Autumn in Italy is a delightful month with beautiful days, leaves that change color from green to a thousand shades of red, orange and yellow and with forest fruits like chestnuts ripening on the trees. It is also the season of grape harvesting, wine tasting and visits to wine cellars. The Valtellina, with its long winemaking tradition, is an ideal place in which to spend a weekend relaxing and enjoying fine wines, visiting historic winemakers and strolling through terraced vineyards against the backdrop of the majestic Alps. 

Following the Wine Route

The Wine Route is a 67-kilometre trail through the province of Sondrio that connects the towns of Ardenno and Tirano. Along this itinerary visitors will discover villages with historic buildings and sanctuaries, enjoy sleeping in old farmhouses surrounded by vineyards. They will also enjoy the typical products of the area in restaurants with menus based on traditional recipes and stop in historic shops to buy local delicacies. To book your Valtellina experiences either on foot or on two wheels go to the site https://www.stradadelvinovaltellina.it/ 

Learn about grape harvesting

Along this trail in the historic center of Sondrio, Alberto Marsetti’s farm has become a place of worship for all grape lovers thanks to the educational tours, accompanied by an oenologist, that allow participants to learn about grape harvesting and then enjoy tasting the wines. For more information visit the website https://www.marsetti.it/it/11-pacchetti

On two wheels through ancient vineyards

The Wine Bike Tours - six circular itineraries through vineyards starting and ending in Sondrio - are the perfect mix for those who love both good wine and sport. The routes are of different lengths, with some perfect for families as they are flat and not excessively long, others that pass through ancient villages and sites of cultural interest, while still others bring cyclists through the Alpine beauties of the Valtellina. Discovering these paths at a slow pace you awaken all your senses, and the day ends with a good glass of Valtellina wine. Many of the bike tours intersect with the Strada del Vino with visits to wineries, restaurants and shops. For more information visit the website: https://www.valtellina.it/it/wine-bike-tour

The Via dei Terrazzamenti through terraced vineyards

Another wonderful pedestrian itinerary that crosses the lower and middle Valtellina valleys, and is especially appealing in autumn, is the Via dei Terrazzamenti. This route is 70 kilometres long and connects two important towns: Morbegno which is one of the most important villages at the start of the Valtellina valley and Tirano, with a rich artistic and cultural heritage, which is the crossroads between the Lower and Upper Valtellina valleys. This trail is dotted with 40 rest stops and crosses scenic terraced vineyards as well as many historic and artistic buildings, churches, wine cellars, farmhouses and ancient villages. For more info visit the website https://www.valtellina.it/it/via-dei-terrazzamenti

In the first months of 2021 the area of the Po Delta and Venice was designated to represent Italy at the European Commission for inclusion in the prestigious European Heritage Label. The European Commission selects only one site for each member state. “Lands of water, lands in the water, Po Delta and Venice" and Ventotene were two of the six Italian candidates put forward and the Venetian candidate is now waiting for the outcome of the European selection. 

Apulia is a delightful destination in the South of Italy with a thousand-year-old history. The region has a great variety of natural, cultural and historical attractions and, with its mild Mediterranean climate is an ideal year-round destination, with charming towns and a wonderful coastline. If you like cycle tourism, this is the place to come to awaken your senses, far from crowds and city life. 

A cycle path along the Adriatic coast 

This 150-kilometer cycling tour starts on the Adriatic, following the Imperial Coast from Siponto, a Romanesque masterpiece, to the Margherita di Savoia salt flats, a national nature reserve since 1977. The route continues through the charming towns of Trani, Bisceglie, Molfetta and Giovinazzo.  After a stop in Bitonto, the old Apulian capital of extra virgin olive oil, you end up in Bari, with its quaint old streets and historical monuments.  

Taking the trail used by the ancient crusaders

You now head south across a spectacular stretch with typical trulli dry stone huts and come to Polignano a Mare and then to Monopoli’s promenade. From here to Ostuni you encounter massive ancient olive trees and then reach the old centre of Brindisi, the Eastern gateway and layover of the Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. Now you switch seas, leaving the Adriatic to move over to the Ionian coast. Starting in Ostuni, the White City, you cross the Murge hills and come to the Ionian coast near the Saturo archeological par. From here it’s a smooth ride, passing beach after beach and discovering some of the most beautiful coastal towns in Apulia. The tour ends in the Salento region in Gallipoli with its historic ramparts.

In 2020 some 83.5% of Lombardy’s pastures hosted tourists with 24.3% recording over 2.000 arrivals per season. A figure that stood at 22% in 2019 according to a recent report. "Arrivals to the huts and pastures of Lombardy are on the rise. A trend - said the Lombardy Regional Councillor for Agriculture, Food and Green Systems - that is destined to grow after the pandemic. People will be looking for places in contact with nature, and many of our local products like cheeses are a big attraction for visitors. Now we have to focus on promoting what we have and we must enhance logistical services, such as access roads and stations for e-bikes. The mobile telephone network works only in 68.4% of the mountain pastures and broadband is available only in 13.5%.  We must improve on these numbers.”  

Vicolungo The Style Outlets is a sponsor of the relaunch of the dome of San Gaudenzio, a symbol of the city of Novara.  For the new tours, organized by cultural tourism provider Kalatà Helmets, visitors don helmets and harnesses to reach the top of the Antonellian monument which soars to 100 meters.  

Discounted tickets and shopping

In addition to a campaign to promote the attraction on its digital channels and site, Vicolungo The Style Outlets is the official ticket office for the San Gaudenzio dome. Visitors can purchase tickets at €10 instead of €15, while anyone climbing the dome will be entitled to a10% discount at participating outlet stores. “Vicolungo The Style Outlets has always worked closely with our Municipality. My commitment today is to foster collaborations with the entire province of Novara and beyond,” said Vicolungo’s mayor Marzia Vicenzi.  

New attractions for Novara

In the last year the Novara area got many new attractions including the Kinder Joy of Moving Park in partnership with Soremartec of the Ferrero Group, Riso Rizzotti for the promotion of local food products and a Summer Club which saw the involvement of numerous local professionals. “Our outlets are an important hub for the flow of visitors, and we collaborate with public and private concerns to enhance the areas in which they are located,” added Eduardo Ceballos, Country Head Neinver Italy.

Information

Visits to the Dome are for small groups accompanied by a guide and a safety officer and are scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 09.30, 11.30, 14.30, 16.30 and 18.30. For information or to book a Dome visit, go to www.kalata.it or contact the call center at 0174/330976 or at the e-mail address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Frescoes that have been estored and returned to Bagnaia by the Municipality of Viterbo, the Carivit Foundation, Intesa Sanpaolo SpA and the Amici di Bagnaia Association, are now on display.  “Great collaboration and inter-institutional synergy have allowed these works to be returned to where they belong,” said Bagnaia’s mayor Giovanni Maria Arena. 

Sponsored by the Cassa di Risparmio

The 18 frescoes, from the oratory in the Church of Santo Stefano di Bagnaia, had already been restored by the Cassa di Risparmio and kept in the bank’s headquarters. "Today the frescoes of the Church of Santo Stefano and Palazzo Bazzichelli are on display in the historic Palazzo Gallo in Bagnaia,” said architect Paola Carlini of Viterbo’s Municipality. “This is a special day for Bagnaia,” added Aldo Quadrani of the Amici di Bagnaia Association. “A complex and delicate intervention made it possible to save these frescoes, and today we are presenting them to the public.

A mouth-watering experience by train

The Train of Flavours is a multisensory journey for travellers eager for new experiences and is the first of its kind in Europe. Designed to promote the area from Brescia to Edolo, it starts in Iseo, crosses the Franciacorta region and runs along the lake before climbing up the Vallecamonica valley to Edolo.

Two comfortable carriages and high-tech 

Financed by Trenord, the two resyled carriages – for a total of 85 passengers - are a beautiful flaming red, recalling those of early1900 trains and are powered by an electric diesel engine. One of the carriages has a comfortable bar and tasting room and a restaurant with 41 seats, while the second carriage is divided into two dining rooms. Both carriages are equipped with multimedia systems, an audio and video diffusion system and an external camera  that allows images of the landscape to be projected on screens.

Wine and food tastings, art and culture

The programmes take into account seasonal changes and the specific needs of the different groups, with itineraries featuring the area’s artistic, cultural and natural wonders to be enjoyed in a completely new and unique way. Accompanied by expert, multilingual guides passengers discover the many appealing aspects of the area with tastings of typical local wines, cheeses, meats, oil and honey. So at the end of the journey they take away not just memories of splendid landscapes but also the flavours of local products.