From 15 to 17 September, Vico Equense will celebrate its pizza with the 9th edition of Pizza a Vico.

Three days of pizza making in Vico Equense

Twenty-seven pizzerias, local produce, entertainment, culture and new features will be showcased and it will be the public to choose the best pizza. With the 9th edition of Pizza a Vico, Vico Equense, on the Sorrento Peninsula, will be all about the pizza for three full days. Vico Equense is about 40 minutes from Naples and 15 minutes from Sorrento and can also be reached by train on the Circumvesuviana line.

A festival showcasing the local area

Visitors are invited not just to eat a pizza, but to experience the town, explore it on foot, meet the producers and listen to their stories. The streets of the town centre will come alive with music, juggling and street performances, and a stage will be dedicated to the history of Vico's pizza. Rounding off the programme will be the Cinema Sferico, with 360-degree screenings, and the opening of all the town’s cultural sites, from the Pinacoteca Asturi art gallery to the Antiquarium Aequano, as well as churches and other historic sites in the town centre.

credits Pizza a Vico

Choosing Vico's most popular pizza

The event also provides an opportunity to celebrate local produce such as Provolone del Monaco PDO walnuts from the Sorrento Peninsula, extra virgin olive oil and other culinary specialties with workshops, including those for children. This year 27 pizzerias will be taking part, and each will present a special creation designed specifically for this edition. Among the new features for 2026, for the first time the public will be able to vote for their favourite pizza from those tasted during the event. The vote will be linked to the ticket via a QR code, allowing those who have taken part in the tastings to help choose the most popular pizza.

credits Pizza a Vico

Vico's pizzas have their own rules

Unlike the Neapolitan pizza, Vico-style pizza has an oval shape, which can reach a metre in length. Then there is the order of the ingredients, with mozzarella first followed by the rest of the toppings. Then there are a specific cooking temperature and times: Vico-style pizza is cooked at a more moderate heat than Neapolitan pizza, between 350° and 400°C.

Along the Stelvio Historical Trek routes, you can experience the Stelvio National Park, in the Bormio area, and discover many traces of WW1.

Trails that recount the First World War

The park has several trails that recount the history of the First World War, which was fought in extreme conditions, amidst snow and ice at high altitude. A network of trails winds through the Park reaching altitudes of over 3,000m and there are trenches carved into the rock, the remains of military villages and artillery positions. There are are three options designed for different levels of fitness.

Three routes of varying difficulty

The easiest route, suitable for families and less experienced hikers, takes around two hours and 40 minutes, and covers 5.8 kilometres with an elevation gain of 436m, leading to the military village of Le Buse. At this carefully restored site, seventeen buildings arranged in a semicircle, artillery emplacements and a dense network of trenches tell the story of the daily life of soldiers’ at high altitude.

Credits Giacomo Meneghello

Old military settlements and trenches

The more difficulty route covers eight kilometres with 797m of elevation gain, takes around three and a half hours and reaches an altitude of 3,092m. The route passes through an old military settlement and a historic Italian observation post, barbed-wire fences that are still visible as are frontline positions and trenches at Passo delle Platigliole. The Piz Umbrail and Forcola di Rims circular route is reserved for experienced hikers: approximately 11 kilometres with a total elevation gain of 700m. The route takes around four and a half hours and requires a good level of fitness and suitable equipment. The trail, which should only be undertaken in favourable weather conditions, reaches the 3,031m summit of Piz Umbrail between Italy and Switzerland and with views of the Ortles-Cevedale massif.   

Organized hikes with guides

The Stelvio National Park is also organizing four events open to all: on 18 August “Gavia Pass–Monte Gaviola” and on 1 September “Le Buse: in the limestone silence of memory and wildlife”. For information and bookings, please contact the Park’s information centre (0342 900823) or Bormio Tourism (0342 903300). The Bormio Alpine Guides will be leading the hikes on 8 August (Cime dei Forni) and 22 August (Monte Scorluzzo and Filon dei Mot, the “Machu Picchu of the Alps”). To join them, simply send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 351 8895411.  The “Thursday Treks – Walking Through History” (Trekking with a GUIDE! - Santa Caterina Valfurva Impianti) are back in Santa Caterina Valfurva: every Thursday until 3 September, via the cable car and accompanied by Mid-Mountain Guides. To book, please call 351 8895411 or 0342 925116. For information and full technical details: https://www.bormio.eu/it/cosa-fare/outdoor/trekking/itinerari-storici

Now in its second year, in October the Amerino Tipico Festival returns to Amelia in Umbria.

Tastings in old courtyards on Saturday 3 October

From 2 to 4 October, the first weekend of October, Amelia will showcase its rich heritage of craftsmanship, food and drink, like olive oil, wine, truffles and other products of exceptional quality. On Saturday 3 October, the heart of the event will be the historic centre of Amelia, with imposing city walls dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries B.C. The courtyards of ancient palaces will provide the setting for a series of tastings throughout the day, culminating in an aperitif and a walking dinner, organized as a guided tour through the town’s cultural sites and monumental spaces. The event will feature in-depth sessions on wines, olive oil and Amelia’s local produce, with tastings led by expert tasters to explore the characteristics, production techniques and distinctive features of the region’s products. The itinerary will be accompanied by live music and theatrical performances, with tasting stalls showcasing Amelia’s local produce in the evening.

courtesy of ADD Comunicazione Press Office

Farm  and vineyard visits on Sunday 4 October 

Among the event’s key initiatives are the olive oil, wine and flavour tours on Sunday 4 October: an opportunity to get to know local producers, take part in guided farm visits, stroll through vineyards, fields and olive groves, and sample local specialities directly at their place of production.  The Colli Amerini PDO sub-zone produees a superior-quality olive oil, from the Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo cultivars, and especially from the rare Rajo variety, which is indigenous and has been cultivated for centuries. Among the wines of the Amerino area, which falls within the Amelia DOC, the Ciliegiolo, Grechetto, Malvasia and Sangiovese stand out, while the Tostolello, a white grape variety that had once almost disappeared but was later rediscovered and saved from extinction, will also take centre stqge.

courtesy of ADD Comunicazione Press Office

Local specialties like figs stuffed with nuts

The area’s rich agricultural output also includes cheeses, cereals, pulses, meats, truffles and fruit, like the Fava Cottòra, a highly hardy ecotype of legume still grown in the municipalities of Amelia and Guardea, and Bianchella figs, a traditional variety that has been used for a century in a delicious confectionery specialty: Fichi Girotti, stuffed with almonds, walnuts, candied fruit and cocoa, and then pressed into their characteristic round shape. For information: www.amerinotipico.it

From September 25 to November 8, the Garda Trentino region celebrates the Month of Taste.  

Special events and experiences

The Month of Taste festival brings together events dedicated to the authentic flavors and local food supply chain of Garda Trentino. The festival features special events, experiences, food festivals, fall celebrations, meetings with local producers, and themed menus that showcase the area’s history, culture, and traditions.

Meeting master distillers and experts

Among this year’s novelties are the “Alchimie d’Autunno” which celebrates the winemaking tradition of the village of Santa Massenza. The Capital of Artisanal Grappa, despite being a village with just over a hundred residents, boasts a long tradition of distillation and is home to five active distilleries. On November 7 visitors will have the opportunity to meet master distillers and experts, take guided tours, and participate in sensory experiences and comparative tastings to discover the various methods of aging and maturation. 

courtesy of APT GARDA DOLOMITI ph credites PRUGNOLA MeseDelGusto Reboro

A freshwater fish festival

This year’s freshwater fish festival, titled Sponde, returns on September 25, 26, 27, and October 3 to celebrate various fish preparations in exceptional locations, featuring gourmet aperitifs, special dinners, lunches in the town square, traditional recipes, cooking demonstrations, and live music, all paired with specially curated beverages.

Milk and Potato Festivals

Among the many unmissable events, the Milk Festival brings the center of Fiavè to life on October 10 and 11 with tastings, family activities, and meet-and-greets with producers, while the Lomaso Potato Festival, on October 24 and 25, celebrates this local specialty in Comano Terme, highlighting its versatility from appetizers to desserts, with a multi-stop culinary tour through the villages, cooking demonstrations, a gala dinner, activities, and meetings with local producers. 

courtesy of APT GARDA DOLOMITI ph credits Prugnola Festival Pesce Acqua Dolce FizzFish

Chestnuts in the spotlight

Now in its 55th edition, “Maroni in Festa” on October 24 brings the streets of Drena to life to celebrate the town’s iconic fruit with walks through the chestnut grove, cooking workshops, cooking demonstrations, music, and plenty of tasting opportunities. Garda Trentino is also known as the northernmost region in the world for the cultivation of extra virgin olive oil. With “Frantoi Aperti” on November 7 and 8, Riva del Garda offers guided tours, tastings, and sensory experiences among the region’s olive oil mills. For information: www.gardatrentino.it 

Discover olive oil tourism on autumn weekends in Umbria with Frantoi Aperti from 17 October to 15 November.  

Five autumn weekends of celebrations

Umbria becomes a symbol of olive oil tourism with Frantoi Aperti in Umbria from 17 October to 15 November. Five weekends celebrating the olive harvest and pressing season, weaving together with the region's agricultural production, landscapes, culture, spirituality, sport and hospitality. Frantoi Aperti in Umbria offers the chance to get to know the Umbrian region up close, through one of Italy's oldest and most distinctive products and production methods, by taking part in authentic experiences at the very places where olive oil is produced, from the harvesting to tasting the oil. Alongside the production process there will be a programme of artistic, cultural and nature-based events in olive groves, historic villages to explore the region’s finest food and drink specialities.

Motorcycle trails and oil tastings

The 29th edition of Frantoi Aperti in Umbria brings with it a number of new features. Making its debut this year is the Moto Giro dei Frantoi Aperti in Umbria, aimed at motorcyclists which, over three weekends, will offer different routes through olive groves and historic villages, and stopping at olive oil mills for oil tastings. On Sunday 18 October, the first Frantoi Aperti Trail Run will be run along dirt tracks through Umbrian olive groves. 

ph credits Pier Paolo Metelli

Festivals celebrating new olive oil

The olive mills in operation will be the beating heart of the event. Here, visitors will be able to watch the olives being pressed, learn about the production processes for new olive oil, take part in guided tastings and discover the region through the flavours of Umbrian extra virgin olive oil. There will also be treks, nature walks, cycle tours, family activities and workshops dedicated to olive oil culture. Shuttle buses, guided walking tours and e-bike excursions will link the olive groves to villages and art cities which will host festivals celebrating new olive oil, markets with local producers and artisans, guided tours and tastings in town squares.

ph credits Pier Paolo Metelli 

A cycle ride from Assisi to Spoleto

To mark the 800th anniversary of St Francis, the “EVO&Art Experience” tours will take participants on guided itineraries through the sub-zones of the Umbria PDO, weaving together the culture of extra virgin olive oil with art, biodiversity and the region’s most iconic Franciscan sites. On 18 October, the Grande Pedalata cycle ride along the Assisi–Spoleto Olive Belt will also return for the fourth year running. Starting from Spoleto and finishing in Campello sul Clitunno, the cycle route will pass through one of central Italy’s most iconic rural landscapes which is a Historic Rural Landscape listed in FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status.

courtesy of Frantoi Aperti - ph credits Pier Paolo Metelli

Special menus showcasing olive oils

All this will be complemented by exceptional food over the course of five weekends, with chefs from the “Umbrian #EVOOAmbassador – Testimoni di oli unici” network presenting special menus designed to showcase the extra virgin olive oils of the producers taking part in the event. For information www.frantoiaperti.net

Wineries in Friuli Venezia Giulia are opening their doors for educational wine-harvesting tours.

Experiences tailored to wine enthusiasts and experts

A number of wineries in Friuli Venezia Giulia, members of the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori (Wine and fravours Trail), are offering engaging and immersive experiences tailored to wine enthusiasts, experts and families. The grape harvest season thus becomes an opportunity to take part first-hand in the grape harvest and learn about the techniques used by the various participating producers, who will guide guests through the different stages of the harvest.

Join a grape-pickers' lunch

The educational and tourist-oriented grape harvest offers activities suited to a range of interests, from more technical insights into production methods to guided tastings of selected wines, while families can enjoy simple and engaging activities designed with even the youngest children in mind. Some wineries also offer the chance to share the traditional grape-pickers’ lunch or enjoy an evening meal featuring selected wines paired with local specialties. To take part, you can book directly with the participating wineries listed on this website


ph credits Fabrice Gallina - courtesy of PromoTurismoFVG

Morning grape-harvesting experiences

The DOC Friuli Colli Orientali covers an area comprising nineteen municipalities in the central-eastern part of the province of Udine near the border with Slovenia. In Manzano, Colutta offers a morning grape-harvesting experience organized on request and timed to coincide with the optimal ripeness of the grapes. The day continues at the winery with an introduction to the early stages of winemaking and concludes with a tasting of the estate’s wines accompanied by typical local produce. For bookings 

Picnic lunches and wine-tasting dinners

Conte d’Attimis-Maniago, in Buttrio, is offering a tour of its historic vineyards from 28 August to 30 September, accompanied by a narrative of centuries of winemaking tradition. A wine tasting is scheduled in the 16th-century underground cellar, and the experience can be enhanced with an off-road tour through the vineyards or a picnic in the orchard. For information.

On the third and fourth weekends of September, Le Due Torri will welcome visitors wishing to take part in the grape harvest, visit the winery to learn about the early stages of winemaking, and enjoy a dinner with wine tasting. For younger visitors, there will also be the traditional barefoot grape treading. For information.

Horse-drawn carriage rides

On 12, 19 and 26 September in Grupignano, Cividale del Friuli, Elio Vini will welcome participants with a presentation of the winery, followed by the grape harvest. The day will conclude with a convivial gathering dedicated to wine tasting, accompanied by local cured meats and cheeses. For families Gelindo dei Magredi in Vivaro has organized horse-drawn carriage rides on 30 August and 5, 13 and 19 September to the Vigna del Paradis vineyard, where participants will take part in the grape harvest. The experience will continue at the farm with the traditional grape-stomping. 

Transforming grapes into must 

In Adegliacco, following a walk through the vineyards, Agriturismo Tonutti offers insight into the early stages of transforming grapes into must, followed by a traditional grape-pickers’ lunch. Gradis’ ciutta, in the Collio DOC area, offers an organic experience on 12 September, complete with a walk through the countryside amongst the vine rows, a visit to the winery and a tasting of selected wines. 

Far from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism, every autumn the Val Casies celebrates the ancient transhumance ritual. 

The antithesis of mass tourism

Halfway between the allure of Brunico and the scenic grandeur of San Candido, the Val Casies is one of those side valleys that whisper their beauty only to those who know where to look. You don’t stumble upon it by chance, yet it is so easy to reach. Here, where autumn is not just a season but a veritable theatrical performance with understated charm blending with the authenticity of nature. This is the antithesis of mass tourism. 

© Frühling TV Gsieser Tal & Kamilla Photography

Traditional autumn festivals 

Autumn is above all the season of traditional festivals, and the Almabtrieb, the transhumance or cattle drive is one of the most powerful visual and emotional spectacles in the Alps, as well as a ritual of thanksgiving for the entire community. The weekend of 26 and 27 September sees the Keila Kirschta festival in the village of Colle. with local livestock festively adorned, descending into the valley escorted by historic carts and the local brass band. 

A farmers' market and an Alpine brunch

In San Martino, 3 October the traditional Gsiesa Marschtl farmers’ market starts with the tradition of the Frühschoppen – a sort of Alpine brunch featuring Tyrolean specialities – and continues with traditional music and roasted chestnuts, ending in the afternoon with the cattle parade as the animals return from the mountain pastures through the village centre.

Obotola Kirschta © TG Gsiesertal / Elke Lessnig

The transhumance tradition is still alive

On the weekend of 10 and 11 October, Santa Maddalena celebrates Obotola Kirschta. On Saturday afternoon, the ‘Original Öbotola Almabtrieb’ comes to life, as cows, sheep and goats descend from the high-altitude pastures adorned with wreaths of woven flowers, pine branches, mirrors and large bells. Leading the procession are the farmers, who, dressed in traditional costume, proudly bring their livestock down from the mountain pastures to the valley, before gathering for a grand folk festival.

On 6 September, Bormio will host Italy’s longest Pizzoccherata (pizzoccheri feast) at one of the Valtellina’s flagship summer food and wine events.

Good food, wine tastings and entertainment

Bormio is a renowned summer and winter tourist resort in Lombardy, situated in the Stelvio National Park, in the Upper Valtellina. The day will be dedicated to good food, with plenty of tastings of local produce and wines, and will be enlivened by traditional music, dancing, live performances and entertainment for everyone. For the occasion, Bormio’s historic centre will host a single table stretching 800 metres in length, ready to welcome over 2,000 diners to enjoy authentic pizzoccheri which are the local pasta which will be handmade by local restaurants. Pizzoccheri are made from buckwheat flour, originating in Valtellina, resemble tagliatelle in shape, and are traditionally served with potatoes, savoy cabbage and cheese.

Bormio

Pizzoccheri pasta for 2, 000 diners

After taking their seats at 12.30 pm and enjoying traditional starters accompanied by wines from the Valtellina Wine Protection Consortium, the traditional pizzoccheri will be served simultaneously to all guests along the 800-metre-long table. The lunch will conclude with the traditional buckwheat cake and a tasting of Valtellina apples. If you arrive a little early, before lunch, you can also watch the preparations, see the volunteers setting the table, stroll through the historic streets and watch the chefs as they knead, cut and prepare to cook the famous pizzoccheri. 

pizzoccherata Ph Roby Trab

Thermal waters and wellness treatments

Particularly renowned for its thermal waters, Bormio is a hub for those seeking wellness experiences, outdoor sports, relaxation and a connection with nature. The thermal waters reach temperatures of between 37 and 41 degrees and spring from the Dolomite massif and feed three spa complexes: the Terme di Bormio, located in the town of the same name, the Bagni Vecchi complex and the Gran Hotel Bagni Nuovi, situated in the neighbouring municipality of Valdidentro. The waters of the Bormio thermal baths possess healing properties suitable for the treatment of allergic conditions and numerous other ailments. There are also many centres and facilities offering a wide range of wellness and beauty treatments, from the most traditional to those using the latest, cutting-edge technologies.

For information and bookings

Val di Non, in Trentino, in autumn (link to the translated article: “Autumn in Val di Non: from autumnal foliage to traditions, discovering the region”) becomes the setting for a packed programme of food, wine and cultural events. 

Events that feature the apple, the region’s symbol

Mela Colgo courtesy of Raffaelli Consulting Public Relations

From 11 September to 18 October, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Melinda Agritur Ambasciatori open the gates to their orchards as part of "MelaColgo," an initiative that combines experiential tourism with agriculture. Visitors can stroll through the rows of apple trees alongside the growers, pick apples straight from the tree and enjoy a traditional snack of strudel, juice and dried apples, as well as receiving a complimentary voucher for the new Mondomelinda Centre. The experience costs €25 for adults, €12 for children up to the age of 10 and is free for under-3s. A family package (2 adults and 2 children) is available for €65, including a 15-kg picking crate.

Apples, cheeses, cured meats wines and beers

The village of Casez, with its castle and typical Gothic-Venetian architecture, is hosting the twentieth edition of Pomaria, the event celebrating apples and the finest produce of the Val di Non. On 17 and 18 October, the streets of the historic centre will come alive with the farmers’ market "Strada della Mela e dei Sapori," where visitors can sample and purchase apples, cheeses, cured meats, honey, wines and craft beers. The programme includes cookery demonstrations and workshops on traditional dishes, art exhibitions, guided tours of apple orchards and castles, re-enactments of ancient crafts, family-friendly activities and guided tastings at the Enoteca di Pomaria.

Meetings with winemakers and master distillers 

Magnamour ph credits Francesca Padovan

"MagnAmour," from 9 October to 15 November, is a gastronomic festival that invites visitors to discover the valley through special menus offered by the area’s finest restaurants, dedicated to the region’s finest autumn produce: apples, Alpine cheeses and local wines. The exploration of the Val di Non’s food and wine continues with "Emozioni di Groppello" from 20 September to 26 October. The wineries of Revò and Romallo, in the municipality of Novella, will open their doors to introduce visitors to Groppello, a rare native grape variety and a symbol of the mountain viticulture typical of this area. The experience, lasting around two hours, includes a meeting with winemakers and master distillers, an explanation of production techniques and a final tasting of wines and local specialties. The cost is €18 for adults, €12 for children aged 3 to 17 and free for under-3s.

Historic wineries, distilleries and chestnuts

On 15 November, Casa Campia, in the heart of Revò, will host "Eroica Val di Non," an event dedicated to the heroic viticulture of the valley’s steep slopes. The event celebrates the oenological identity of the municipality of Novella - officially recognised as a City of Wine thanks to its concentration of historic wineries and distilleries - with talks, guided tastings and stories from the producers. To round off the event, the halls of the residence will host a special exhibition dedicated to local produce. Castel Nanno, an ancient medieval fortress later converted into a refined Renaissance residence, will welcome visitors in September and October with an autumn Chestnut Festival featuring roasted chestnuts. The building, which in the 17th century was the scene of witch trials, has an elegant square structure with crenellated walls, four corner towers and a surviving ancient keep.