Autumn

The history of the village of Morimondo has been intertwined since its origins with that of the Cistercian monks: the village owes its birth to the foundation of the abbey of the same name, built in the 12th century, when the first monks arrived from Morimond, in France, and from here they left to spread their beliefs throughout Europe. Morimondo Abbey is the first Cistercian abbey in Lombardy and tells the story of the monks' philosophy in its architecture: the simplicity of the exposed bricks and the absence of decorations recall the essentiality of monastic life, the light that filters in from above seems to narrate the sense of spirituality that pervades everything, while the slightly asymmetrical elements of the façade remind visitors and pilgrims of the imperfection of man compared to divine perfection.

A few kilometres from the Queen of the Dolomites San Vito di Cadore stands at an altitude of about 1,000 metres in the province of Belluno, surrounded by two UNESCO World Heritage giants: Monte Antelao, behind, and Monte Pelmo, in front. It is the perfect mountain village, both in winter, with its Ski Area slopes and the NeveSole Park, and in summer, with high-altitude trekking, mountaineering and mountain biking itineraries. Bathed by the splendid Mosigo Lake, a stunning artificial basin, San Vito di Cadore is an outstanding destination not only for its scenic beauty, but also its historical and artistic heritage. As you stroll through the streets of the centre, you will come across two churches next to each other. The first is the Archdeaconry dedicated to Saints Vito Modesto and Crescenza, vaguely Tyrolean but actually ancient, founded in the early 13th century, and rich in frescoes and wooden statues. The second is the late-Gothic-style Church of the Madonna della Difesa. Finally, don’t miss the Ethnographic Museum, which explains the culture and traditions of San Vito, featuring everyday objects, scale reproductions of bridges and mills, and historical photographs.

A small medieval village in the province of Viterbo Dating back to Etruscan times, as evidenced by tombs from the 8th century BC, the medieval village of Roccalvecce experienced its heyday between the 13th and 14th centuries, passing under the control of several powerful families in the area. Examples of this flourishing period include the Costaguti Castle, overlooking Piazza Umberto I: besides being one of the historic residences of the Lazio region, it is the most important monument in the village. Divided over three floors, the residence contains numerous rooms decorated with frescoes, stuccoes and many works of art dating back to the 17th and 19th centuries. At the foot of Roccalvecce, the 17th century garden of the Vignaccia is part of the castle complex and allows for short walks surrounded by flowers and plants, some of which are particularly rare. Wandering around the narrow streets of the village is a must-see experience. In fact, it is not difficult to find several vantage points overlooking the surrounding countryside of the province of Viterbo.

A hilltop village in the heart of the Castelli Romani, among history and nature On the outskirts of Rome, in the heart of the Castelli Romani Regional Park, the village of Rocca di Papa rises up over the surrounding area at a height of 680 metres above sea level, amid houses clinging to the rock, ancient churches and the impressive Cathedral. At the top of the town, you can admire the remains of the papal fortress, the first evidence of which dates back to 1181. Strolling through the town’s steep alleyways, be sure to visit the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1664, and the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Tufo. The area around Rocca di Papa also includes over 1,400 hectares of forest, which over the years have become an ideal place for hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders. This is due not only to the lush nature, but also to the archaeological sites of great importance dotted around the forest, including the ancient Roman Republic-era Via Sacra and the necropolis, with Bronze Age cave tombs. For an outdoor picnic or horse ride, you can head to the Pratoni del Vivaro, an endless green expanse just minutes from the centre of Rocca di Papa.

A profound harmony has always reigned between the village of Loano and the sea, linked by an endless interweaving that has accompanied the village since the dawn of time. In fact, its maritime tradition is strong, linking the growth of the town to the activities of shipyards, fishermen and sailors. Sea as history, therefore, but also as a natural resource of great importance, to be enhanced and protected. Loano safeguards its maritime environment thanks to an artificial reef, an important work at European level, which contributes to the development of ecological conditions that favour the repopulation of marine flora and fauna. Loano with its Marina, with its beaches, with its enchanting sunsets over the sea and with its shops offering typical products and local handicrafts. And a place of transit that is also a place of identity, is the port, which symbolically represents sea voyages, the life of fishermen, exchanges and intertwining. Everything on the sea, everything thanks to the sea.

The South Tyrolean territory is rich in natural areas, precious landscapes whose delicate environmental balance must be preserved. Therefore, the region has established numerous parks. There are seven in all, in addition to the Stelvio National Park. The task of each of them is to protect the invaluable ecosystem and make it accessible to all.

If you are looking for an eco-friendly experience and all-round immersion in nature, you are in the right place. In fact, 25% of the Campania region is occupied by protected areas, which go well with environmental and sustainable tourism. We propose a tour of the four Parks of Campania. An evocative route that will know how to enchant you, giving you landscapes that are always different and full of charm.

The Pollino National Park extends from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Ionian Sea, covering an area of almost 200,000 hectares and is one of the GeoParks protected by UNESCO. It is located between Basilicata and Calabria. It is a heterogeneous structure, from the Piani di Campolongo, Novacco, and Lanzo, to Piani del Pollino, home to the Argentino and Abatemarco rivers, the Lao and Raganello gorges, and the streams of Peschiera and Frido. The whole area of Pollino is formed by the Massifs of Pollino and Orsomarso. The mountain range, which is part of thesouthern Apennines, can boast the highest peaks in southern Italy, covered with snow for a long period of the year, starting in November and ending in May, when the snow melts. The peaks of the Park reach an altitude of 2,200 metres above sea level. The natural area consists of dolomitic rocks, limestone ramparts, fault walls, cliffs, very deep gorges, and also plateaus, meadows and high altitude pastures. One of the "green" symbols of the Park is certainly the Loricato Pine, called "living fossil" or "dinosaur of the trees" by many, due to the ability of this type of conifer to resist and thrive in difficult environments, at altitudes above 1000 metres, and in isolated areas, where other types of trees cannot survive.

The territory defined in December 1922 as the Gran Paradiso National Park extends around the homonymous massif (whose peak exceeds 4000 meters) and in the past was a densely populated area. The architecture of the villages is based on the idea of the alpine house, on the Piedmontese side with constructions entirely made of wood, while on the Aosta Valley side wood is flanked by stone. The maximum splendor of this area was reached in the middle of the 1800s, when members of the House of Savoy came up to these parts to reach the hunting posts. The decision to prohibit hunting when the Park first opened was fundamental to saving the ibexes - which are its symbol - from extinction. Today, this mountain Eden, divided into five valleys where rocky environments, prairies, woods and their borders alternate, is truly within everyone's reach: thanks to the project “an Accessible Paradise”, the tourist offering of the entire protected area is able to satisfy the needs, interests and expectations of a wider range of users.

Thanks to its 70,000 hectares, the Sibillini Mountains National Park (between Umbria and the Marche regions) is a true treasure trove of biodiversity due to the alternating presence of wetlands in the valleys, and thick forests and wonderful plateaus such as that of Castelluccio di Norcia, famous for the flowering of lentils. There are many charming villages nestled in a unique landscape that changes according to the seasons at the various altitudes. In fact, there are many peaks in this area that are beyond 2000 meters of altitude above sea level and among them there are Mount Sibilla Mountain, Mount Bove Mountain and the Redentore Peak.

Bathed by two seas, the Tyrrhenian to the west and the Ionian to the east, very different in terms of landscape, beaches and coastal colours, Basilicata enchants with its small, picturesque villages over 1,000 metres above sea level, woods and forests covering the mountains, a landscape characterised by unspoilt nature that goes hand in hand with a prestigious history: all in one, small region with attractions for all tastes.

In June, the weekends in Breme become tastier to celebrate the “Dolcissima”, a red onion which has been produced in Breme for generations and now bears the De.Co mark (municipal denomination of origin). This gastronomic event started out as a small local event and over the years has become a real reference point for gastronauts and chefs from Italy and beyond, in search of new inspiration. Each year, the festival aims to promote a small but precious product from the area's short supply chain. It does so by embracing the culinary tradition of the Lomellina Valley, with its generous recipes: the “dolcissima” is the queen of the menus prepared for the occasion and is paired with tripe, typical stews, grilled meats and the ever-present omelette, the true must of the festival!

Following last year’s success, Best Wine Stars is back. This tasting event will once again provide the city of Milan with exciting opportunities for in-depth exploration for experts and enthusiasts in the wine and spirits sector. The majestic Palazzo del Ghiaccio, a splendid Art Nouveau building, will host the over 200 selected wineries for three consecutive days, allowing visitors to enjoy an exclusive experience, discovering new market trends, social media strategies and emerging technologies. It is an unmissable opportunity for total immersion in the culture of wine and spirits, thanks to the history and uniqueness of every individual product. The organic area will be able to taste excellent organic and natural wines. As in previous editions, the Best Wine Stars Awards will be presented, which are renowned prizes awarded to the winning companies.

It is 'the learned', because in 1088 it saw the birth of the first university in the western world, which still today attracts students from around the world. It is 'the red' because of the characteristic colour of its roofs, visible from the top of its medieval towers. And it is 'the fat' – you just try to resist the temptation of a sandwich stuffed with fresh mortadella or a dish of piping hot lasagna!

Internationally-acclaimed, San Daniele ham - which is a PDO product (Protected Denomination of Origin) - stands out from other Italian ham for its unique processing, which doesn’t involve removing the trotter. As for the origin of the raw material (the legs), it’s essential they only come from pigs bred in one of the 11 northern and central regions of Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, the Abruzzi, the Marches, Umbria and Molise).

Of all the types of journey, opting for a route that follows the tasting stops has its reasons. Savouring the typical dishes of an area will accomplish a twofold mission: to satisfy the palate and get to know the traditions of the area. A food and wine itinerary in the Aosta Valley is this and much more. Mountain flavours, treasured traditions, the finest ingredients: the typical products of the Aosta Valley are worth the journey, and at the first taste you will understand why.

The chestnut finds its ideal habitat here thanks to the temperate climatic conditions, exposure to the sun and the chemical and physical composition of the soil: Marroni del Monfenera PGI chestnuts are the tastiest. We’re here on the slopes of Monfenera, in the foothills of Grappa and Montello in the province of Treviso, where miracles happen.

A sort of an uncharted territory in regards to mass tourism, Molise, which lies between the regions of Abruzzo and Apulia, is a region that hosts numerous art treasures, breathtaking natural sceneries, and thousand-year-old traditions. A very characteristic aspect of Molise is its network of tratturi, the ancient grassy paths of transhumance from the pre-Roman Era up to only a few centuries ago, our ancestors traveled these trails, driving their animal herds from season to season. Livestock transhumance, the principal mainstay of the Southern peasant, was (and is still, in some cases) based on a very rigorous journey from the cool mountain pastures of Abruzzo in autumn, to the hot and humid Apulian Plateaus (where they reverse direction in summer).

These are the magnificent scenery of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato, where the great Italian wines of Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco, are produced. This jewel of Piedmont with its seductive landscapes has become part of the World Heritage List of Unesco.

Ancona is made up of sea and hills. It seems that in ancient Greek "ankón" meant "elbow", and here the landscape of the coast is really like an elbow drawn from the hill of the Cathedral and the hilly parks of Cardeto and Passetto. In the middle is the city, with the sea horizon facing Dalmatia, ships and cranes along the docks, grandiose historical buildings, mysterious sculptural reliefs, imposing signs of the ancient Roman civilization, and beaches on the slopes of the parks. Spending a day of leisure in the large port city of the central Adriatic means making discoveries. Choosing two wheels is advisable, but not with a push bike: we are in a city of unevenness, not all of us have the strength of a cycling champion in our legs. There is no shortage of places to rent a scooter. You can get to Ancona by motorway, by the very long Adriatic road 16 or by rail. If you want, there is also an airport. The ideal thing would be to arrive in the most natural way: by ship, because you would get the taste of the place in the most panoramic and naturally slow way. Follow the manoeuvres, watch the tyres throw, get in line to disembark and finally begin to discover.

The Tuscan countryside around Siena takes in spas as well as excellent food and wine with these five delightful cycling routes through picture postcard nature. The spectacular countryside around Siena, in Tuscany, offers slow rides immersed in nature with the bouquet of wines and truffles, natural spas and very old villages still pervaded by the presence of the ancient Etruscans. Here are five essential itineraries for a truly complete sensory experience. These enchanting landscapes will also welcome stages of the Giro d'Italia 2023.

A farmer on his way back from the fields, an ancient Roman on a road heading North, a never-forgotten champion holding the handlebar with all his might. What about you? Who are you dreaming to be? The hinterland in Le Marche plays the main role in the second to last stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, the coast-to-coast race in which the cycling top contenders face off. The itinerary we are describing in these lines, however, lends itself to the (perhaps down-scaled) effort of the cycling enthusiasts. The merit goes to its mild slopes, immersed in the woods or surrounded by sunflower fields, its artistic richness and its wide culinary offer. Who among you, once off the bike, can say ‘no’ to a dish of cold cuts paired with some Vernaccia?

If in doubt, we certainly recommend a visit here, with its patchwork of small vineyards that carpet the hillsides and valleys of the area, dotted with the precious vines that have been cultivated for centuries with hard work and passion, which can even make teetotallers jump out of their skin with enthusiasm.