Last month we completed the first departure of our hiking holiday in Northern Lombardy. This itinerary took us from Bergamo to the vineyards of Franciacorta. We explored Lake Iseo both on foot and on the water and finished in the high valleys of the Valtellina, close to the border with Switzerland. We had phenomenal clear autumn skies every day and fuelled our hikes with sparkling wines, famous cheeses and fabulous picnics. Here is a little photographic taster of everything we have enjoyed…
We met in Bergamo, close to Milan, and enjoyed a private guided visit of its historic centre. In 2023 Bergamo was one of Italy’s Capitals of Culture.Our first hike took us through the vineyards of Franciacorta. This is Italy’s premier region for sparkling wines made using the traditional champagne method. We had the chance to try the wines at a tasting with a local producer.Hiking in the hills above Lake Iseo gave us some jaw-dropping views, quite a different landscape to the vineyards which lie on the shores of the lake.We had a private boat trip on Lake Iseo, which is one of Italy’s northern lakes with the fewest visitors.Lake Iseo is home to Monte Isola, the largest inhabited lake island in Southern Europe.Anthony produced some fabulous picnics during the week and Lombardy is well-known for its wonderful cheeses and sweet treats like Panettone and Torrone.With the clear skies we enjoyed truly panoramic views from our trails.We dined in many fabulous restaurants, including one in an organic farm in Franciacorta which is the proud recipient of a Green Michelin Star.As we travelled further north, we explored the Val Camonica, a UNESCO World Heritage site which has over 250,000 preserved rock engravings.Taking a well-earned rest as we hiked through the steep vineyards of the Valtellina, home to the Nebbiolo grape which makes elegant and full-bodied red wines admired around the world.At the end of the week we stayed in the charming town of Tirano, close to the Swiss border, with a beautiful historic centre and scenic location.Our final hike started with a short train journey up the Poschiavo valley, part of the same route taken by the Bernina Express which travels from Tirano to St. Moritz. We experienced the amazing corkscrew turns of the train line before disembarking at an alpine lake.Our final stop on the return to Bergamo was a visit to the makers of the historic Storico Ribelle cheese, a celebrated alpine cheese made with raw milk and produced exclusively in the summer months.
The tour is scheduled to run again next October, from 19th – 27th, and we still have a few spaces available. Get in touch soon if you’d like to join us!
