Spring

Land of the roe deer The Nebrodi Mountains constitute that portion of Appennino Siculo that falls mainly in the province of Messina. The highest peak is Mount Soro, with its 1847 meters. From here you can enjoy an unparalleled view that embraces the Aeolian Mountains, the King's Greenhouse, Mount Etna, the Peloritan Mountains, the Erei Mountains and the Madonie Mountains. A real joy for the eyes. The vegetation is lush – with verdant forests, lakes and dizzying waterfalls - and the summer weather is not overly hot. The Parco dei Nebrodi is a must-see. The ancient Greeks called thisarea "the land of roe deer" and it is precisely from nebros, roe deer, that the name of the park derives. Hiking enthusiasts here will find trails that they will remember for a long time. For example, the Rocche del Crasto trek, which starts from San Marco d 'Alunzio and extends for about 10 kilometers, touching prestigious natural attractions such as the Catafurco Waterfall, the Mistretta Falls, the Bosco della Tassita, Monte Soro, Lake Biviere and Lake Maulazzo. Nature, finally, here goes hand in hand with art, history and folklore. Among the villages to visit there are definitely Bronte, Randazzo, Raccuja and the medieval village of Novara di Sicilia.

Cannobio is a bustling and popular tourist destination on the shores of Lake Maggiore. In its cobbled streets, you can visit the 18th-century collegiate church of San Vittore before entering the 14th-century town consisting of the Bell Tower and the Palazzo della Ragione. On the lakeside promenade are the palaces of various eras and the Santuario della Pietà, built by Carlo Borromeo in 1583. Not to be missed in January is the Festa dei Lumineri, a procession to the Santuario della Pietà in memory of a miracle, to which the Pan dolce di Cannobio is linked.

Increasingly popular, and not only with Central European tourists, Mergozzo is a small holiday resort located on the western tip of Lake Mergozzo at the mouth of the Ossola valley in the basin of Lake Maggiore. Its waters are suitable for bathing and are particularly clean. The village is picturesque, with stone houses leaning against each other and reached by narrow alleyways. The white and green granite of Mergozzo are part of the history of Italian architecture (the columns of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome came from here, after travelling around Italy for two-years).

There are many ways to experience the beauty of the Gargano National Park, which encapsulates the very essence of nature and its relationship with humans. There is something almost sacred about this place, which you will sense as you walk through the forests, surrounded by tall trees and breathing in the sea air. This is a place for every season and every preference. Here you can visit historic villages, rural abbeys and churches, explore the rocks and hills, admire the landscape and fabulous sunsets, or dive into the cobalt blue waters of the coastal caves. The park is accessible to pedestrians, horses, bicycles, motorbikes and off-road vehicles. There are several visitor centres, at Monte Sant'Arcangelo, San Marco in Lamis, San Nicandro Garganico, Manfredonia and Lesina, and one of them should be your first port of call if you want more information about the natural environment, hiking trails, mountain bike rentals or details of guided tours. The Park was established in 1995, in an area of 121,000 hectares covering much of the coastline, the top of the headland and the Umbra Forest, as well as the Maritime Reserve of the Tremiti Islands archipelago. The craggy coast is distinctive with its white limestone rock and the forests are populated by beech, yew and holm oak, some of them reaching monumental heights and proportions. The undergrowth is inhabited by foxes, wild boar, wolves and roe deer. The inland area is a nesting site for many birds of prey, while 80 varieties of orchid add splashes of colour to the brown earth.

Exquisite nature between the Alps and the Lario Nestled between the Rhaetian Alps and the Orobie Alps, along the Insubric line, Valtellina extends for 120 kilometers, from the northern tip of Lake Como to Bormio. The mountain territory also includes the valley of Livigno, Valdidentro and Valfurva. One of the best ways to visit it is via the Trenino Rosso del Bernina (the Bernina red train), a UNESCO World Heritage. Set off from Tirano, in the province of Sondrio, before arriving in St. Moritz in Swiss Engadine, you can admire breathtaking views of the Alps. Comfortably seated in a carriage, you will reach 2,253 meters, the highest point at the Ospizio Bernina. In Valtellina you will also find the Ponte del Cielo (Sky Bridge), one of the most impressive and spectacular Tibetan bridges that can be crossed in Italy. With 34 meters in length and 140 meters in height, it is also suitable for the little ones. It offers incredible panoramic views of Lake Como. If you love the slopes even in the summer, you can practice summer skiing on the Stelvio glacier. To refresh yourself after sporting efforts and various mountain activities in the open air such as trekking and climbing, we suggest you try the traditional buckwheat pasta dish, pizzoccherata.

Hunting dinosaurs or perch Like a sapphire set among the Orobic Pre-Alps at the foot of the Valcamonica, a large pre-alpine lake shines. It is the fourth biggest in Italy with its 25 kilometres in length, formed by the river Oglio and other minor tributaries. Lake Iseo, halfway between Bergamo and Brescia is an ideal destination for cyclists and families, but also for fishing enthusiasts. If you want to drive along the entire coastline, you have to plan about two hours, but the advice is to enjoy the view directly from the boats which in just five minutes of navigation will take you from Sulzano to the jewel of this stretch of water: Monte Isola veritable floating mountain towering 600 metres high. In 2016, one and a half million visitors had the privilege of reaching Europe's largest lake island from the footbridge designed by Bulgarian artist Christo and christened 'The Floating Piers'. But if you didn't manage to 'walk' on the waters of the Lombard lake basin at the time, you may decide to embark on another adventurous experience: chasing the fossil footprints of the Archosaurs, prehistoric reptiles up to 6 metres long, on the rock of the paleontological site of Zone. Also worth a stop is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy reflected in the lake, Lovere.

A sort of an uncharted territory in regards to mass tourism, Molise, which lies between the regions of Abruzzo and Apulia, is a region that hosts numerous art treasures, breathtaking natural sceneries, and thousand-year-old traditions. A very characteristic aspect of Molise is its network of tratturi, the ancient grassy paths of transhumance from the pre-Roman Era up to only a few centuries ago, our ancestors traveled these trails, driving their animal herds from season to season. Livestock transhumance, the principal mainstay of the Southern peasant, was (and is still, in some cases) based on a very rigorous journey from the cool mountain pastures of Abruzzo in autumn, to the hot and humid Apulian Plateaus (where they reverse direction in summer).

These are the magnificent scenery of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato, where the great Italian wines of Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco, are produced. This jewel of Piedmont with its seductive landscapes has become part of the World Heritage List of Unesco.

From Venice to Chioggia, from Abano and Montegrotto Terme to Vicenza, from Bassano del Grappa to Treviso, to then close the loop and return to the Serenissima Republic of Venice: a circular route through the most beautiful cities in Veneto. Enjoy all this while riding a bike on easy-to-follow dirt bike paths alongside rivers, between sea and lagoon, villages and castles, spa waters and hills.

Ancona is made up of sea and hills. It seems that in ancient Greek "ankón" meant "elbow", and here the landscape of the coast is really like an elbow drawn from the hill of the Cathedral and the hilly parks of Cardeto and Passetto. In the middle is the city, with the sea horizon facing Dalmatia, ships and cranes along the docks, grandiose historical buildings, mysterious sculptural reliefs, imposing signs of the ancient Roman civilization, and beaches on the slopes of the parks. Spending a day of leisure in the large port city of the central Adriatic means making discoveries. Choosing two wheels is advisable, but not with a push bike: we are in a city of unevenness, not all of us have the strength of a cycling champion in our legs. There is no shortage of places to rent a scooter. You can get to Ancona by motorway, by the very long Adriatic road 16 or by rail. If you want, there is also an airport. The ideal thing would be to arrive in the most natural way: by ship, because you would get the taste of the place in the most panoramic and naturally slow way. Follow the manoeuvres, watch the tyres throw, get in line to disembark and finally begin to discover.

To pedal along this itinerary is to experience a duel between your head and your heart. The former requires you to keep your eyes on the tarmac, the latter to lift your gaze; towards the hills, the fortifications and the terraces that will enchant you. Three sceneries in one Wide and sandy beaches, interspersed with cliffs and long stretches of rock: we are on the Riviera dei Fiori, in western Liguria, where the hills covered by Mediterranean scrub run down to the sea. The scenery changes radically in the Alte Langhe, the Piedmont hills on the border with Liguria devoted to viticulture. Here the slopes are harsher, but always enchanting in their changing dress each season: green in spring-summer, snow-white in winter, yellow-orange with the autumn foliage. Lastly, the province of Cuneo, lying in the Upper Tanaro Valley, a natural environment that is still uncontaminated, with dense forests of oak, chestnut, beech and pine trees, where the lines on the horizon become more vertical. These are the walls of the Ligurian Alps and, further in the distance, those of the Alpine Arc. Riding your bike from Western Liguria to Piedmont The Riviera dei Fiori and the Piedmont hills. The Tyrrhenian Sea and the Alpine Arc that enraptures the eye and soothes the mind. It is hard to imagine a richer itinerary than this, winding along the roads of the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia 2022. In addition to the natural heritage, there are historical, artistic and spiritual highlights; as well as an invitation to all cyclists: look up. Don’t limit yourself to the climbs (one actually) on your bike, but also take advantage of the towers, aerostats and domes. From above, this area will appear even more marvellous.

Along this route from Trentino to Veneto everything is shaped by nature: the landscape, art, trades, and city planning; even the pace of your pedal strokes – brisk but easy– is dictated by it, so as to let you feel the breeze from the hills and the scent of wine cellars All the shades of green Enclosed between the Lagorai chain to the north and the Vicentine Pre-Alps to the south, Valsugana is a paradise of centuries-old forests, thermal springs, hills planted with vineyards and meadows dotted with farmsteads. Here, eco-sustainability is the first commandment: at the centre of the tourism model are the health of the environment and the wellbeing of the people inhabiting the area. It is a philosophy that extends to the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a Unesco World Heritage Site: impervious hills, embroidered with parallel rows of vines, a symbol of the perfect symbiosis between man – with his wealth of knowledge – and nature with its resources. Finally, the lower Veneto plain, an area rich in water resources, including the Piave, Sile and Livenza rivers. A cycling route through Valdobbiadene From Valsugana, a valley-model of eco-sustainability, to Treviso, rolling through the hills of Valdobbiadene with its fine vineyards. Here we tell you about an easy-to-ride wavy itinerary, inspired by stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2022. What can you expect? A land in which the climbs are not impressive, but other special effects are. It turns into works of art, leaves room to man and his agricultural tools, and heat puffs from its belly. In short, it becomes a friend, even for you who are about to ride across it

Take your time cycling along an easy route, and lose yourself in your own thoughts and in the wild, fragrant nature of the Valnerina. Follow the 28-kilometre Nera River cycle route through the Umbrian section of the valley, you won’t regret it.

There is a long cycle route that joins together the Trentino and Veneto tracks and, following the banks of the rivers Adige, Bacchiglione and Brenta, passes through the cities of Verona, Vicenza, Padua and Venice. Are you ready? It starts at Lake Garda, with a route that meanders along mostly asphalted roads alternating with pleasant dirt tracks, and offers plenty of potential excursions, steeped in history and tradition.

If you know by heart the unforgettable exploits of cycling champion Marco Pantani, you've probably already heard of Campo Imperatore. Just in Abruzzo, “il Pirata” flew in 1999 towards the first of his four stage victories of that Giro d 'Italia. Campo Imperatore is mainly known for its ski area, among the best known and equipped in central Italy. The town of Abruzzo is today a point of reference also for bicycle tourists. In addition to having cable cars, chairlifts and cranks, in fact, Campo Imperatore has a long tradition as a stage venue for the main cycling stage races, which have always attracted a festive crowd of cycling enthusiasts and which still today, in spring and summer, welcomes a constant flow of cyclists and bikepackers, arriving from Italy and abroad.

Valle Roveto is the gateway from Lazio to Marsica, in Abruzzo. The area is perfect for cycling enthusiasts. We recommend a four-stage cycling itinerary to be completed in four days: from Avezzano, in the province of L’Aquila, you will cycle 143 kilometres to the Molise stage of Rionero Sannitico. You will pass through places that have been inhabited since ancient times, between flat areas and steep ascents. It will be a journey of discovery through the varied geomorphological and cultural landscapes of this fascinating land.

Umbria - lush and green - boasts a dense network of evocative cycling itineraries for an active open-air holiday, perfect for experts or beginners thanks to the different degrees of difficulty. Five not to be missed and enchanting routes taking in broad panoramas, jewel-like villages and excellent food and wine.

From Venice to Chioggia, from Abano and Montegrotto Terme to Vicenza, from Bassano del Grappa to Treviso, to then close the loop and return to the Serenissima Republic of Venice: a circular route through the most beautiful cities in Veneto. Enjoy all this while riding a bike on easy-to-follow dirt bike paths alongside rivers, between sea and lagoon, villages and castles, spa waters and hills.

If you know by heart the unforgettable exploits of cycling champion Marco Pantani, you've probably already heard of Campo Imperatore. Just in Abruzzo, “il Pirata” flew in 1999 towards the first of his four stage victories of that Giro d 'Italia. Campo Imperatore is mainly known for its ski area, among the best known and equipped in central Italy. The town of Abruzzo is today a point of reference also for bicycle tourists. In addition to having cable cars, chairlifts and cranks, in fact, Campo Imperatore has a long tradition as a stage venue for the main cycling stage races, which have always attracted a festive crowd of cycling enthusiasts and which still today, in spring and summer, welcomes a constant flow of cyclists and bikepackers, arriving from Italy and abroad.

What does it take to soar through the blue sky aboard a hang glider? Naturally, a hill or a slope where to launch and then take off from with favourable currents, suitable weather conditions, a good dose of courage and the irrepressible desire, which man has cradled since the dawn of time, to observe the world from above. If you are looking for the place where all these conditions come together to create the perfect free flight experience, welcome to Umbria, where you will also have the opportunity to explore one of Italy's sweetest and most prized natural and artistic landscapes from a different point of view (from above). Umbria offers several flight centres for beginners and experts where you can experience the thrill of tandem flying with an experienced pilot for the first time, or get personally involved if you are already good, surrounded by enchanting natural scenery.

Visiting Campania by paraglider or hang-glider is like nothing you could have imagined and yet harbours unforgettable emotions. In fact, for free-flying enthusiasts, who love to take to the skies and explore the Italian landscapes from above, exclusively aboard unpowered aircraft such as hang-gliders or paragliders, the varied territory of Campania is an air park that offers formidable panoramas, whether maritime or mountainous. Those who are new to the sport can find an opportunity here to indulge in a baptism of the air in a two-seater aircraft, driven by the expert hands of a professional pilot.

Soar through the sky surrounded by nature, enjoying breathtaking views of mountains and valleys, seas and lakes, quaint villages and islands, as you glide along steel cables in complete safety, all harnessed up and protected: six spectacular zip lines for an unforgettable, adrenaline-filled experience.

Practised on a roller board of various sizes, skateboarding is not just an extreme sporting activity, but a real lifestyle. It makes use of benches, steps and handrails, as well as specially designed spaces such as skateparks. Rome, between one archaeological site and another, is home to numerous spots, but two locations deserve special attention: the Bunker Skatepark and The Spot Skatepark Ostia. Let's find out together.

Flying over the mountainous landscape of the Veneto Pre-Alps is a spectacular sight, to then glide over the hills of the Veneto foothills, with its hilltop villages, cities of art, and the valleys of the Brenta and Piave rivers. Thanks to its natural updrafts, the climate, the accessibility of the take-off and landing areas and the still scarcely urbanised nature, the area lends itself very well to this pursuit. The Grappa massif, a mecca for free flight, located between the provinces of Vicenza, Belluno and Treviso, is the ideal place for hang-gliding and paragliding.