Lombardia, Piemonte, Emilia-Romagna, and the Veneto
Great Hikes and Cuisine of Northern Italy
Overview
Northern Italy is perfect for a WT-style journey of walks and hikes paired with sampling the region's famed culinary bounty. We'll explore historic towns along the mountain-ringed lakes of Lombardia as well as in the gastronomic heartland of Emilia-Romagna, and finish in the Veneto, with its Valpolicella and Bardolino wines and rich heritage as part of the powerful Venetian Republic for more than 1,000 years. Wonderful walks bring us along lakeshore trails and through ancient vineyards, and we'll sample local delicacies everywhere we go, with prosciutto and cheese tastings and a cooking demonstration at a historic estate. Join us for a delicious adventure!
Arrive: Milan, Italy
Depart: Verona, Italy
Highlights
- Savor two special dinners in Michelin-starred restaurants
- Enjoy cheese and prosciutto tastings, taste the finest local wines
- Discover classic lakeside towns, wine estates, and off-the-beaten path eateries
- The best hikes, walks, and expert Trip Leaders to unlock the secrets of this enchanting region
Itinerary
After exploring charming lakeside Orta San Giulio, one of the prettiest towns in Europe, we head to elegant Verbania, set on Lake Maggiore. We'll visit the medieval village of Mergozzo to walk its cobbled lanes and circle the path around its serene alpine lake. One of our lunches is at a family-run cheese grotto where we can sample artisan cheeses from nearby mountain villages.
In the green hills of Piemonte, where the Slow Food movement began, we hike through the wheat fields and vineyards of the Monferrato hills, one of Italy's renowned wine districts. Eastward in the foodie paradise of Emilia-Romagna, our paths bring us along the Po River for a lunch of catch-of-the-day fish in a fishing hut. We'll visit the historic Antica Corte Pallavicina estate on the edge of the Po River for a hands-on cooking lesson.
In Lombardia's Franciacorta district, we'll sample some of Italy's best sparkling wines, then ferry across Lake Iseo to gorgeous Monte Isola for a walk through small villages, a delicious lunch, and a panoramic lake view.
A hike along Lake Garda brings us to the small lakeside port of Desenzano, and we ferry to the castle-town of Sirmione on the Sirmione Peninsula. This area has been known for its thermal waters since Roman times and we'll explore the ruins of a vast Roman villa surrounded by olive groves. Depart on Day 9 via Verona.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 2+ (Moderate) according to our trip grading system. While we do not see major elevation gain or loss, you will need to be comfortable hiking 6 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 4 hours a day. Hiking days are varied, with some very light days on flat country paths and some more challenging days. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Average Hiking Day
Review Trip Level Details
Average Hiking Day
- 4 miles
- 2-3 hours
- 300 feet gain/loss
- Day 6: 6 miles, 3.5 hours, 700 feet gain/loss
Our walks and hikes traverse a variety of terrains, from flat trails alongside a river to paved paths to mountain trails with occasional short, steep sections. You will need to be comfortable hiking on uneven surfaces including downhill over loose scree.
The weather in northern Italy in May, September, and October ranges from the low-70s°F during the day to the mid-40s°F at night, with cool winds and showers possible at any time.
We spend our nights in picturesque inns, full of charm and character, and comfortable hotels in exquisite settings. All accommodations are chosen for their local history and central locations. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Meals will be taken at the hotels where we are staying or at restaurants in nearby towns. Some of our meals will be at Michelin-starred restaurants with 8-9 courses and may take up to three hours. At those restaurants, it is often difficult to accommodate dietary restrictions other than food allergies. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
Our support vehicle will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transfering that day).
Client Testimonials
"The trip was well run, wrinkle-free, everyone well cared for, all expectations met or exceeded... just as we have come to expect from WT."
Bill S.
Boiling Springs, PA
"It's not possible to overstate the food and wines on this trip. I have never experienced anything like this."
Carol B.
Redwood City, CA
"Simply an excellent trip: fun hikes, excellent food, and great chefs."
Chris R.
Denver, CO
"We greatly appreciated the opportunity to explore Northern Italy and view the beautiful lakes. The emphasis on culture and food with opportunities to explore cheese making and caverns of prosciutto provided a memorable experience, while the multi-course gourmet meals were simply incredible."
Colleen A.
Hastings, NE
"We really enjoyed the food adventures, the tours of the cheese places, cooking with the chef, and the art and historical tours. The group of people and guides were terrific as well, adding up to a memorable trip!"
Diane Y.
Gainesville, FL
"A wonderful trip! Great food, good people, and excellent leadership and organization."
James C.
Los Gatos, CA
"Highest quality all around. Beautiful scenery, great walks, amazing food, and superb hotels. A well put together trip with a very nice balance of hiking, cultural activities, and culinary adventures."
Jeanne R.
Denver, CO
"The trip was great; I would recommend it to anyone. I was surprised at the quantity and quality of the food and wine. I really enjoyed the various food related excursions. It was a great group. Everyone seemed to get along fine. Being a first-time traveler with Wilderness, I was amazed at how many times the other members had traveled with your company—it certainly is a testament to the quality of your trips."
John T.
Park Ridge, IL
"I have taken other 'trips of a lifetime' with WT and this one was no exception! One cannot help but live in the moment on such a wonderful journey. Very well done!"
Julie R.
Bainbridge Island, WA
"The variety of cultural experiences woven in was great—from historical sites to cheese making!"
Karl G.
Davis, CA
"This was a great trip—well designed and smoothly carried out. The food on the trip was terrific—from formal dinners to excellent pizza at restaurant with locals."
Margaret H.
Washington, DC
"The guides were wonderful, the food was incredible, the hotels first class and the views were beautiful. I would call this adventure ‘over the rainbow!’"
Martie T.
Salinas, CA
"The trip was thoughtfully designed and smoothly executed. We appreciated the lovely and varied hikes, the variety of cultural activities (especially the visits to Guffanti and Antica Corte Pallavicina), the fabulous dining, and the overall atmosphere created by our guides. This was our second WT trip and we are looking forward to more."
Pam B.
Newton Center, MA
"The trip rates very high. Hikes were varied in level of difficulty, length, location. Hotels were very nice: excellent locations, vistas, food, and amenities. Activities were excellent...castles, cheese, wine, prosciutto—interesting and good choices for the overall experience. Loved meeting Mario in our vineyard tour!"
Pat L.
Sandy Hook, CT
"This was a great trip: good food, wonderful hotels, great guides, scenic hikes. What more could you ask for?"
Rud and Mary Ellen B.
Bloomfield Hills, MI
"This trip far exceeded my expectations. It was truly a trip of a lifetime."
Virginia H.
Frisco, TX
"A fabulous combination of hiking in gorgeous areas and out of this world gourmet food along with cheese producers, wineries, cooking lessons, and fabulous hotels and chateaus. A feast for the eye, nose, and stomach."
William T.
Los Angeles, CA
"Great food, wine, and hotels!"
Yvonne S.
West Chester, PA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.