Northern Italy – vineyards hidden in alpine valleys

What associations come to mind when we hear Sunny Italia? Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Rome’s ancient monuments and the endless greenery of Tuscan vineyards. All this is true, but Italy is not only bustling cafes shaded by ancient buildings … Italy also has soaring peaks of the Dolomites, crystal clear lakes and breathtaking views. Northern Italy is best explored by car. All amateurs of white madness, who come here in winter, know it. However, the region also has a lot to offer in summer

Italy, which lies mostly on the Apennine Peninsula, can be easily divided into two parts. The first one, located south of Florence, tempts with ancient history, a bit idyllic atmosphere and a rather relaxed approach to life. The second, northern one, is more modern, organized, filled with the taste of Renaissance architecture and focused on fashion. Both tempt with simple but refined cuisine and a thousand aromas. For Italians, food is a religion and at the same time an opportunity for hours of meetings at the table. It’s amazing how you can accurately combine literally three ingredients and extract an endless bouquet of flavors from them, which, although it fades on the palate with time, seems to be remembered for many years. It is said that beauty lies in simplicity, but this culinary simplicity is lined with finesse, love for people, family and your country. The land of Italian mountain lakes is a unique place. The soaring alpine peaks are visible there in the crystal clear waters of the tectonic lakes. The most famous are of course Garda and Como, but you will also find smaller, more subtle and intimate places here. The specific climate of the region means that oranges ripen here all year round, and exclusive hotels and guesthouses encourage you to spend more time in them. The fastest way to get here from Poland is via the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Austria, and then via the motorway through the Brenner Pass. We especially recommend the Trentino road that meanders along the motorway and disappears behind the Dolomite peaks, leading travelers through picturesque vineyards. It was northern Italy that gave us Barolo, Bardolino, Valpolicella and Prosecco to be enjoyed with breakfast in Northern Italy!

If you have more time, at Mezzacorona, take the exit towards Madonna di Capiglio, then head towards Garda. The journey itself along the winding roads, although it requires concentration from the driver, gives so much pleasure that you will only be stopped by the smell of the thick Ristretto Intenso tar sipped in restaurants by the inhabitants of roadside towns.

There are two ways to travel around the lake. The first one, the fast one, is the freeway, but you don’t come to Italy to get stuck between steel and sound barriers. So there is another road left, i.e. the road that runs right next along the coastline. This trip will turn out to be an almost 40-kilometer-long feast of the senses, where the shimmering blue of the water will combine with the monumental gray of the rocky slope and tunnels carved in it.

It is worth visiting Verona, the city of lovers, where the action of William Shakespeare’s novels Romeo and Juliet and Milan took place. Also known as the capital of fashion, it is a modern and vibrant city. This does not mean that we will not find any monuments here.

Among the outstanding landmarks on your list of things to see are the Milan Cathedral, the Sforza Castle, the La Scala Theater, or the famous Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery.

An old saying goes that there was no one in Italy who did not see Rome. There is certainly a lot of truth to it, but Andrea Bocelli sings that he found his love in Portofino (I found my love in Portofino). This amazing place at the very end of the Italian Riviera has as much charm as kitsch. She is the epitome of the idea of a quiet Mediterranean bay where wives cry out to their husbands returning from fishing for dinner. Today after thesememories were drowned out by the buzz of small restaurants glued to the narrow quay and the sight of the yachts of millionaires from around the world. However, you should visit this place for at least one afternoon, because it is still a symbol of the Italian Dolce Vita.

Leaving Portofino, you can head towards Genoa and along the road carved in the rocks of the Ligurian Coast you will reach the famous San Remo and further west towards the border with France. The second option is to travel east to enter beautiful Tuscany through Parma, Modena and Bologna, where you can definitely lose yourself completely.