The Po Valley is a flat, low-lying and densely populated region that extends from Turin to Venice, and almost as far as the port of Trieste. The Po River is always full of water because it is fed by many tributaries that descend from the glacial mountains. This means that there is a risk of flooding at any time. Nonetheless, the region produces most of Italy's agricultural produce and industrial goods.

Verona, the setting of the story of Romeo and Juliet, is a city of the north that is famous for its Roman amphitheater, the Arena. Completed around 30 A.D., it is the third largest one in Italy and able to seat 25,000 spectators in its forty-four tiers of marble seats. The gladiator games that were performed there were so famous that they attracted spectators from far beyond the city. The interior is impressive and is in use even today-for public events, fairs, theater and open-air opera during warm, summer nights.

The Basilica of San Zeno is considered one of the great achievements of Romanesque architecture. Like many other Veronese churches, it was built with alternating layers of white stone and bricks. The weathered Veronese stone gives a warm, golden glow and the huge, rose window is decorated like a wheel of fortune. Inside, the walls are covered with 12th and 14th century frescoes. Do you know what frescoes are? They are paintings on walls rather than on canvas.

Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea. Its economy depends on the commerce that takes place in its port and on its trade with the neighboring regions. The Castle of Miramare in Trieste is known for its gardens. They provide a setting of great beauty with a variety of trees, chosen and planted by the Archduke Maximilian back in the 1800s. There are two ponds, one noted for its swans and the other for its lotus flowers

Ravenna, once the seat of the Roman Empire, is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region. Though it is inland, it is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. There are eight early Christian monuments there and Ravenna is further enriched by elegant and extensive arcades (porticos), for which the city is famous. In total, there are over seventeen miles of arcades in the city's historical center which make it possible to walk for long distances sheltered from rain, snow or hot, summer sun. This region is also considered to have the finest food in all of Italy!