scooters and airplanes, textiles, petrochemicals and steel.

Tourism is the economic backbone of the so-called "Cities of Art" (Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano), as well as on the coast and in the isles. Agri-tourism is very popular in Tuscany.

Venice (Venezsia or Venezia) is the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 272,000. The Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area has a population of 1.6 million. Venice's nicknames include "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Bridges", and "The City of Light."

Venice is made up of more than 100 tiny islets closely packed around canals. The city itself is essentially a lagoon, and as the water levels rise each year it reminds us the city is sinking. It's traditionally divided into six districts with the Grand Canal winding its way through its heart.

The Venetian Republic was a major sea power and a staging area for the Crusades, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially the spice trade) and art in the Renaissance.

Rome (Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, as well as the country's largest and most populous city with about 2.5 million residents.

Rome is also identified with the Catholic Church and an enclave within Rome is the State of the Vatican City, the sovereign territory of the Holy See and smallest nation in the world.

One of the symbols of Rome is the Colosseum, the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. The list of the very important monuments of ancient Rome includes the Roman Forum, the Domus Aurea, and the Pantheon to name a few.

Modern day Rome has a dynamic and diverse economy with thriving technologies, communications, and service sectors. The city is also a center for banking as well as electronics and aerospace industries. Numerous international headquarters, government ministries, conference centres, sports venues and museums are located in Rome's principal business districts. Rome is also the hub of the Italian film industry.