A gourmet tour to sample the specialities of the hills and the mountains. From the Vigezzo Valley to the Novara Hills, there is a vast range of locally produced food to try – and it tastes all the better for being eaten in its natural setting.

Druogno and Malesco in the Vigezzo Valley are famous for the excellent rye bread known as the “black bread” of Coimo, and for raw ham. Formazza is the kingdom of Bettelmatt, a flavourful cheese produced on the high pastures from cow’s milk.

The Bognanco Valley has its health-giving mineral water to wash down the delicious magiarin and crescenzin, a rich raisin bread with walnuts, hazelnuts and dried figs. It’s worth experiencing the cold winters of the Anzasca Valley to sample its polenta cunscia (polenta with cheese) and its fil da fer (a warming liqueur made of “Vov” egg nog, cloves and grappa).

Back in Domodossola, a visit to a restaurant to enjoy the local chestnut gnocchi is a must, while adventurous visitors to Borgomanero in the Novara Hills will want to try tapulon, minced donkey meat. Ghemme is rightly proud of its DOCG red wines.