Eight Ideas for a Creative Easter Monday

The famous Italian saying goes: “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” [Christmas with the family and Easter with whomever you choose].

There’s another version, about spending Easter with your family and Easter Monday with whomever you want, which is a perfect description of the public holiday after Easter Sunday, a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family. So, if you’re seeking an alternative to the traditional barbecue, then this is a perfect day to set out in search of the nature and art treasures of Lombardy.

Mountains, villages and lakes all await you in these eight creative destinations for an Easter Monday that’s all about fun and adventure. And if it rains? Don’t worry, because every one of these destinations can offer you an alternative in case of bad weather. So, make the most of the spring temperatures and Lombardy’s panoramic landscapes to experience everything the area has to offer.

A walk through the orchards in bloom — The blossoms in Valtellina’s apple orchards are an extraordinary spring awakening. Nature returns to the Rhaetian side of the Alps in April, from the province of Sondrio to Switzerland. Along this natural border, the alluvial cones in the municipal areas of Ponte in Valtellina, Bianzone, and Semio-Lovero, fertile concavities forming a fan, are ideal for the creation of terraces, where vines and apple trees form the backbone of traditional farming life in Valtellina.

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Boat tour on the Mincio — Navigation through the Mincio Park, part of the Valli del Mincio Nature Reserve, is a magical experience, where you can explore the natural treasures of this river reserve by boat. Setting out from Mantua, or from the splendid fishing villages of Grazie di Curtatone or Rivalta sul Mincio, with the arrival of spring many municipalities offer the possibility, to visit the area, with brand new and creative excursions by boat, where you can enjoy a typical lunch while enjoying the river’s panoramic views.

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Panoramic picnic on Alpe San Michele — Alpe San Michele, a meeting point between Valcuvia and Valtravaglia, is one of the most stunning points from which to enjoy views from above Lake Maggiore. Here we have the village of San Michele, in the province of Porto Valtravaglia, home to the enchanting little church of San Michele al Monte. The church is Romanesque in origin, decorated with early mediaeval frescoes, and surrounded by greenery. Previously alpine pastures, it is now the perfect place for a buen retiro and a picnic after a panoramic excursion.

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Tulips at Castello di Malpaga — Spring sees the tulips in bloom at Castello di Malpaga, an imposing 14th-century castle that owes its historic memory to the feats of condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni. Located in the municipality of Cavernago, province of Bergamo, the castle overlooks an expanse of 300 hectares of farmland in the River Serio Park. and inside, the mediaeval porticoes and courtyards are full of flowers.

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Trip with views over Lake Como — Pigra, at the heart of Valle d’Intelvi, is a small artistic village at an altitude of 881 metres, which can boast one of the most stunning panoramic views over Lake Como. A peaceful, silent location, suspended over the lake, where it offers unique views of the area’s most iconic scenery, from Mount San Primo to the villages in the central lake area, including Bellagio and Varenna, to Isola Comacina, the Grigne massif, and the mountains Monte Legnone and Pizzo dei Tre Signori.

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The Sentiero delle Fontane hiking trail is in the upper Val di Nizza. It is a 7 km route through the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese to show you the richness of the area, which is crossed by natural springs. This valley, which is one of Lombardy’s most important wine-growing areas, is set in countryside that extends from the hills of the Ligurian Apennines to the Prealps. Spring turns the orange hues of autumn into lush expanses of green, splashed with flowers, and these panoramic views are dotted with picturesque villages to explore.

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Tour of Monte Isola by kayak — Monte Isola is Italy’s largest inhabited lake island. It rises out of Lake Iseo and has a charming Sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna della Ceriola that dominates its summit. This lovely little fishing island is divided into twelve districts, with flower-filled balconies, lovely trails and lakeside walks that show off the uniqueness of this area. In spring, though, this experience is made even more special with a visit to the island over the water.

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Blooms in the André Heller Botanic Gardens — The André Heller Botanic Gardens, in Gardone Riviera, not far from the famous Vittoriale, is a little paradise with some 3000 species of plants from all over the world, forming the perfect setting for the works of art dotted around the garden. A dreamlike, relaxing atmosphere, devised to provide a sensory path that will take you away from the everyday hustle and bustle to rediscover nature on a personal level, especially when the spring blooms are out. .

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