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LOCATION AND TERRITORY

The Lombardy is situated in the northern-western area of North Italy and borders with Switzerland to the North. Lombardy is home to Italy's famous lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda that lie at the foot of the Alps.
Not only is Lombardy an agricultural center, but also an industrial and commercial one, as Milan is an international center of business and fashion.
Lombardy however, also maintains the individual characteristics of the areas which make it up - the Alps in the north, the valleys carved out by long rivers leading to the River Po, the flatlands further south, crossed by the largest river in the entire country and the Oltrepò Pavese hills.

ACTIVITIES

Thanks to its many lakes, rivers and streams it provides a plethora of opportunities for enjoying water sports.
The sports of canyoning and rafting can be enjoyed to the hilt in Bassa Valtellina.
An ideal destination for canoe and kayak enthusiasts is the area around Brescia and Bergamo, with outstanding valleys like the Brembo and the Oglio.
The lakes (Garda, Iseo, Como) offer the opportunities to enjoy sailing and water-skiing.
And, finally, in order to fully appreciate the magnificent mountain scenery surrounding these lakes, there is no better sport than fishing.

The mountains of Lombardy can be proudly presented as ski paradise thanks to their old-renown resorts and vast skiing modern equipped areas.
In Lombardy 110 peaks reach over 3,000 mt height with 70 famous ski resorts, 390 ski plants and 590 km cross-country slopes. Valle Canonic and Valtellina are the jewels of the Mountains of Lombardy.

The region of Lombardy is a veritable open-air gym for sports enthusiasts.
You can have fun while relaxing and enjoying nature.
From the Valtellina area to Val Chiavenna and the splendid Stelvio Park (the largest in Italy), there are all sorts of trails for trekkers, rock climbers and mountaineers.

There are many sorts of cycling paths for all bike enthusiasts, whether they ride traditional bicycles, mountain bikes or powerful motorcycles.

From the vantage point of a horse's back one can comfortably explore the area around Lake Garda or the winding paths of the Mantuan Hills.
In the province of Varese there are a number of riding stables surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful countryside.

And if you are a golf enthusiast, this is the region for you, given that Lombardy happens to possess about one quarter of all the golf courses found in Italy.
All you have to do is decide which course to try first.

WHAT TO VISIT

Milan
It is the economic hub of all of Italy, a modern city that does not have the time to examine its past.
The city is a Mecca for fashion and shopping but there are also historical highlights that include the city's Duomo at the heart of the city. It is a gothic masterpiece that has an unbelievable view of the city from its many-spired roof.

Milan is the home of the world famous opera house La Scala and some great museums but shopping enthusiasts will want to visit the Galleria, where the Milanese come to be seen.
The Duomo
is the most outstanding example of Gothic-Lombard architecture, it dates back to 1300. It was built on the wishes of Gian Galeazzo Visconti.
This imposing religious building houses almost 3500 statues that are spread over an area of almost 12,000 square meters.
The tallest spire, which has the famous “Madonnina” on top of it, is 108 meters high. The statue of the Virgin Mary, the “Madonnina”, is covered in 3900 pieces of gold leaf.

Cremona                                                                                                                     Lovers of classical music know Cremona as the home to the best string instruments in the world.
The world famous violins of Cremona reached its highest achievement with the work of Stradivarius Cremonensis and are still the most desired.
A visit would not be complete without seeing both the museum dedicated to the work of Stradivarius as well as one of the modern violinmakers in the area.
A climb to the top of the Torrazzo, Italy's tallest belltower yields a spectacular view of the city and the mountains.

The Lakes
The Italian Lakes region rightfully famous and is considered by many to be the loveliest lakes in the world.
Everyone from Pliny the Younger to Ernest Hemmingway has written about Maggiore, Garda and everyone's favorite, Como.
These large glacial lakes are back dropped by the Alps with the Italian peninsula stretching below. The mild climate lends itself to numerous species of plants that give the area a more southern feel with lemon, pomegranate and palm trees.
All of the lakes in the area are home to many quaint villages and resort towns that make a great escape from the heat of Rome in summer.

Bergamo
On one side Bergamo is an artistic province, rich of architectural masterpieces like Piazza Vecchia and the old basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore or Colleoni Chapel, in the Upper town. On the other side it is a modern and dynamic town, which perfectly expresses the capacity of combining man's talent and the nature's beauties.

Como
Located on the Swiss - Italian border, Como is the main metropolitan area of the Lake Como district.
You can walk around the cool shade of the old buildings and soak in that Italian Renaissance atmosphere.
Como is really a must for any architecture buff. The most famous landmark is the Duomo at the Piazza Cavour with its gothic facade and renaissance dome.
In the walled Old Town, there are many 400-year-old buildings, and two more magnificent basilicas to be admired.
For a wonderful view of Lake Como, you can climb the Baradello Tower. If you walk along the lake, you will see the Tempio Voltiano, a shrine to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the first reliable battery and name-giver of the term Volt.

FOOD SPECIALTIES

Risotto alla Milanese. A creamy dish of braised short-grain rice blended with meat stock, saffron and cheese.

Cotoletta alla Milanese. Fillet of veal fried in egg and breadcrumbs with cheese.
Ossobuco. A traditional main course of a knuckle of veal with the marrowbone intact and braised with rosemary and sage.

Gorgonzola. A creamy and rich blue cheese that is ideal for sauces.

Panettone. The Italian fruitcake once only prepared for Christmas, this specialty is found boxed and sold year-round in Italy.

CLIMATE AND TRAVEL SEASON

Early summer and early fall are the best times to see the area, though October can be chilly for swimming.
The throngs that descend on the lakes in July and August, particularly on weekends, make reservations absolutely necessary, especially at Lake Como, the quintessential Italian lake resort.
Fewer people visit in spring and fall, and in winter the lakeside towns are deserted.
Note that many of the ferry services stop running in October and recommence in May.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Frog Festival. September - Sartirana Lomellina.  This is something a little exotic, but features delicacies made with frog, including stewed frog, browned frog, rice with frog liver and polenta with frog.

Rice Harvest Festival. June - Villimpenta. This festival celebrates Italy’s famous “rice route” where rice was grown and exported from.
Many towns in the Mantova province have rice festivals each year. They highlight Italian rice dishes, including the famous risotto.

Festa del Naviglio. June – Milan. During this celebratory period, you can enjoy nightly concerts, torchlight processions and fairs.
This event will give you a true taste of Italy, with its artists displaying their wares, street performers and wonderful food.

The Golden Pizzocchero. September – Teglio. This event is a food and wine festival that includes several initiatives: guided visits to the cultivated fields, to the ancient nucleus of Teglio and to honey farms. 

On the square of Teglio there will also be numerous handicraft stands.

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