Sondrio
Located in the heart of the Alps in the northernmost part of Lombardy, Valtellina occupies an area almost entirely mountainous, a kind of Lombard Tibet with fairy tale views and a very important natural park reserve.
A land of 500 churches and ancient villages, for lovers of sport it is synonymous with skiing and excursions. For lovers of good food, instead, it is the homeland of great wines such as Sassella, Grumello and Inferno, in addition to the bresaola, pizzoccheri and polenta taragna.
The strong points of the area are certainly its well-equipped ski resorts: Bormio, Valdidentro, Valdisotto, Livigno, San Caterina Valfurva, Aprica, Teglio, Valmalenco con Chiesa, Caspoggio and Lanzada, Valgerola, Campodolcino and Madesimo, which offer skiers of all levels more than 400 kilometres of runs for Alpine skiing and more than 170 kilometres for cross-country skiing.
Besides the excitement of the white circus in a breathtaking natural landscape, Valtellina also makes it possible, 365 days a year, to take walks in uncontaminated nature, of imitating the great champions of ice-skating on well-equipped rinks and admiring shows and exhibitions such as the famous "Art on Ice" spectacle in Livigno. For lovers of art and mountain culture, Valtellina offers a unique itinerary of villages, towers, palaces, churches, museums and quarters to be found everywhere in fields and woods.
There is also the long succession of terraced vineyards. Another important tourist offering of the Province of Sondrio is its thermal baths, what about bathing in open-air thermal pools at sunset on the the tops of the mountain after an active day? And that's not all. Like in the TV ads, health comes first but you must also savour the genuine, intriguing typical dishes of Valtellina. You might do so during one of the many folklore events that relive the traditions and odours of times gone by.