Nature in Lombardy

Lombardy is Italy’s most diverse region. In the north lie the Central Alps with glaciers and four-thousand-meter peaks; in the south, the vast Po Plain; and in between, a world of lakes, valleys, and mountain ranges that are concentrated together in a way found nowhere else. Virtually all of northern Italy’s major lakes are located in Lombardy, from Lake Garda in the east to Lake Maggiore in the west. And nestled between them are lesser-known valleys whose landscapes are just as stunning, yet offer a sense of tranquility and authenticity that the major lakes have long since lost.

In the northeast lies the Stelvio National Park, Italy’s largest national park. There you’ll find glaciers, spectacular hairpin turns, and wildlife including deer, chamois, ibex, marmots, foxes, and eagles. The Orobic Alps above Bergamo are greener and more accessible: a mountainous landscape with lakes, meadows, and rocky peaks, crisscrossed by hiking trails offering breathtaking panoramic views. And the Valle Camonica is home to the largest concentration of rock art in Europe: dating from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the heart of the mountain landscape.

Lombardy is best enjoyed outside of the summer crowds. In the spring, the lake shores are in bloom; in the fall, the mountain forests turn colorful.