Autumn

High on a rounded hill, the town offers a panorama that sweeps from the sea to the Lucanian hinterland and the Pollino peaks. Destroyed by the Saracens at the end of the 16th century, the ancient village was re-founded in 1518. The ancient core spirals up the hill with alleys connected by tunnels and stairways, and small buildings adorned with stone portals and masks. The massive watchtower is the only trace of a sixteenth-century fortified complex. The main places of worship are the Chiesa Madre (17th–18th century) and the church of S. Antonio da Padova (17th century), already part of a Franciscan convent. The surrounding area is a destination for high-altitude hikes to Mount Coppolo and Pollino, while on the coast, the attractions are the wide, sandy beaches of Marina di Nova Siri and Marina di Rotondella.

Clinging to a limestone spur over the Basento valley and recognisable from afar by its tall Norman tower, Tricarico retains its ancient districts of Rabatana and Saracena, which unfold like the small but intricate labyrinths typical of Arab towns. In the 17th century, it was the home of the painter Pietro Antonio Ferro, and in 1923, the writer Rocco Scotellaro was born there, whose artistic testimony and political commitment to the rights of local farmers are still very much present and in evidence. The Norman tower is one of the symbols of the town, but it is only one of its artistic and monumental riches. In the ancient heart stands the 13th-century Church of St Francis. The former convent, which has been extensively remodelled, is home to the Rocco Scotellaro Documentation Centre with a specialised library on Southern Italy and an important photographic archive with images by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Arturo Zavattini, Mario Carbone, Mario Cresci and Antonio Pagnotta.

The town of Arrone appears to travellers in its fascinating aspect as an ancient fortified village, perched on a rocky outcrop and immersed in the lush vegetation of the Nera River Park. Watchtowers and sections of the old defensive walls appear among the winding alleys of Arrone: it comes as no surprise that, in 1966, the director Mario Monicelli chose this town as the set for his cult comedy “For Love and Gold”, set in the Middle Ages. Further down, along the course of the River Nera, sporting types can enjoy rafting, rowing and other water sports; for those who prefer trails through the trees, the place to go is the Nahar Adventure Park, in the hamlet of Rosciano.

In the countryside south of the Euganean Hills, along the road that connects Padua to Mantua, Montagnana stands out as one of the most intact and best preserved medieval fortified complexes in the world. With its 1950 metres of 14th-century walls with crenellations, 24 towers reaching as high as 19 metres and 4 gateways set in immaculate lawns, the Castle of St Zeno (whose keep is 38.40 m high) was once used by the Venetians as a hemp store. It is now home to the Antonio Giacomelli Museum. Equally well-preserved is the historic town centre, which lies within the magnificent walls. With its porticoed streets, large central square it has the atmosphere of a typical Venetian lowland village. Especially worth seeing is Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, which in the Middle Ages was the market square. It is framed by porticoed buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, including Palazzo del Monte di Pietà (founded as a social bank by friars in 1497) and the Cathedral of St Mary, an imposing building with an impressive façade. The king of the local specialities is "Prosciutto Veneto PDO", a cured ham with a sweet flavour that was already enjoyed in the 15th century and which is now subject to strict production regulations, thanks to the Consortium responsible for protecting regional produce. During the second half of May, the village celebrates with a large food and wine festival, including wine tastings and pairings with Venetian Doc wines. To go with the delicious prosciutto, there's also the local Montagnana melon while those with a sweet tooth might want to try the Pandolce di Ezzelino sweetbread or the Dolce del Palio, named after an important local event held on the first Sunday in September, the Palio dei 10 Comuni. The event brings together the 10 communities of the Montagnana “Sculdascia” to watch a thrilling horse race.

Craco has the timeless charm of a ghost town. Abandoned in 1963 after a landslide, the last in a series of landslides that began at the end of the 19th century, Craco Vecchia is a spectacular village of mediaeval origin. It stands on the watershed between the valleys of the Agri and Salandrella-Cavone rivers, on top of a cliff immersed in the landscape of the Calanchi. Before its ruin, the village had a flourishing past linked, according to tradition, to the Templars. Today, Craco Vecchia is a collection of ruins, dilapidated and yet fascinating, where the almost surreal silence is interrupted only by the attentive steps of visitors on the uneven ground, protected by the obligatory protective helmets. You will come upon ancient churches, such as the Mother Church of San Nicola and the Madonna della Stella church, and noble palaces, from palazzo Carbone to palazzo Grossi, from palazzo Cammarota to palazzo Maronna. Once you arrive, you will feel like you are on a film set. It is no coincidence that Craco was chosen as the location for some iconic films, such as Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Francesco Rosi's "Cristo si è fermato a Eboli".

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club Perched on a clay ridge, in the heart of the Lucanian Calanchi, a concentration of ravines, clay pinnacles and panoramas with wide horizons, Aliano was immortalised by the pen of Carlo Levi, who described it as Gagliano in "Christ Stopped at Eboli". The relationship between the writer and the village, where he lived in confinement and which he loved so much that he wanted to be buried in the village's small cemetery, is profound. Inside the village, you can visit the Carlo Levi Art Gallery and the Carlo Levi Literary Park. The former preserves photographic and pictorial documents of the artist from the period of exile, while the latter carries out initiatives aimed at recovering and enhancing local identity, culture, history and traditions. The park is full of places, objects, and events that help us retrace the steps of his exile in the 1930s. In the village, it is possible to visit the restored house where he lived, attend open-air theatre performances, visit the permanent exhibition set up in the former town hall of the village, or visit the restored film set of the film "Christ Stopped at Eboli". Also worth visiting are the church of San Luigi Gonzaga, dating back to the 16th century, the Museum of Rural Civilisation, housed in an old oil mill where objects related to farming and handicraft activities and some characteristic "horned masks", typical of the Carnival period, are exhibited. The curious House of the Evil Eye, which takes the form of a human face to ward off spirits and negative influences.

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.

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. Brand-new for this edition will be the organic area, where visitors 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.

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!

A land of motors and taste, Modena is a city that offers many possibilities for visiting. Magnificent architectural works that have become UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a lively cultural life and a tasty culinary tradition make Modena a place you can visit all year round. Are you already in the mood to discover these wonders?

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.

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 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).

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.

The Prosecco hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the province of Treviso, represent an ancient world that has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. Choosing the Prosecco Hills as a destination means admiring small vineyards on narrow grassy terraces called “ciglioni”, beautiful hill ridges, medieval villages and hamlets, forests and cultivations. A rugged but enchanting terrain, long shaped and adapted by man, who has nevertheless thoroughly respected its nature, resulting in a distinctive chequered landscape characterised by rows of vines parallel and vertical to the slope. A destination full of beauty and overwhelming flavours accompanied by good drink.