One of the pleasures of living in the Veneto region lies in the beauty and variety of the landscape; this area really has it all. From the breath taking Dolomites, the beautiful Lake Garda, to stunning cities like Verona and Venice, one could easily spend weeks traveling around the region in search of excellence or places where to have special celebrations in Italy.

I would like to talk to you about a place that I personally find incredibly charming and somehow undiscovered. Approximately 1 hour north of Venice, just before the “beginning” of the Alps there is the Prosecco area. With gentle hills stretching over an area of 50 kilometres this time of the year become impossible to resist thanks to their autumn colour display. It is a pleasure to spend a day or more here where nature meets gastronomy for the ultimate romantic break: no surprise that many people come here to relax, eat great food or even enjoy the great cycling trails this place has to offer.

So on a sunny Saturday at the end of October I decided to take my girlfriend for a drive to soak in the nature and stop for lunch somewhere special. We kicked off our day trip by visiting the town of Asolo, known as the pearl of the province of Treviso for its rich history and pretty setting. A place that oozes exclusivity, with its luxury hotels and beautiful Venetian villas all around. After a frothy Cappuccino in a lovely terrace we moved east in the heart of the Prosecco area: Valdobbiadene. A tiny village literally surrounded by picturesque vineyards, giving birth to a sparkling wine loved by the “general” wine society. As a luxury travel advisor and wine tour expert, of course we had to visit a leading artisanal winery to get a full on wine tasting which worked almost as a light lunch, considering that the producer served with the wine a selection of great cold cuts including a delicious local salame called Soppressa. After this rather rich aperitivo we drove for another 10 minutes, eventually arriving on top of a hill where we were meant to have lunch at a trattoria raved by locals. The views were sensational as was the setting when you walked into this magical family run trattoria. It really felt like going back in time with the warm wooden interiors and a fireplace in the middle where they cook the meat.

The food and the wine were great too; authentic, typical and tasty recipes where you could tell that the chef puts a little twist on each dish. From the caramelised onions served on fondue of Asiago cheese to the slow cooked lamb served with crispy Radicchio, everything was truly sublime especially when ending with the most traditional of Treviso dessert: homemade Tiramisu!

It was a really long meal and the fact that they had a terrace overlooking the hills and vineyard made it very difficult for us to leave. Next thing you know we are indulging on a delicious bottle of Amarone wine whiles the rays of the autumn sun sets keep us warm and gently caress this mystical landscape. We really could not ask for anything more, what a special experience this was!