Take the Wine Road in Lombardy: "Strade del Vino"

Take the Wine Road in Lombardy: “Strade del Vino”

: Image via Wikipedia

Lombardy is one of the largest regions in Italy. It was one of first regions in Italy to embrace the concept of wine and food tourism. The Alps and the Apennines border this incredible region. Lombardy is characterized by magical glacial lakes, rivers and streams.

River Adda from Crespi d’Adda, Lombardy, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many wine roads in Lombardy. One interesting option is the “Wine and Food Road of the Valcalepio.” There are three different routes in the picturesque Bergamasque region.

Sunrise at Bergamo old town, Lombardy, Italy From the photographer: Cropped to a 16:9 format. Used a 0.9 Hitech soft GND filter and Slik Sprint Pro 2 tripod. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My favorite is the route through Bergamo where you can tour the vineyards on the third Sunday in October. Bergamo means “House on the Mountain” and a cable car penetrates the wall that divides High Bergamo and the historic city center.

English: Country : Italy Region : Lombardy Province : Bergamo (BG) Français : Pays : Italie Région : Lombardie Province : Bergame (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy Italiano: Bergamo – Palazzo Nuovo sede della biblioteca Angelo Mai, Piazza Vecchia e fontana del Contarini (raddrizzata con GIMP). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In high Bergamo visit the Piazza Vecchia. The Palazzo del Podesta Veveziano has frescos by Bramante. In the Piazza Duomo visit the catedral. The Accademia Carrara has an extensive collection that incudes art by Bellini, Botticelli and Mantegna.

English: Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy – Graveyard Italiano: Cimitero di Bergamo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, Italy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can also visit the Malpaga castle and Crespi d’Adda, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

English: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo – Italy, cemetery built 1905-1908 – italian national monument Italiano: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo, cimitero costruito nel 1905-1908 su progetto dell’arch. Gaetano Moretti – monumento nazionale. Nel dettaglio, il faraonico mausoleo della famiglia Crespi, ai cui piedi si stendono, tutte uguali, le tombe degli operai della loro fabbrica-modello. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Crespi factory, Crespi d’Adda (Bergamo), Lombardy, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The regional wines include: Valcalepio Rosso and Riseva, Valcalepio Bianco and Valcalepio Moscato Passito. This region is famous for polenta so try some Coniglio con polenta (with rabbit) or Polenta Cunsada (seasoned). In Bergamo the specialty is Polenta e osei. More regional favorites include Gorgonzola cheese and Bergamo salami. Italy’s best sparkling wine is made in Trentino and the Franciacorta area of Lombardy with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.