Lombardy is a trade and financial powerhouse in the north of Italy, home to the business and fashion centre of Milan. Its diverse landscape and culture makes this an ideal place to spend a holiday, from the alpine regions and the Great Lakes to the fertile plains. Lombardy also has a huge amount to offer in cultural and artistic terms. Aficionados of orchestral music will want to make a beeline for the Museo del Violino in Cremona, a museum devoted to the violin and the town's famous son Stradivarius. Only opened in 2013, this museum is a treasure trove of classic antique instruments, multimedia experiences, and special sections designed to entertain and inform children. For art lovers a similarly wonderful experience can be had at the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, which houses nearly 2,000 pieces from old Italian masters such as Botticelli, Raphael and Bellini. Also in Bergamo, tucked away in the Church of the Holy Spirit is a famous painting dating from 1521, Lorenzo Lotto's Madonna With Child And Saints. Also well worth a visit is the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, where visitors can view the original of Leonardo da Vinci's famous Last Supper and of course don't miss a visit to the amazing Cathedral, Duomo of Milan. For an appreciation of the sheer length of time that art has been important in this region, take a trip to the Valcamonica near Brescia, where you can find ancient stone carvings and rock drawings dating back up to ten thousand years.