Winter

You are some distance away from the Lagoon of the Serenissima, but along this route, which is known as the Friuli Pedemontana, you will still travel through a world of water, made up of bubbling springs, river parks, old towns brought to life by streams and canals. For thousands of years, the Livenza river has fed the life and civilisation of Sacile and Polcenigo, and further on, the strip between Maniago and Meduno is crossed by the Cellina and Meduna waters. The beautiful historic centre of Spilimbergo, the final destination, is halfway between the Meduna and the course of the great Tagliamento river that divides Friuli in two. In Friulian, the Tagliamento is "l'Aghe", i.e. the "Water" par excellence. The west of Pordenone lies on this side of the "Acqua", the east of Udine on the other side. At many points along the route, it is possible to ascend the road and then walk in the mountains just higher up, in winter on skis in Piancavallo and in summer with pedule (i.e. mountain walking shoes) on your feet among the alpine pastures of the Tramontina valley. Here, however, there is also water: Lake Barcis and the lakes of Tramonti may be artificial, but that doesn't make their stretches of blue any less engaging. This all means that you should never be surprised by the Lions of St Mark frescoed or carved here and there. For centuries, Friuli was under Venice. The channelling techniques that have kept the Lagoon alive are not so different from those used to keep the Livenza at bay. The palaces of Polcenigo and Aviano have the same architecture as the Venetian villas along the Brenta. The double lancet windows and wall frescoes on the façades of Spilimbergo could belong on the Grand Canal, and more than a little of the wine that has always been drunk in Venetian bàcari along the salizade and calli still comes from here: from Friuli.

Have you reached this earthly paradise? Then make yourself comfortable and examine the cheese menu, firstly with Fontina, the queen of Valle d'Aosta products. You will be able to recognise it by its sweet flavour and straw-yellow colour, paler in the cheeses produced in winter, when the cows are fed with hay, and deeper in summer production. These are followed by delicacies such as Gressoney toma cheese, salignon, reblec, brossa, seras and goat cheeses, each with its own story to tell. Listen and taste them all. Go on to classics such as Valdostana-style chops, polenta concia and ”soupe valpellineintze” (Valpellina-style soup); venison, chamois in salmì (in “civet”), trout, “carbonade”, a beef stew, and fondue, a single dish made with cheese, melted in a dedicated pot, to be consumed hot, are also excellent. Enjoy sausages, such as Vallee d'Aoste jambon de Bosses, a specially matured ham, Boudin with a refined taste, Saouseusse, seasoned minced meat, Lard d'Arnad, soft lard, Teuteun, salted beef udder, Motzetta, aromatic dried meat. The Alpine microclimate is the joy of apples, which develop intense flavours here. Try the Red and Gold delicious, Jonagold and Renetta: raw or cooked, they are sweet and versatile, the basis of smoothies, sweet or savoury jams, to be served with fine dishes. Last but not least, desserts and wines. For the first courses, try the tegole, torcettini - typical regional biscuits - and the blanc manger alla valdostana with cream; for the second courses, place of honour to all, such as the whites Muller-Thurgau and Pinot noir (vinified in white) and the reds Pinot noir, Gamay, Torrette, Nus Rouge. Had too much to eat? Here's a shot of Genepì, a digestive made from alpine herbs, artemisia.

The snow-white horizon of the Apuan Alps always stands out clearly. It springs up suddenly from a distance if you are descending from the main Apennine watershed, down the Cisa Pass. Equally inevitable, but closer and almost impending, appears if you travel up the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea along the Aurelia or on the motorway from Pisa. It is undoubtedly a hard landscape, as hard as the most famous marble in the world: that of Carrara, the town that is a capital of the Apuan Alps, but more than anything else it is a magical environment, because of the glimmering of the rocks, the spectacular quarries, the nature trails at high altitude through the park, and the thousands of years of accumulated history. It begins with the ancient Romans to the castles of the Malaspina family, then from the rule of the Medici family to the seaside resorts of today. Proverbially, it is a joke that the carrarini, that is, the inhabitants of the Carrara area, would have a head, in the sense of stubbornness, as hard as their marble. Meeting them, you wouldn't think so. How could the generations who invented marble as an environment for curing lard, and who deservedly do nothing to hide it, really be so hard?

Familiarising yourself with the slopes of Monte Rosa on the Ayas Valley side? It's simple! Just start from the office of the management company in Champoluc, the best information point for skiing also in the other connected valleys – Champorcher and Gressoney, and Piedmontese Valsesia – thanks to an impressive array of gondola lifts, chairlifts, ski lifts and moving walkways, plus two cable cars and a funicular. There are downhill slopes ranging from easy to challenging, whether you choose the Champoluc inner circuit from Frachey – from where you can go up to Alpe Ciarcerio by cable car – or the Bettaforca link to Gressoney. In general terms, the landscape on the Ayas slope is rather broad and not rugged: even the profile of Monte Rosa from here has smooth lines with large glacial plateaus. Some figures. Over one hundred kilometres of slopes: 28 blue, 73 red and 11 black, with 52 ski lifts between Alagna Valsesia at 1,212 m above sea level and Punta Indren at 3,275 m. The total hourly capacity of the ski lifts is around fifty thousand people per hour. For ski mountaineering, contact the specialised guides in Champoluc.

Trentino boasts no fewer than 11 locations recognised as \"the most beautiful villages in Italy\". They are special places, where you can really savour the taste of tradition. Nestling in secluded locations amid forests or mountain pastures, for centuries the source of sustenance to local communities, the villages of Trentino welcome you with cobbled courtyards, fountains, mural paintings of saints and angels on the stone walls, porticoes, barns and balconies made of timber, still used today to dry corn cobs and nuts.

From the large ski resorts in the Turin and Cuneo areas, to the more secluded resorts with views of Monte Rosa and the lakes between Valsesia and Ossola, to the Biella Pre-Alps overlooking the Po Valley: winter in Piedmont has much to offer! With1,350 km of slopes and over 50 peaks that exceed 4,000 metres (Monviso, Monte Rosa and the Gran Paradiso massif), high-quality accommodation facilities, state-of-the-art facilities, Piedmont is an incomparable mix of outdoor activities and Alpine flair, in landscapes that convey well-being. A mosaic of routes and itineraries and many activities to choose from: downhill skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, kite skiing, sledging, skating, ice skating and fat biking, wild watching and high-energy snowshoeing or walking on the white tracks of the cross-country ski trails. After so much movement, you can then enjoy the unmistakable flavours of the Piedmontese Alps après-ski in a mountain hut, trattoria or panoramic restaurant.

In the Upper Tagliamento Valley, the Forni di Sopra ski resort is the perfect ski holiday for those seeking fun, sports and relaxation, far from the crowds, in the enchanting scenery of the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. The ski resort of Forni di Sopra, which rises up from 900 to 2,500 metres above sea level, offers activities to suit everyone, with downhill slopes, cross-country trails, a well-equipped snow park, ski mountaineering and hiking routes, ice climbing, an ice rink and a sports centre with facilities dedicated to wellness and indoor activities.

Surrounded by the extraordinary landscape of the Dolomites, with 450 ski lifts and 1,200 kilometers of ski slopes in twelve different ski areas where you can ski with just one single ski pass, Dolomiti Superski is one of the largest and most exciting ski areas in the world. Each of the twelve Dolomiti Superski areas boasts a number of one-of-a-kind features that are worth knowing about. Let's find out about them.

Are you planning a skiing week? Did you know that Emilia Romagna is perfect for people who love mountain sports? Thanks to the longest bob track in the Apennines, descents for expert skiers and beginners alike and fun snow parks for snowboarders and freestylers, this beautiful region is an unmissable destination for a skiing holiday. Here are 3 places to choose from:

The Milan - Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics is scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd 2026: two electrifying weeks of pure competition, showcasing the best athletes in the world involved in 16 different disciplines. In the meantime, why not explore the places that will host this unmissable international event and learn about the activities and events scheduled? Here are the places and activities so that you can already start to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Milan - Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

It was once also renowned for a spring of iron-rich water of various qualities, which has since been lost. It rises in a basin, between Bormio, the Stelvio Pass and the Passa Gavia, at the foot of the mountains of the Ortles Cevedale group and there is no season when mountain lovers cannot appreciate it. Of course, skiing is the reigning discipline here. Santa Caterina Valfurva hosted the Women's Alpine Skiing World Championships and several Alpine and Nordic Skiing World Cup races in 1985. Its real attraction is the slope dedicated to Deborah Compagnoni, a three-time Alpine skiing gold medallist, inaugurated for the World Championships in 2005 and illuminated at night to allow moonlight skiing. It is over three kilometres long, reaches a gradient of 75 per cent (only in some places) and is one of the most varied and exciting slopes in the entire Alpine region. In the heart of the Stelvio National Park, the ski area is a true jewel of nature and snow-capped peaks. An oasis where you can find tranquillity amidst the mountain scenery.

The slopes are perfect, the mountain scenes captivating, Paneveggio forest enchanting, the services and entertainment rich and varied. Not to mention the enrosadira, the spectacle of sunset on the Dolomite mountains, where the rocks glow rosey pink as the sun goes down. So mesmerising it will take your breath away, the Pale di San Martino puts on quite a show.

Busy lives, full agendas and multiple worries: being, or feeling, stressed is a condition that many people share. So why not recharge your batteries by treating yourself to some relaxation away from work and everyday life? Spas in winter can regenerate you, and the good news is that Italy is full of facilities, spas and thermal centres where you can reconnect with yourself. If you are looking for ideas for a romantic weekend or a wellness weekend among thermal baths, outdoor pools and invigorating massages, here are some beautiful spas in Italy also open in winter.

To regenerate mind and body there is nothing like a spa treatment, excellent for relaxing but above all for taking care of your health in a targeted way. The thermal spa centers with mud and sulfur rich waters in Italy are pure excellence: distributed throughout the territory, they offer various treatments and offerings. There are also many luxury facilities where you can take care of yourself in an luxurious way. Treatments with thermal waters in Italy are well known and appreciated, but mud therapy is also particularly effective, thanks to the use of mud obtained from the mix of clays and thermal water that are placed all over the body or in particular areas. But what is mud for? Among the many benefits, it relieves muscle, rheumatic and chronic pain and dermatological or joint problems. Choosing the most suitable treatment for you is of course in the hands of your doctor who would be able to guide you in the best possible way. For some treatments Italian residents can benefit from agreements guaranteed by the Italian National Health System.

Studies say that males tend to neglect their mental health and well-being, not paying due attention to the balance between mind and body. On top of the ever-increasing stress and pace of daily life, the pandemic has added new pressures and forced us to take on new challenges. Taking a break and treating ourselves to personalised detoxifying and regenerative treatments is no longer a fad but a necessity. Fortunately, many facilities in Italy offer wellness courses tailored to men, as well as holistic programmes that take care of the body and spirit through a global approach. We recommend making the most of the end of summer to rediscover yourself by indulging in a men's wellness holiday, where you can relax and recharge your batteries so you can face the new “academic year” in the best way possible.

What could be better than combining intense days on ski slopes with relaxing well-being and spa treatments? There are several destinations in the Alps that precisely offer this opportunity, for all tastes and abilities: here are as number of destinations you absolutely should know about.

'Mens sana in corpore sano' said the Romans, perhaps thinking of Ischia and its thermal baths. As the thermal properties of the island were known as far back as the Roman Empire, water and mud were likely already used for creams and cosmetics. Ischia offers various options for those in need of specific cures or treatments or, more simply, for those who have made wellness their philosophy of life. Here then is an itinerary among the colourful thermal gardens, natural springs and the magic of fumaroles. From Molo Beverello in Naples, boarding a ferry or hydrofoil, it takes less than an hour to reach Ischia, an island that from the sea reveals itself as a block of rock and Mediterranean scrub and that contains within itself a microcosm of environments with a character that is anything but homogenous. The climate is mild all year round, the nature lush and untamed, the sea crystal clear, the beaches a dream, the towns picturesque. And if you add to all this the thermal waters, the island's true natural heritage, it is evident why Ischia is at the top of the rankings of favourite destinations for tourists from all over the world.

In Veneto, wellness and nature combine perfectly at the spas of Abano and Montegrotto. These thousand-year-old spas, well-known to the Ancient Romans, now offer specialised and modern centres for relaxation and preventive health, in a natural park to be explored on foot or on horseback, in the evocative landscape of the Euganean Hills. In the two main spa towns and throughout the surrounding area, you will find architectural works, ancient villages, museums, castles and ancient residences that are all worth a visit.