Take an energizing trip to one of the most beautiful parts of the world, NW Italy. Hike on wilderness alpine trails with breathtaking views of mountain peaks, fields of flowers, and sparkling lakes. Hike through the vineyards in one of Italy's most prized wine regions. Walk along the well-worn trail hovering next to the side of the cliff on the Italian Riviera connecting the famous hilltowns called le cinque terre. The trip also includes mountain biking in the colorful Panoramica Zegna and rafting on the Sesia River. While no particular skill is needed for this trip, it does require that you are in reasonably good shape and can handle walking up to 10 miles a day on trails of easy to medium difficulty. Sack lunches will be provided for wilderness hikes. Daily bottled water will be provided.

Friday: We will pick you up from Milano Malpensa Airport. You will arrive at the house and get settled. We will prepare a special welcome dinner for you at the house.

Saturday: Morning jog along the Sesia River and over to Gattinara. Check out the farmers market in front of the house, take a walk around Romagnano Sesia and visit the Ethnographic Museum, a block away. After lunch. we will drive to the ski resort of Alagna and take short hike in the mountains. After our visit to the mountains, we will go to Novara to shop at Ipercoop, one of the largest supermarkets in the world. You can shop at the attached San Martino mall while we buy groceries. Dinner at the house.

Sunday: Optional mass at Santo Stefano Church, the Eleventh Century church near the house. Wilderness hike in Parco Nazionale Val Grande, the largest wilderness area in Italy. (Sack lunch) Our dinner will be at Ristorante alla Torre in Romagnano Sesia, a restaurant in a medieval tower serving local traditional meals.

Monday: Trip to Italian Riviera and hike le cinque terre. We will leave early in the morning and drive to Genoa and stop in Portofino, port for jet set yachts and stop in Monterosso, the first village of le cinque terre. We will hike along the trail to Vernazza where you will be on your own for lunch. We will reassemble and continue our walk to Corniglia and Manarola. We will have dinner together in Rio Maggiore and will return to Romagnano Sesia by van.

Tuesday: Mountain biking in Panoramica Zegna. After breakfast, we will take the van to Bielmonte where we will pick up mountain bikes and spend the day biking through Panoramica Zegna. Sack lunches will be provided. Dinner will be served back at the house.

Wednesday: Rafting on the Sesia River (river permitting). After breakfast we will take the van up the mountain road toward Alagna where we will meet with the rafting company for a rafting trip. (If the river is not strong enough for a rafting trip, we will substitute another equally exciting adventure.) Lunch will be on your own. We will return to the house in the afternoon and have some down time before dinner at Ristorante al Barone in Gattinara.

Thursday: After breakfast we will take the van to the Monferrato wine district where we will take a morning hike through the vineyards. In the afternoon, we will relax in the thermal waters of Acqui Terme, a town which dates back to the Roman era. We will return to the house for a farewell dinner.

Friday: We will take you back to Milano Malpensa airport where you can catch your plane.