Shouldering up to the Alps with undulating vine-ribbed hills and glassy lakes, Lombardy is as easy on the eye as it is on the palate. The wine routes that thread through this northern corner of Italy pass through everything from clifftop villages, buzzing piazzas, medieval castles, Renaissance palazzi (palaces) and alley-woven hill towns.
The ancient Greeks who brought viticulture here over a millennia ago - knew the terroir was special, thanks to the diverse surrounding landscapes that include the Alps, some of Italy's most stunning lakes, as well as the Po River Valley. Still, for all its beauty and fine wines, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to exploring its 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, fresh minerally whites and full-bodied reds.
ROUTE ONE 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.
This story is from the March 2025 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2025 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
KARAKORAM CALLING
Pakistan's far north holds some of the world's highest peaks and has a proud cultural identity, but until now international visitors have been thin on the ground. A new hiking tour explores a spectacular corner of an often misunderstood country
AT A CROSSROADS
For two millennia, UNESCO City of Gastronomy Thessaloniki has been celebrated for its food culture, with flavours imported from across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
HO CHI MINH CITY
Fifty years since reunification, the fall of Saigon is a distant memory and microbreweries, cool cafes and Michelin-lauded restaurants are adding another dimension to the city's eclectic food scene
EXMOOR
THIS LESSER-VISITED NATIONAL PARK IN ENGLAND'S WEST COUNTRY IS A HAVEN FOR WALKERS, STARGAZERS AND LOVERS OF LITERATURE
Spring adventures
AN INNOVATIVE CULTURAL SPACE IN CENTRAL ASIA AND A PADDLING ROUTE THROUGH NEW YORK STATE ARE AMONG THIS MONTH'S NEW LAUNCHES
THE COTSWOLDS
The Cotswolds fulfils every picture of rural England you might care to conjure.
COASTING ALONG
Take a gently paced coastal road trip from Kalamata in the southern Peloponnese to Parga in Epirus to experience ancient sites, fishing villages and beaches lapped by the lonian Sea.
IN THE CLOUDS
The footpaths that link the isolated mountain settlements of Zagori offer some of the most spectacular hiking in the whole of Greece.
HISTORIC WONDERS
The mainland is full of architectural splendour, from millennia-old canals to coastal forts
Tricia Simon
THIS GRENADIAN ENTREPRENEUR HAS TURNED HER FAMILY'S SPICE ESTATE INTO A PLACE TO DISCOVER ISLAND HERITAGE, CULTURE AND FLAVOURS
