Just outside the northern city of Milan, a very colourful tourist attraction is taking shape. The city is set to get Italy's very first tulip field this month - and visitors can take the flowers home to keep. The enormous field, which has the aim of becoming "the happiest place in Milan", will showcase 250,000 tulips of 183 different varieties across an area of one hectare.

It will be located at Cornaredo, 11 km northwest of Lombardy's capital, and visitors should head there in late March or April to see the flowers in bloom. Visitors are invited to pick as many flowers as they want from the garden, and the price of entry (for adults only) is two tulips, at €1.50 apiece. At the edges of the field there will be elaborate floral displays.