Things to Do Today – Parks and Wilderness

Parks and Wilderness Areas

Get on your hiking boots and have a wander through some of the most lovely wilderness areas in northern Europe.

Wilderness around Lake Maggiore

Around and above the Lake there is a wide variety of wilderness areas, natural Parks and spectacular mountain reserves.
Val Grande: once inhabited solely by shepherds, today represents one of the most wild and uncontaminated areas in Italy;

View from Strette del Cas looking over Val Cavr and Corni di Nibbio

http://www.in-valgrande.it

Park Alpe Veglia and Alpe Devero: in the Ossola mountains, between 1700 and 3500 metres, offer spectacular views of majestic mountains, green pastures, and typical mountain lakes.

Alpe Veglia Nature Reserve

http://www.parks.it/indice/PR/index.php?reg=1

Park of the Valle del Ticino an effluent of Lake Maggiore, the Park is the natural habitat of a wide range of birds, reptiles and flora;

Covered Boardwalk through Ticino Nature Reserve

http://www.parks.it/parco.ticino.piemontese/gallery.php?categoria=&page=1

Lake Maggiore Park Authorities oversees four protected areas: Lagoni of Mercurago 470 hectars of morenic hilly countryside with mixed woodland, ponds and swamps and some important archeological remains; Fondo Toce Nature Reserve, 360 hectars with an important reed bed, and swathes of riverside vegetation; the Nature Reserve of Dormelletto, 157 hectars of reed beds sheltering a wide range of fauna; Nature Reserve of Bosco Solivo, 340 hectars in Borgo Ticino, surrounding the Motto Solivo hill.

http://www.parchilagomaggiore.it

Parco dei Lagoni in Oleggio Castello has an interesting selection of aquatic flora as well as remains from the Neolithic period testifying to the existence of a civilization from the 5th century B.C..

Dormello This moraine range dominating the lake gave shelter to a small village called Dormello, now disappeared, whose name originally indicated its present-day chief town, Dormelletto. While downhill, near the 18th century church of Madonna della Motta, only a 1st century AD Roman altarpiece was found, in Dormallo Superiore there is a greater presence of Roman artifacts: another altarpiece, Roman brickwork later used on the walls of "Madonna della Fontana", and a bronze spoon lost in the plain towards the Lagoni Park. Thanks to the "Fountain" the place was considered sacred in pre-Christian times. The wallbuilt altarpiece might refer to such worshipping.

Mini Tour Dormello Lagoni Nature Reserve

Fondotoce Reserve: at the mouth of the river Toce, it is characterised by the lake dwellings extending through swamps and cane thickets, a habitat for unusual species of aquatic fauna in a thick and varied flora. Over 130 species of birds choose this area to set their nests and reproduce;

Fondo Toce Reed Beds (foto Oreste Pastore)

Bosco Tenso Oasis: 22 hectares on the banks of the Toce river at Premosello Chiovenda, a protected area where nature offers a variety of bush plants where birds, foxes, squirrels and deer live.The area, which is a WWF environmental oasis, extends for approximately 23 hectares and is populated mainly by oak, hornbeam, ash, lime and enormous sessile oak trees growing alongside spindle tree bushes, hawthorn, honeysuckle and elder tree. The flora that grows alongside the river is also noteworthy.

Bosco Tenso - foto Oreste Pastore

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Garden, Lake Maggiore, leisure, Piedmont, Travel, Trekking

The 2012 Travel Calendar – Part 2

Continuing the 2012 Travel Calendar as suggested by Tom Hall from Lonely Planets for the Observer Part 1 was published in yesterday's Blog

July: Ukraine

Discover Ukraine's coastline this summer. Photograph: Alamy

Europe's football championships finish with fireworks in Kiev on 1 July, leaving the rest of the summer to discover Europe's largest country. Apart from the big-city delights of the capital there's Lviv, a central European stunner that's been turning heads for a few years, and all the fun of the seaside in the Crimea. Ukraine remains an inexpensive destination - especially away from Kiev - but book ahead if you want to be by the coast in the high summer.
Ukraine Travel (ukraine.co.uk), specialists in the country, offers direct flights to Kiev from Manchester for 225 including taxes, and can also help with rail tickets and hotels

August: New York City

Such is the pace of change that, like Paris and London, New York is somewhere best visited regularly. If you haven't been in the past year you won't have had the chance to admire the new 9/11 memorial, explore the latest section of the High Line or take a superhero walking tour (viator.com). The Big Apple bakes in summer, but you can at least stay in a cool spot at the new Bowery House. Many of the cabin-style rooms are small with funky shared bathrooms, making this a great deal in a hip part of New York.
Bunks in shared rooms start at 31 with single cabin rooms from 51 (theboweryhouse.com)

September: Iceland

It's a good year for getting to Iceland without breaking the bank. EasyJet (easyjet.co.uk) will start flying from Luton to Reykjavik from 59 return at the end of March. In addition to this and established airlines such as Iceland Express, a new carrier, Wow Air (wowair.is), is advertising flights from the Icelandic capital to Stansted.

October: Milan and the Lakes

Milan's delights for a city break need little introduction, but a shake-up of any big city's hotel scene is a welcome thing. Self-styled "eco-chic" hotel E.c.ho wears its green credentials on its sleeve. Look for 125m of solar panelling, sustainably sourced decor materials and a seasonally focused menu. The courtyard garden is home to a Renaissance chapel by Donato Bramante, who designed St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Rooms at E.c.ho start at 163 per night (starhotels.com). Flights to Milan are available from around the UK - see skyscanner.net

Whilst in Milan take the time to visit the Lakes. A mere one hour's drive from Milan, 30km from Malpensa airport (BA, EasyJet, Alitalia flights from UK). October is usually mild, autumnal and full of colour. Visit the Borromeo Islands, do some great winter shopping, enjoy some splendid Piemontese food.

Aerial View of Castello Dal Pozzo and the Palazzo Hotel

Stay at #Castello Dal Pozzo, Oleggio Castello, at the southern end of Lake Maggiore.
A Romantic Escape for 2 starts from 244 in a double deluxe with candlelit dinner, breakfast and bottle of bubbly in your room.

November: Norway

Keep your fingers crossed for a clear night ... Photograph: Alamy

This is predicted to be the best year yet for spotting the northern lights, so if you've been promising yourself a trip, then this is the time to do it. November is as good as any other part of winter to go: all you need to do is keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and a light show. There's nothing to stop you making your own way via Bodo in Norway or beyond on a flight with Norwegian (norwegian.no).
The Aurora Zone (theaurorazone.com) has four-night trips from 1,445 using snowmobiles, huskies and local guides

December: Cambodia

Cambodia is so much more than the magnificent temples at Angkor, as a bunch of funky new openings is busy proving. As well as luxury resorts, such as Shinta Mani and Song Saa, The Plantation (theplantation.asia, rooms from 41) has just opened in Phnom Penh in 1940s colonial-style buildings set in tropical gardens. About Asia Travel (aboutasiatravel.com) can arrange cross-country packages, including private-jet transfers and sightseeing tours.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Italy, Lake Maggiore, leisure, Piedmont, Things to do, Things to see, Travel