Lombardy

Lombardy is bordered to the north by Switzerland (Canton Ticino and Canton Graubünden) and by the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna to the south, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto to the east and west of Piedmont.

The most important area of the mountain is the alpine zone, which includes the Alps Lepontine, Rhaetian, the Alps of Bergamo, the Ortles and Adamello. The great lakes of Lombardy, all of glacial origin, are found in this area: from west to east are Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano (Italian only for a small part), Lake Como, Lake Iseo, Lake Idro, and Lake Garda, the largest in Italy.

South of the Alps, the hills are characterized by a succession of small hills of glacial origin, formed during the last ice age and small plateaus of low fertility, with typical moorland and coniferous forests.

The small region of Pavese, formed by the Apennine foothills beyond the river Po, is distinguished from the rest of Lombardy for its numerous rivers, all tributaries of the Po or consequential, even if the entire region is crossed by a vast network of canals for irrigation.

The climate of this region is continental, but with variations depending on altitude. The innermost areas of the plains there are large variations in temperature during the year and dense fog between October and February. In the region of hills, mountain lakes have a positive influence on the climate, allowing the cultivation of typical Mediterranean products such as olives and citrus. In the alpine zone, the climate of the valley floor is relatively mild in contrast to the cooler mountain areas.