Situated at the base of the Italian Alps, Lake Como boasts its glittering reputation for a reason – it’s just a really, really nice place to take a holiday. Stay at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in the quaint little village of Tremezzo, and get a Lake View room. Sitting out on your balcony watching boats swish by on the lake, with the Alps staring down at you from across the water is something very special indeed. Or you could take a dip in one of their three pools (one set into the lake itself). Lake Como isn’t just for celebrities and it isn’t all talk either. It’s a beautiful landscape with delicious food, cooling waters and historic architecture. Just go already.

Whatever the season you come to the Italian Alps – and if it’s not closed because of snow – try and drive the Bernina Pass from Eastern Switzerland all the way down to Tirano in Italy, because it is crazy levels of spectacular. The road snakes down the mountain – all boulders and grass and barren stretches of nubbly moss – so you feel like you’re in a Top Gear episode as you trail down (or up) it, alone in the landscape. Some people even walk it, but you’re not that crazy, come on.

It’s an obvious one, we know, but the skiing in the Italian Alps is really something else. There are tonnes of resorts to choose from, but Corvara is a great choice as it offers something for every level of skier, not to mention stunning views over the Dolomites. Hotel La Perla is a luxurious place to stay, with gorgeous timber interiors and a cabin-chic feel – plus it is literally metres away from the gondola, so you can get on and off the slopes fast.

How many times in your life do you get to eat mountains of cheese and drink copious amounts of wine because you’re just doing what the locals do? Welcome to the Italian Alps, friends. Home to melty fontina cheese and silky lardo d’Arnad (both from Valle d’Aosta), fine swathes of prosciutto di San Daniele, and soothingly rich pools of polenta – expect to go home with a few extra kilos (on your body, not in your luggage).

The Italian Alps aren’t just a hit in the winter months. They are also incredibly beautiful – some might say more so – the rest of the year, too. They are home to some of the world’s best hiking, so strap on those boots and hop to it. The 20.5km Sella-Herbetet Traverse is one of the best hikes you might ever do – with views over 4061m-high Gran Paradiso you’ll feel utterly enveloped by mountains while you pass historic lodges, huts and pale blue glaciers.