The enchanting Gardens of Quistini Castello - a 16th century building among the Franciacorta hills - bloom in spring, offering a unique occasion for artistic and cultural exploration.   During the month of May and June, the Quistini Castle opens the doors of its elegant gardens, and offers visitors a unique experience of nature, history and well-being. This engaging trail includes the rose labyrinth, which has three concentric circles housing over 1,500 varieties of ancient, modern and English roses, and culminates in a central pergola adorned with climbing Banksiae Alba and Banksiae Alba Plena roses.  The rediscovery of this magical and secret place is made even more so by the Giardino Bioenergetico, designed by eco-designer Marco Nieri and architect Chiara Odolini, where plants are arranged according to mental-physical well-being enhancing principles. And equally fascinating is the Giardino Segreto delle Ortensie, which houses rare varieties, such as the Hydrangea involucrata and the H. quercifolia, and offers a corner of tranquillity and beauty. The experience is completed by the ‘brolo’, an orchard with ancient fruits, such as the mombin and the nashi, and a small garden with traditional medicinal plants. During guided tours, you can discover these amazing botanical wonders, and admire sculptures made of recycled materials and blending into the landscape.  For more information, visit the Castello Quistini official website.  

The botanic garden of Pietra Corva is located in the village of Romagnese (in the province of Pavia, Italy). Its setting is at the foot of Monte Pietra di Corvo, at 930 m, in the mountain region of Oltrepò Pavese ("Land beyond the Po River") which belongs to the Northern Apennines. It was founded by Dr. Antonio Ridella and it covers 3 hectare of land. The flora of this garden belongs mostly to the montane, subalpine and alpine zones of the Alps. Nevertheless it is also possible to see numerous species belonging to the Apennines, the Pyrenees and other mountain ranges worldwide. Here you may find some outstanding communities of particular genuses (Primula, Saxifraga, Gentiana, Iris, etc.). 

Outdoor activities in the heart of Brianza

Dive in nature and history in the natural park of Como

The Pian Gembro Partial Botanical Nature Reserve stands on a peat bog of glacial origin just a stone's throw from Aprica.   Easy and low-stress itiner aries allow visitors to immerse themselves in the nature of this ancient peat bog where it is possible to observe very rare plant species such as some carnivorous plants. In addition to a thematic trail with illustrative bulletin boards on the formation and characteristics of the reserve, aneducational classroom is set up during the summer period where you can observe some of the small inhabitants (frogs, toads, newts and salamanders) of this marshy area. In every season Pian di Gembro offers visitors colors and emotions. In the winter time snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails give the visitor enchanted landscapes especially after a good snowfall.

This pristine alpine area allows visitors to see numerous animal and plant species up close

Among the fir trees of Vesenda, one experiences unique emotions: one feels at one with nature.

A historic garden that has been located at its current site since the late decades of the 1700s

If you want to leave behind the concrete of the city by diving into the green you can realize what the essence of this large area extended in a semicircle along the southwestern perimeter of the province of Milan is.   Farmsteads for the direct sale of agricultural products, agritourisms, historic building complexes, the Navigli. A varied agricultural and historical picture.Included in this definition is the enhancement and redevelopment of agricultural areas, and it is from here that one can learn about the area's potential for out-of-town trips to Milan and Lombardy.A protected area that today is at the center of a major transformation aimed at making it a day to remember. - Cover image: parcoagricolosudmilano.it

North Adda Park: autumn traditions.

Between the Adda and Martesana rivers, places tell the story of Lombardy's history and industriousness

The history of these places is full of great events involving the noble families who ruled it.   The main war conflicts of Milanese history from Frederick Barbarossa to the Italian Risorgimento took place on this territory. Great impetus was given by the work of the Cistercian monks who reclaimed much of this land from the 13th-14th centuries. They introduced and implemented the irrigation system still largely visible today, which made the Milanese plain one of the richest and most productive places in Italy. Devoting a day to the South Milan Agricultural Park , one can realize what the essence of this vast area is. Farmsteads, farmhouses, historic building complexes, the Navigli canals--a varied agricultural and historical picture. A myriad of points equipped for recreation, culture and leisure, for walking, trekking, boating, cycling, wine and food; with restaurants, trattorias and monuments placed within a qualified metropolitan agricultural environment.Take advantage of the heritage present within this protected agricultural area by identifying the four different purposes that gave rise to the Park: nature, landscape, history andagriculture. Always take a good look around you: the uniqueness of this area will surprise you in every season, with visions, scents, colors and flavors that are always different and never the same. - Cover image: IG roseandsword