VALLE D' AOSTA - Lies in the extreme NW corner of Italy, bordered by the southern slopes of Mont Blanc, The Gran Paradiso and the Mt. Rosa ranges. This is the paradise of winter sportsmen: from Courmayeur and Cervinia you can ski in the summer on the glaciers of Mont Blanc. Its cuisine includes polenta, carbonade and chamois, served with Gamey and Chambave raisin wines;

PIEDMONT - Mountains and plains, rivers, cities, farming and industry all live together in harmony in this region. The round hilly area of Monferrato, the rolling terrain of the Langhe, the misty Po River, Lakes Maggiore and Orta. The bon vivant has game, truffles and fondue, accompanied by Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Gattinara wines.

LOMBARDY - Outstanding for its monumental romantic waterways, rich art galleries and quality cuisine. Of course there is also heavy industry, and business. The whole region is identified with Milan, the capital, one of the world's leading commercial centres and the home of famed La Scala Theatre. For the tourist there is the countryside, valleys, the Alps, and the "lake district": Como, with Griante and Cadenabbia, Bellagio, Tremezzo, etc.; lseo; the shores of Lake Maggiore with Luino and Laveno; the shores of Garda with Salo, Desenzano, Sirmione and Gardone; the Italian shores of Lake Lugano. Typical dishes are risotto, ossobuco and zuppa pavese. The "panettone" is the local cake; while wines include Barbagallo, Chiaretto and Tocai del Garda.

TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE - Here the Dolomites reign supreme, and to many people symbolize winter and summer sports. Excellent roads and hotels and sports facilities make this the most popular region for mountain-lovers. Local dishes include Trent-style hare, roast alpine lake fish and strudel, to be eaten with Merlot, Pinot Bianco, Bianco Val d'Adige or moscato wine.

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA - Art, landscapes and ancient traditions are the jealously guarded treasures of this region between the Venetian plain, the Alps and the sea. Rome is the true mother of this region. Eat their brodetto, luganighe, and San Daniele prosciutto, with a glass of Pinot, Tocai or Riesling.

VENETO - A welcoming land of a great civilization. Veneto means Venice, above all, the most imaginative city in the world with its Lion of Saint Mark, the Doges, Marco Polo, gondolas, cut glass, Grand Canal, Goldoni, 400 bridges and 118 islands. Rice and peas, fish, Venetian-style liver, Vicenza-style dried cod can be enjoyed with the Valpolicella, Soave and Bianco di Conegliano wines.

LIGURIA - It's the endless balcony on the Med. It is the mildest region in northern Italy; its two rivieras have an exceptional climate all year round. Ligurians inland medieval villages are all to explore. "Pesto" is the Ligurian sauce par excellence and facaccia is just mouth watering. Famous wines from the Cinque Terre need no introduction.

EMILIA ROMAGNA - The region runs from the Apennines to the Adriatic and nearly every town and village has a medieval cathedral, castle and a couple of towers reaching up to the sky. The cuisine is famous for its meat dishes, sausages, Comacchio eels, tortellini and lasagna. Wines: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Albana, Bianco di Scandiano

TUSCANY - The magical evocative landscape of Tuscany, dotted with flickering vines and the darker green of cypresses embodies the classic Italian ideal and is, for many people the very essence of Italy. Old, isolated towns sometimes just little groups of stone houses, fortified Romanesque churches, Renaissance "castelli" and palaces all confront each other in the splendid isolation of the hilltops. Every town and city has splendid monuments of art, but Florence stands head and shoulders above all. At its center is Florence; to the West is a chain of cities, Prato, Pistoia, Lucca, Pisa. To the East are the ancient Etruscan cities of Cortona and Arezzo. To the South lies Siena, rich in art works. Tuscany is nearly the quintessence of Renaissance, with Florence its shining capital. The typical dishes include the T-bone steak (alla Fiorentina), while Chianti And Brunello da Maontalcino wines are known the world over.

UMBRIA - The gentle green land of the Saints: this is the native country of Saint Francis and Saint Clare (Assisi), Saint Benedict (Norcia), Saint Rita (Cascia), Norcia's black truffles and Perugia's confectionery are a delight to the palate, while the classic wine of the region is Orvieto. Umbria is also known as the Green Heart of Italy.

MARCHE - A miracle of harmony, built up slowly across the ages. An unknown region, that may be defined as summing up all the beauties of Italy. Ancona, the capital, is the great Adriatic commercial port, where you can visit the Basilica of St. Ciriaco, Palazzo degii Anziani, and Trajan's Triumphal Arch. Typical dishes include fish soup, roast pig (porchetta), tournedos alla Rossini, and Fabriano salami. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, and Piceno red, are its best known wines.

ABRUZZO - Harsh mountains and long coastlines offer an ideal holiday for every kind of tourist. There are many resorts which are becoming increasingly popular. Montesilvano, Silvi, Roseto, Pineto, Giulianova, Alba, Tortoreto, Pescara, Francavilla, Ortona, Vasto. Local dishes include maccheroni alla chitarra, sgrippelle, and lamb, to be eaten with the typical Cerasuolo and Trebbiano wines.

LAZIO - Lazio is like an oyster shell with a pearl inside. The region contains Rome, but is not identified with the capital from which it often differs considerably for historical and natural reasons. The capital has remains that bear witness to millennia of history, and yet everywhere in Lazio there is something to recall. Viterbo, Tarquinia, Tuscania and Cerveteri speak of the Etruscan civilization. Typical dishes include lamb, artichokes and spaghetti alla carbonara. Apart from the famous "Castelli" wines, there is also Montefiascone's Est! Est!

CAMPANIA - Settled by the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese and the Bourbons - all of whom have left something behind in this regionCampania is a region for holidaymakers: the Bay of Naples, Ischia, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, with Ravello, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, and spa resorts: Ischia, Agnano, Castellammare di Stabia. Typical dishes include maccheroni, clam and mussel soup, pizza and sfogliatelle pastry. Wines: Falerno, Epomeo, Gragnano and Lacrima Christi.

PUGLIA - The region overlooks the southernmost part of the Adriatic Sea, with the Gulf of Taranto, the Salentina peninsula and the Ionian Sea. Typical dishes: "recchietelli", fish soup, and fusilli, to be enjoyed with Aleatico, Moscato di Trani, delle Murge or del Salento wines.

CALABRIA - See the Tyrrhenian with your right eye and the Ionian with your left: a great deal of Greece, a great deal of Rome, a great deal of Byzantium. Calabria had periods of great splendor as a part of Magna Graecia, as one can see from the ruins of the settlements at Locri, Sibari, Eraclea, Crotone. The special dishes are aubergines cooked in thousands of different ways, and "peseta incasata", while the best known wines are Ciro, Greco and Savuto.

SICILIA - The civilization of Magna Graecia can be found everywhere in the island - Agrigento, Gela, Tindari, Erice, Taormina, Syracuse. The established resorts are Mondello, Cefalu, the Riviera dei Ciclopi, Mazzaro, the Aeolian islands, the Egadi islands, Pantelleria and Ustica. Typical dishes: pasta con le sarde, caponata, cuscusu, and swordfish. Confectionery abounds here: candied fruits, marzipan, cassata siciliana. Wines: Marsala, Malvasia di Lipari, and Moscato di Pantelleria.

SARDEGNA - The miracle of thousands of years and the influence of many civilizations from the bronze age onwards have created the fascination of this island. It is Italy's second largest island, and has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as one can see from the timeless nuraghi cone-shaped fortifications/dwellingsTypical dishes include: "porcheddu" (roast suckling pig), and lobster. Wines: Vernaccia, Malvasia, Nuragus and Canonau.