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Guida
Professionale Alberghiera di Giuseppe Cranchi |
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LOMBARDY REGION Unlike
the other regions in Italy, Lombardy is best known for its economical supremacy
but its tourist attractions are no less important. As
well as the vast and industrious Po Valley, Lombardy can boast charming hilly
areas, large Lakes in the foothills of the Alps and a great variety of mountain
scenery - from the wooded valleys of the Pre Alps to the Bernina,
Ortles-Cevedale and Adamello glaciers. In
addition to these it conserves a remarkable historical and artistic heritage:
from the spectacular prehistoric rock carvings of Val Camonica to the great
works of ant such as the famous Duomo in Milan In
such a limited space it is impossible to list all the monuments, churches and
abbeys, the castles, palaces and villas in the cities of Lombardy and scattered
all over the region. The
beauty of their scenery and a mild climate have for centuries made Lakes Como,
iseo, Garda and Maggiore the most popular of holiday choices. Extolled
by poets, musicians and painters alike, the great Pre Alpine lakes also offer
numerous sports activities, such as sailing, canoeing, windsurf and
water-skiing. In
the valleys of the Lombard Alps there are many ski resorts, some of
international renown. Names such as Bormio, Livigno, Santa Caterina Valfurva,
Madesimo, Aprica, Ponte di Legno and the Tonale Pass, plus a myriad of other ski
resorts in Valsassina and the valleys of Bergamot and Brescia, weII equipped and
easily reached from the Po Valley. Ski
lifts also climb the slopes of the Apennines in the Oltrepò Pavese, in the
province of Pavia. In
summer, when the snow melts away from green meadows and woods, the mountains of
Lombardy become an ideal solution for relaxing holidays, a place to rediscover
ancient traditions and wholesome astronomical specialities and to engage in
easy or more demanding excursions along the well-marked paths leading to
refuge huts, lakes and panoramic mountain peaks. The
mountains in the Upper Valtellina and those in Upper Val Camonica are in part
included in the Stelvio National Park; here deer, roe-deer, chamois, ibex,
golden eagles and many other Alpine species live free. Mountain
areas of great natural and scenic prestige such as the Adamello massif and the
Orobie alps are protected by regional laws. The
plain also presents natural habitats of considerable interest, the Lombard Valle
del Ticino Park being ideal for pleasant walks or cycling excursions in the
woods alongside the river. Lombardy
has its fair share of renowned thermal springs in charming resorts such as
Sirmione on Lake Garda, Salice Terme in the Oltrepò Pavese, Boario Terme in Val
Camonica, San Pellegrino Terme in Val Brembana and the Bagni di Bormio in
Upper Valtellina. Golf
enthusiasts can choose from a wide range of first class golf courses on the
plain and in the hilly areas, all easily and quickly reached from Milan and
other towns.
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