NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER Lombardy DISCOVER NORTHERN ITALY’S HISTORIC CITIES AND DRAMATIC WILDERNESS 4 of the Best ee hago Winter adventurés eee 7 7 > Whatto ddin tylish Gomes ERS aniblesser known Iseo taken Ye at é a ry pad S Ps: | it Lt ty , iad — ae bn i ne f ¥ en . gts ye) - ™ ‘ 7 fe i. call ‘ —— = + i aon “a ’ a - irri ae a Ss ell 7 | \ Valmalenco, Sondrio NEXT STOP? #inLOMBARDIA One destination, countless adventures in-lombardia.it Wein LOMBARDIA lombardic in-lombardia.it regione.lombardia.it IMAGE: AWL IMAGES. 6 Big picture The winding roads of Valtellina 8 Get to know the locals Three creatives wax lyrical about the region io On the trail Lombardy’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites 12 Mountain matchmaker The best ski resorts for all abilities is Meet the maker Organic rice farmer Francesco Bossi is Weekender An idyllic two days in Lake Como is Winter adventures How to get active in the Alps ==" Lombardy i - “a 2020 26 Neighbourhood: Milan Discover the capital’s hidden corners 30 Eyewitness On the shores of Lake Iseo 36 Local cuisine Northern Italy’s must-try dishes 42 City Life: Bergamo What to do and see in the hilly city 46 Top paintings The region’s unmissable works of art 48 Milano Cortina 2026 Preparing for the Winter Olympics 50 Calendar Annual events in Lombardy . t fe fy mpiteutatet fi i4 { : ae. | i } oe. , all |) edie a De res | 1 a ete : x : i= ON THE COVER: Hiker looking out over an alpine plateau in Sondrio, Valtellina // Getty Lombardy 2020 3 LUXURY SPECIAL tri S$ ofa p lifetime MAASAI MARA - BOROBUDUR : HAWAII + GREAT BARRIER REEF = IGUAZU FALLS = JAPAN * GRAND CANYON & MORE plus. 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Printed in the UK. peal @ recycle Editor’s letter iuseppe Verdi once said: ‘You may have the universe if | may have Italy’ — and it’s clear why. The great Italian composer, who spent most of his life in Milan, was probably familiar with Lombardy’s kaleidoscope of striking wilderness, deep-rooted history and world-famous cuisine — all of which you'll find in this special issue. The majestic Italian Alps — from Valtellina’s 250 miles of slopes to picture-perfect Stelvio National Park — are the inspiration for our cover story (p.18), where we reveal action-packed adventures suited for every type of traveller. Elsewhere, we get to know the shores of Lake Iseo (p.30), tuck into local Lombard cuisine (p.36), scratch beneath the surface of Milan (p.26) and find out how the region is preparing for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026. So, whether your ideal getaway is gallivanting across remote mountainscapes or meandering through buzzy cities, chances are this Northern Italian powerhouse has what you’re looking for. FARIDA ZEYNALOVA, EDITOR vw oOo @FaridaZeynalova SPONSORED BY Regione ANLOMBARDIA Lombardia in-lombardia.it Lombardy 2020 5 BIG PICTURE - a 7 i Ce ivafion, Reith BO t BIG PICTURE BIG PICTURE Valtellina This serpentine ascent in the Valtellina region takes travellers up a series of switchbacks to the Alpine Cancano plateau. Starting just a few miles north of the ski resort of Bormio, the hairpin twists and turns reach the waters of the Cancano and San Giacomo lakes, two artificial bodies of water separated by adam. The Sot -tal lon ke-YoM (cae ole) oN] E-Tmel =a lar-jalolamie) men ell lay enthusiasts, climbing some 2,300ft over almost six miles. Lombardy 2020 7 MEET THELOCALS From the arc Emilia Antonia De Vivo URBAN ARCHITECT AND ARCHITECTURE TRIP LEADER, MILAN I MOVED TO MILAN FIVE YEARS AGO AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN LONDON. It’s the only place in Italy where you can live to an international rhythm, with instant access to all the great things Italy has to offer. A REVOLUTION STARTED HEREIN 2015 WITH THE EXPO AND IT HASN’T STOPPED SINCE. Every sector of public life has been improved, from the transport system to the redesign of whole new districts like Porta Garibaldi and Tortona. So many world-class architects have worked here, from Zaha Hadid to Mario Cucinella. Today, Milan is Italy’s architectural laboratory. I LOVE WALKING AROUND, taking in places known for their style and design, as well as modern architecture. [On a perfect day] I'll go to the new university campus designed by Sanaa and have lunch at Potafiori, a florist and restaurant, or I’ll visit Villa Necchi Campiglio (a 1930s villa) or the GAM modern art gallery, and walk through the Indro Montanelli gardens to Wonton, which does Europe’s best peking duck. Then there’s the Casa degli Artisti —a historic place for the city’s art scene. instagram.com/londonjamfactor 8 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel MBARDY ctural marvels of Milan to the lush Valle Camonica valley, three Lombards rhapsodise about their region Elio Uberti ARTIST AND MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIAZIONE ARTISTI BRESCIANI, BRESCIA ?’VESPENT MY WHOLE LIFE IN THE PROVINCE OF BRESCIA. It’s huge — very narrow but long, stretching from the plains of the Po Valley to the mountains. It borders the spectacular, extremely clean-watered Lake Garda, and Lake Iseo, which is more alpine. It also includes the area of Franciacorta, where 140 vineyards make sparkling Italian wine — in my opinion, they’re up there with the world- famous French vineyards. ILOVE GARDA. There are stunning places on the lake like Sirmione, where you'll find Grotte di Catullo — a Roman villa with fabulous thermal baths (you can still have thermal treatments there). Sirmione’s spur jutting out into the lake is one of my favourite photo spots, especially at dawn or sunset. THE MOUNTAINS ARE BEAUTIFUL, TOO. Valle Camonica is one of the longest alpine valleys in Europe. I bought a little cottage in the woods near Vestone, in the hills north of the city of Brescia — it’s always been my dream to have a property there. I’m ina valley near Lake Idro, another alpine lake surrounded by incredible uplands. I’m inspired by nature, so up here in the woods, everything is a trigger. eliouberti.it 2€trada.della Forra,, ‘ opT#emosind, Lake Garda MEET THE LOCALS Alessandro Zanoni GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER, PIADENA PVE LIVED INLOMBARDY ALL MY LIFE: Mantua, Milan, Cremona and smaller towns around the Po Valley. I love the landscape — flat, with trees along the riverbank, hot in summer, humid and foggy in winter. It’s melancholic, which is probably why film directors like Bertolucci and Antonioni were drawn here. LOVE IT FOR THE ART, TOO. Mantua’s ruling Gonzaga family got the greatest talents of the Renaissance working here. Even today, there’s a focus on art and food; some of the tiniest villages are home to extraordinary restaurants like Trattoria dell’Alba in Piadena, my hometown. If you can afford it, Dal Pescatore at Canneto sull’Oglio is one of 11 three-Michelin-star restaurants in Italy. CREMONA HAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIAZZASINITALY, with an incredible Duomo, the third-highest bell tower in the world and an extraordinary baptistery. It’s famous for its violin makers too, and the Museo del Violino is absolutely spectacular. NEAR MANTUAIS A VERY SMALL TOWN CALLED SABBIONETA — it’s an incredible example of the Renaissance ‘ideal city’, and has the second-oldest indoor theatre in the world. instagram.com/alezano Lombardy 2020 9 ON THE TRAIL ON THE TRAIL HISTORICAL WONDERS Home to 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than any other region in Italy, Lombardy makes an ideal road trip filled with history, architecture and intrigue Start at MANTUA (1), a regional hub enveloped by lakes. While walking its cobbled streets, pay attention to the redbrick buildings and symmetrical architecture; this historic city, renovated and expanded between the 15th and 16th centuries, provides an exceptional example of an urban Renaissance landscape. Highlights include the majestic DUCAL PALACE and the baroque MANTUA CATHEDRAL. Twenty miles away, SABBIONETA (2) is an impressive Renaissance town with defensive walls anda grid-like layout. Here, don’t miss the TEATRO ALLANTICA, one of the modern world’s first purpose-built theatres and one of only three Renaissance theatres still in existence. From Mantua, it’s a two-hour train journey to Milan. Music-lovers should stop off at Cremona’s MUSEO DEL VIOLINO to learn about traditional violin craftmanship — a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Once you reach Milan, make a beeline for the former Dominican convent of SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE (3) to see the world- famous Leonardo da Vinci creation, The Last Supper. Tickets are limited and sell out quickly, so book a slot online in advance. Next, rent a car and head to CRESPI D’ADDA (4), one of Europe’s best-preserved ‘company’ towns. This hamlet was founded in the late 19th century by a local entrepreneur to house workers from his textile factory and remained under the ownership of a single company until the 1970s. The village is still inhabited and preserves its old-world charm. Then, head west. The sprawling VALLE CAMONICA (5) is home to one of the world’s largest collections of prehistoric petroglyphs, etched more than 8,000 years ago. There are eight rock art parks across the valley — make sure to tick off the NAQUANE NATIONAL PARK OF ROCK ENGRAVINGS. This open-air museum guards 104 rocks tattooed with animals, armed men, huts and a labyrinth; Rock 1 is one of the most impressive in the region. Archaeology fans should take on the three-hour drive to MONTE SAN GIORGIO (6), straddling the border between Lombardy and Switzerland. This unassuming mount has preserved the most extensive fossil record of Triassic marine life. At the bottom of the Lombardian slope, the Civil Museum of Fossils of Besano exhibits remains excavated from the Italian side of the peak — including a 20ft Besanosaurus. For the final leg, visit one of the Sacri Monti of Lombardy — two mounts lined with series of Christian chapels created during the late 16th and 17th centuries. Of the two trails in Lombardy, the one up the SACRO MONTEDI VARESE (7) — a half-hour drive away from Monte San Giorgio — is a must. Hike the mile-long Holy Road edging up the mount, punctuated by 14 frescoed chapels and leading to a hilltop sanctuary. This cobbled path, flanked by beech, chestnut and hazel trees, offers views of the medieval hamlet of Santa Maria del Monte, the Campo dei Fiori nature park and the Alps in the distance. FOUR MORE TO EXPLORE PREHISTORIC PILE DWELLINGS Of the 111 prehistoric stilt houses around the Alps recognised by UNESCO, 10 can be found in Lombardy. The oldest hut is on Lake Varese’s Virginia Island, and dates back to the Neolithic period. RHAETIAN RAILWAY The Albula and Bernina railway lines — running respectively from Thusis and St Moritz in Switzerland to Tirano, in Valtellina — head through numerous tunnels to reach once-isolated mountain communities. 10 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel LONGOBARDS: PLACES OF POWER There are two sites in Lombardy that display the achievements of the Germanic Longoboard tribe who ruled VENETIAN WORKS OF DEFENCE The walls surrounding Bergamo’s Upper City are part of a series of defensive structures recently listed by UNESCO. Don't miss the architecturally impressive San Giacomo much of Italy between the 6th and 8th centuries: Castelseprio and the Gate or San Michele Casemate. monastic complex at Brescia. ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE