Three cities to discover with a nature experience around the corner

Do you long for both unique cities and beautiful nature experiences? We have listed three possibilities to get both in the same trip. Everything from culture such as music, food, architecture and museums, to magnificent views and untouched nature. Below we will give something for all tastes.

Milan, Italy

For a mix of ancient culture, style and fashion, Europe's best restaurants or sports such as football and Formula 1 at the absolute highest level, Milan is a given destination. In the northern, you can see from high points in the city the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, where hiking, skiing, mountain biking and kayaking easily fill your days with only an hour's drive to the north. Peaks such as Mount Bolettone and Mount San Primo provides breath-taking nature experiences in both summer and winter. Central Milan offers both the best of Italian design along Via Della Spiga, as well as small, obscure world-class tailoring for those who have done their research and find the direction that suits your taste. Restaurants with stars in the Michelin Guide, interspersed with small family-owned trattorias behind sign less doors. End the day and rest your tired feet with a cool drink and a dip in the pool on Ceresio 7's roof terrace, a design experience in line with Dean and Dan Caten's fingertips for design. Stay at the legendary Hotel Indigo, a stone's throw from Milan's stunningly beautiful cathedral. To experience the real soul of the city, a run before breakfast is encouraged, early in the morning where you wake up hand in hand with the city's people.

Shimla, India

As an unexpected underdog on this list of noisy cities, Shimla, the capital of the Himachal Pradesh region of northern India which lies on the threshold of the Himalayas, twinkles. If you want to combine a honeymoon and stunningly beautiful hiking in an ancient cultural landscape, we recommend a pit stop here during your tour of northern India, four hours and about €25 from New Delhi by plane and bus. Traditional Indian architecture is interspersed with colonial European influences on steep mountain slopes. Experience a ride along the Kalka-Shimla railway, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For nature experiences in the region, Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, Spiti Valley, Beas Kund and Rupin Pass are recommended. The best season for snow-related experiences is November to February. Otherwise, March to June is to be recommended in terms of climate.

Portland, USA

Whether you are looking for vibrant, eclectic city life with a thriving flora of lifestyle, music and culture or want to hike among stunning mountains and scenery, Portland, Oregon, will give the feeling of coming home. Snow-capped Mount Hood is a majestic constant reminder of the closeness to nature on the eastern horizon. The city is an intellectual cradle when it comes to awareness and sustainable lifestyle, and is among other things one of the world's richest cities when it comes to vegetarian and vegan food culture. The music scene is constant, broad, and above all maintains a very high level. Everything from local, small obscure bands in genres you most thought gave the soundtrack to your best dreams at night, to greats like The Dandy Warhols, The Decemberists or The Shins. Add to that that it is a given pit stop for all international touring bands.