Are you an artistic individual looking for inspiration? Or are you an art historian wanting to rediscover the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo and Raphael? Or maybe a trendy chic looking for what’s hot and what’s not in the fashion industry? Then having a home exchange in one of Italy’s best cities, Milan, is a brilliant idea.

Milan is Italy’s capital, located in the Northern part of Italy. With almost 1.5 million inhabitants, Milan is known as Italy’s center for business, design, art, fashion, music, history and culture. Thanks to the Da Vinci Code, Milan has been more famous because this city is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s the Last Supper. The painting is found on the Santa Maria della Grazie monastery. As for history buffs, Castello Sforzesco is a great place to see. Originally a castle that was built in the 15th century, it now houses a variety of museums the showcases the life and culture of people from the middle ages onwards. It is recommended to make a whole day visit here. Now, if shopping is your cup of tea, then make sure you visit Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. This is the place to go if you are looking for those precious finds, whether be it souvenirs to bring back home or luxurious clothing from Italy’s most famous designers. This place houses shops such as Gucci and Prada to name a few. Shops are even open in the Sundays so you can shop here any day you want! You don’t have to worry about transportation in Milan since places are accessible via the subway system.

Getting a home exchange saves you the expenses of hotel accommodation here, plus the convenience of having a place to stay once setting foot in Milan saves you from all the hassle. Having a home exchange saves you a lot of money if you decide to make your stay a little long, and instead for paying for hotel services, you cold buy yourself a new Louis Vuitton bag to bring home instead!

Oxford is not only of the the oldest cities in the UK, but it´s also perhaps the most uniquely beautiful. Known also as the City of the Dreaming Spires, it is easy to lose yourself in this musty little testament to the passing of England´s history. From its old broken cobbled floors, up to the magnifecent floating cusps of the enchanted colleges, Oxford is beyond doubt, a magical city. So where better to try your home exchange?

Whether you like history or not, you are bound to fall for its still charm, its buildings filled with history, (from the architecture to the ambience) and its quaint peculiarities.

If you go in the summer, you can start the day with a champagne breakfeast in Port Meadow, and enjoy the country walk punctuated with buttercups and dragonflies. Later, you can take a stroll down Cornmarket street, and see just how vibrant and alive these ancient streets become, with the festivals, dancing groups, singers, magic performers, and political demonstrators. For lunch, you simply have to go to the Rose Cafe. Located at the bottom of high street, just before Magdalen Bridge, this remarkably independent English cafe offers a selection of distictly original dishes, breakfast, lunch or snacks, plus a variety of special teas.

And let´s not forget the wonderfully Oxfordian punting experience afforded by the River Cherwell. Get yourself a bottle of Pimms, a picnic of strawberry jam and scones, and take yourself gliding, lazily, down the clear green river, with a book of Keates´s poetry filling your head with the aura of a British summer.

Later, there are the colleges to explore. Being one of the most exquisite and renowned universities in the UK, the architecture and backdrop of this wonderful university is immense. At Christchurch, we of course have the inspiration for Harry Potter and the blossoming fields; at Magdalen we have the sacred spotted deer, and of course the old room of Oscar Wilde, or perhaps you would like to pay a visit to the most prestigious of all, adjacent to the Radcliffe Camera, the most elite and private society for this world´s true geniuses, All Souls college at its height and brilliance.

For evening entertainment there are a varierty of theatres, of outdoor performances, of cocktail bars, restaurants, or concerts. This town is packed with culture, from the very rustic to the youngest blood on the scene, and everything is to be enjoyed against the backdrop of the vintage buldings.