As part of our ongoing Every Day in Lombardy campaign and partnership with the Regione Lombardia, we caught up with Valeria Puca, marketing and communications manager for the Azienda di Promozione e Formazione della Valtellina (Agency for Promotion and Education in Valtellina).
What are some of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations in Valtellina? we asked her. What should the adventurous traveler absolutely not miss in this Alpine valley, which borders Switzerland and is renowned for its skiing, mountain pastured cheeses, cured meats, and “heroic” wines?
She shared with us an amazing resource for those looking to plan a trip to this breathtaking area:
Valtellina Nascosta (Hidden Valtellina)
Not only can you find a number of potential destinations for food/wine, hiking, skiing, artisan crafts, etc. on this site. But you can also contact the agency directly and Valeria or one of her colleagues will be happy to help you plan your trip. And the site is fully bilingual so Italian is not required!
She also shared this post, “5 under-the-radar cultural must-visits,” another great resource for those looking to incorporate culturally significant sites into their itineraries.
Before we ended our call, she said to be sure not to miss visits to Valtellina’s many “heroic” grape growers and winemakers. Why are the called heroic? Because their vineyards are so steep that those who work the vines have to be trained in mountain climbing as well. In some cases, vineyards can only be reached by helicopter.
Stay tuned for more content from our Every Day in Lombardy campaign!
Photo by Roberto Ganassa.
