Swarovski, the world famous Austrian crystal company, which for some years had beautified Milan with its sparkling tree each Christmas season, has something new instead planned for 2010. Inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, hanging from the vaulted ceiling, Swarovski has installed a dangling, spiraling chain of crystal hearts. Each heart is in the iconic Swarovski shape, and as the spiral spins the light plays off of the facets of the hundreds of crystals, filling the gallery with a lightshow visible even from afar. The hearts were installed on December 4, and they will remain in the Galleria until January 8, 2011.

The work is called "Un Amore di Citta'," and it is a part of the exhibition LED: Festivale Internazionale della Luce di Milano, taking place throughout Milan on the same days. Look for the 60+ unique open air light displays on locations all around the city in the second edition of this event, and be amazed by it in anticipation with this video: www.ledfestival.it

Milan, like other Italian cities, is magical in winter. And it's so easy to reach from Stresa, or vice versa. Here's an early post from this blog on reaching Milan, or Milano as it's called here of course, from Stresa by train: http:going-to-milano-from-stresa.html

What else is going on in winter? Read the other winter posts.

The Swarovski shop is located near the hearts mobile, inside the Galleria.