How to plan a tasting tour of Italy's hidden wine region
The ancient Greeks — who brought viticulture to the region over a millennia ago — knew the terroir was special, thanks to the diverse surrounding landscapes that include the Alps, the Po River Valley and some of Italy's most stunning lakes. Still, for all its beauty and fine wines, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to exploring Lombardy's wine areas. Here are four of the best routes to drive, hike or bike through the region, stopping at family-run cantines (wineries) to sample spumantes (sparkling wines), fresh minerally whites and full-bodied reds. 1. Strada del Vino della Valtellina
If ever there was a sight to send your spirits soaring, it'd be Lombardy's Valtellina Valley. Backdropped by the majestic Rhaetian Alps, this wine region runs for 42 miles from Ardenno to Tirano. It can be explored via car, bicycle or on foot, with a number of vineyards along the way that are open for tours and tastings.
Valtellina is all about height and history, with terraced vineyards clinging to steep slopes that overlook the valleys, densely packed villages and slender-spired churches far below. These vines were first tended by Romans, then by medieval monks who busied themselves with perfecting the art of terracing.
The best way to get up close to this history is on foot. Of all the trails threading high into the vines, the four-mile, two-hour uphill hike from Sondrio to the hilltop 15th-century Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sassella is one not to miss. You'll pass through landscapes stamped with age-old winemaking traditions — visible in wells and fountains, fruttai (rustic drying rooms) and the steps needed for clambering up steep slopes to hand-harvest grapes.
The south-facing slopes, Lake Como breezes and the Alpine climate all create the perfect conditions for producing wines like noble Nebbiolo delle Alpi and full-bodied, spicy Sforzato reds (the latter made with partially dried grapes). Pair these wines with local specialities like bitto — a crumbly Alpine cheese — and pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta ribbons with cheese, potato and cabbage). Travellers embarking on the Valtellina wine route can indulge in local specialties of pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta ribbons) and bresaola (wafer-thin smoked meat), complimenting the region's Nebbiolo and Sforzata wines. Photograph by Olga Kriger (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Jeff B, Mi.Ti (Bottom) (Right) 2. Strada del Vino Franciacorta
Flanked by towering mountains and red-roofed medieval villages, green-blue Lake Iseo deserves to be better feted. As does the 56-mile Franciacorta wine route that rolls south of its shores, all the way to the Roman-rooted city of Brescia. Patchworked with vineyards, stone villages, castles, fortified towers and Benedictine monasteries, this hilly region is a slow-travel delight — best explored on foot or by bicycle.
Hop into the saddle to pedal the moderately challenging, 15-mile, two-hour Franciacorta Brut Green Route, which starts and ends in Clusane d'Iseo, and tick off vines, ruined castles and pretty hamlets. En route, many farmhouses and cantines — small-scale, family-run affairs — tempt with cellar tours and impromptu tastings.
Be sure to try Franciacorta DOCG, a fragrant sparkling white wine made with the Chardonnay grape — sometimes blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc in the traditional metodo classico, or Champagne method. Ranging from extra dry to sweet, and with notes of almond and dried fig, this straw-yellow wine pairs brilliantly with fish and seafood. Try it with grilled fresh trout, tench, whitefish, perch or char from Lake Iseo. Best explored on foot or by bicycle, the Strado del Vino Franciacorta offers incredible views of terraced vineyards against a backdrop of Lake Iseo's glistening waters. Photograph by Michele Rossetti, Adobe Stock 3. Strada del Vino e dei Sapori del Garda
Skimming Lake Garda's southern shores and straying into the hinterland, the Lake Garda Wine and Flavour Route from Sirmione to Limone raises a glass to food, culture and history. Many wine merchants open their cellar doors for tours and tastings of DOC wines, which include zesty Lugana whites made from traditional Turbiana grapes (best paired with lake fish such as trout and pike) and the reds and rosés of Valtènesi. Visitors can also try the area's flinty, aromatic white options, as well as the sweet, slightly floral San Martino della Battaglia blends, produced from Tocai Friulano grapes.
These wines can be paired with local delicacies such as DOP extra virgin olive oil, black and white Valtènesi truffles, cured meats like coppa (pork loin dry-cured in herbs and spices and then aged for several months) and crumbly, pungent grana padano cheese for a taste of the region's best produce.
For hikers and bikers, the 20-mile, 2.5-hour circular route from the pretty village of Sirmione is particularly scenic, passing wine estates and picturesque places to swim. The village sits on a pencil-thin peninsula and is dominated by a 13th-century castle. 4. Strada del Vino e dei Sapori dell'Oltrepò Pavese
Oltrepò Pavese lets you step properly away from the crowds and into quiet, vineyard-covered terrain on a 37-mile wine route beginning in Voghera. Stretching into the fertile land beyond the Po River and dropping south to Liguria, this undulating region of ochre-hued hill towns, castles, meadows and woods sits at the foot of the Apennines and Ligurian Alps. If you can, time your visit for September when the harvest is in full swing and many villages host small local wine events.
Oltrepò Pavese is Lombardy's most extensive wine-producing area, with a temperate climate and soil that's ideal for viticulture. The area is sprinkled with hundreds of cantines with open-door policies, free tastings and warm welcomes.
Pinot Noir DOC wines, with aromas of red berries and plum, elegant Champagne-style spumantes made using classic methods honed over generations, and juicy, medium-bodied Bonarda reds are standouts. Enjoy matching these wines with regional specialities like spiced, cellar-cured Salame di Varzi D.O.P., wild meats such as rabbit or boar, risotto and goat's cheeses wrapped in chestnut or walnut leaves. The Valtellina region is characterised by dry-stone walled, terraced vineyards and densely packed villages positioned at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps. Photograph by Federica Violin Plan your trip:
Milan and Bergamo airports are the gateway to Lombardy. Multiple airlines operate frequent flights to these airports from the UK. If you prefer not to fly, you can take the Eurostar to Paris and connect with high-speed trains to the region (the journey takes around 10 hours). For more information, visit in-lombardia.it This paid content article was created for Lombardia Style. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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National Geographic
5 days ago
- National Geographic
Athens is reviving a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct: 'the miracle is that it still works'
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In Athens, where water levels are the lowest in a decade, authorities plan to link the main reservoir to an artificial lake and are modernizing the water network to plug leaks while developing sustainable ways to recycle wastewater. The most innovative response, however, relies more on ancient inventiveness than modern technology: tapping into an aqueduct built at the height of the Roman Empire. Indeed, after a project five years in the making launches in July, scores of homes in one Athens suburb will gradually be drawing water directly from the ancient pipeline in an experiment aimed at saving water and cooling the city. The water won't be potable, but officials hope it will conserve drinking water by supplying another source of water for uses like gardening. The miracle is that it still works,' said Giorgos Sachinis, director of strategy and innovation at the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company, adding that Roman hydraulic engineering is 'truly admirable.' 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It supplied Athens for more than 1,300 years before falling into disrepair during the Ottoman occupation of the Greek capital, which began in the mid-15th century and lasted for nearly 400 years. The aqueduct was revived in the late 19th century amid a water shortage and then largely abandoned in the 1920s when the capital's first reservoir was built to serve growing demand. But the water never stopped running. Hadrian's Aqueduct still flows beneath the capital, from a mountain north of the city to central Athens. As the aqueduct runs downhill, it's filled by aquifers and riverbanks. A boy drinks water from a fountain at the top of the Acropolis as temperatures reach 34 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Athens June 26, 2012. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol (GREECE - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY) Photograph By Pascal Rossignol/Reuters/Redux It is the only ancient monument in Greece that has operated for so long, according to Tzeferi. 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Buildings closest to the pipeline will each be connected via an outdoor tap with dozens more getting their water by truck. The aim is to expand supply to another seven districts under which the aqueduct runs. An ancient well sits on the grounds of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. The well is part of Hadrian's Aqueduct, built almost 2,000 years ago and hailed by experts as an "engineering marvel." Photograph By ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP /Getty Images Project managers concede that anticipated water savings are small—one percent of the 100 billion gallons of water used annually in Athens—but their focus is on creating a new 'water culture' of cautious consumption. Using tap water to cool sidewalks in summer, for instance, is 'criminal,' Sachinis remarked. Experts say this cautious consumption is crucial. 'I'm worried we're heading towards a semi-arid climate,' said Eleni Myrivili, a senior advisor for the Washington, D.C.-based Climate Resilience Center at the Atlantic Council, referring to her native Greece. 'Hadrian's Aqueduct is a brilliant way of creating resilience,' said Myrivili who also holds the title of global chief heat officer for the United Nations Environment Program and its Human Settlements Program. She recently co-authored a report with proposals for using water from the aqueduct, and other underground sources, to irrigate vegetation in town squares and along sidewalks, which could help reduce temperatures and thus water consumption. Awareness campaigns are important tools to change habits, experts and officials agree. Campaigns run by the water board and local authorities in Halandri are so far resonating with residents. Sotiriou is one—she helps run an organization formed to manage the aqueduct's water, and students have learned about water conservation while designing water tanks for their schools. In 2023, the project won an award for urban planning and design and is now serving as a model for other cities facing water shortages. Christos Giovanopoulos, a project manager at the Halandri authority, and his colleagues are advising five cities on similar projects, including Rome, which is restoring a historic orangery (a type of greenhouse), and Serpa, Portugal, which is repurposing a 17th-century aqueduct. Officials say they are confident of the project's technical success— the challenge will be convincing more mayors, schools, and residents to opt into the program. Sotiriou is doing her part at the grass roots, helping manage usage in her suburb and encouraging neighbors to get involved. 'We want people to think about natural resources and what will be left for the next generation,' she said. 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Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Get to know some of America's most remarkable mansions
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Biltmore Estate Located in Asheville, North Carolina, the French Renaissance–château–style residence built from 1889-1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt II consists of 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, an indoor swimming pool and a bowling alley. The French château's architecture includes steep roofs, towers and turrets with conical roofs and arched windows and doors. Technically advanced for its era, the estate was powered by Edison light bulbs, equipped with a fire alarm system, elevators, telephone, indoor plumbing, heating and electricity. The château originally sat on 125,000 acres, but today about 8,000 acres encompass the house, formal gardens, winery, Antler Hill Village and 22 miles of trails. The massive estate remains under the control of Vanderbilt's descendants. 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One of the plantation's top draws is the iconic Avenue of the Oaks with over 80 live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. The quarter-mile entrance is one of the most photographed spots in the South, featured in films like The Notebook and mini-series North and South. The current main house was built in 1936 in Georgian Revival style replacing earlier structures but still maintains antebellum aesthetics with historic furnishings. The preserved row of original brick slave cabins now houses the powerful 'Black History in America' exhibit which chronicles the lives of the slaves who lived and worked on the property. The Gullah Theater Presentation shares the cultural contributions of the Gullah people through live storytelling, song, and language-an essential feature of Lowcountry heritage. Oak Alley Plantation Named for the double row of 300-year-old southern live oaks creating an inviting alley from the Mississippi River up to its main house, the former sugarcane plantation, located in Vacherie, Louisiana was completed in 1839. Its Classic Greek Revival architecture is typical of antebellum grand homes with 28 colossal Doric columns, formal symmetry, high ceilings and a slate roof. The interior however is less opulent than the monumental exterior that blends natural grandeur with classical formality, a powerful emblem of antebellum style and romance. If nothing else, visitors will be in awe of its stunning live oak tree tunnel. _________________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
By the numbers: Records fall and fans dance at Euro 2025 in Switzerland
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