Top 5 summer incentive destinations in Italy – outdoor sports edition

Top 5 incentive travel destinations in Italy this summer

1. Val di Sole, Trentino

Val di Sole (literally: Sun Valley) is one of the many charming valleys of Trentino-Alto Adige. Here you will find most of the attractions this region is famous for: natural reserves, majestic mountain ranges, shimmering lakes and rivers and an enticing mix of ancient traditions and state-of-the-art holiday facilities. Val di Sole is the perfect choice if you want your summer incentive travel experience to be an active one. Trentino in general and Val di Sole in particular are favourite destinations of sport lovers from all over the world. Skiing and snowboarding in winter seem obvious choices, but there are plenty of activities that await visitors in the fair season too. Take your team trekking, canoeing and mountain-biking through this valley’s stunning scenery and enjoy the local delicacies at the end of a long day’s adventures. Here you will also find two of Italy’s most popular national parks: the Stelvio National Park and the Adamello Brenta Natural Park, both home to a wide variety of protected wildlife, including bears, deer and steinbocks.

2. Valsesia, Piedmont

If you are visiting Milan on business, why not add a few extra days to your trip, to explore and unwind? If you like adventure sports, or simply fancy exerting yourself after spending too many days in a suit, you won’t need to travel far. Just two hours west of Milan, as soon as you cross into Piedmont, you will find yourself in Valsesia, an ideal destination for lovers of adventure sports, particularly those that involve braving the waters of rivers and creeks. If canoeing, rafting, kayaking and hydrospeed literally float your boat, here you will find plenty of facilities in which to practice or learn safely. Make sure you take a day to explore the nearby villages and sample the local cuisine too, but beware: you will need to work extra-hard on the sporting side of your trip to compensate for that delicious polenta!

3. Elba, Tuscany

This beautiful island a few miles off the coast of Tuscany is the third largest in Italy and is famous for having been home to Napoleon during his exile. As is often the case in Italy, its charm comes from a heady mix of history, tradition and natural beauty. Despite being much smaller than Sardinia or Sicily, Elba presents a stunning variety of seaside landscapes. You will find rocky shores, from which to dive straight into the transparent sea, and fine, white sandy beaches, or black ones, in areas where the soil is rich in iron, you will find rough, golden sand and pebbles and several variations in between. This is an ideal destinations for scuba-divers and snorkelers: there’s a whole beautiful world of sunken ships and coral underwater, waiting to be explored. If you’d rather stay on water, rather than under it, you will still find plenty of fun activities to occupy your time: try sailing, windsurfing or canoeing. And if you’d like to explore the inland, you will be able to choose between several beautiful hiking and mountain-biking trails.

4. Alghero, Sardinia

Of course you want to visit Sardinia this summer: who wouldn’t? However, we’d like to suggest something unusual for your summer incentive. Alghero is also known as the capital of the coral coast and it is also the best place to start learning about Sardinia and its unique history and tradition. The local architecture, traditions and even the language carry a strong Catalan vibe. The Spanish occupation left a distinctive mark on this part of the island, and it is obvious in the massive ramparts of the local fortress. If you want to go further back in time when discovering local history, however, you should also explore the nuraghe village – a megalithic settlement a few miles from the city. If you want to treat yourself, of all the local delicacies, you should try the Lobster Catalan: an original recipe from Alghero that will make a magnificent meal, particularly if you match it with a local white wine. For this destination, we are not going to suggest anything particularly adventurous: some of the most spectacular beaches in Italy are to be found here. Explore them, enjoy them and relax.

5. Tropea, Calabria

Calabria is a surprising region and one that international travellers have not yet fully discovered. Tropea is a small seaside town on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, located on the tip of a small promontory that most tourists miss, while driving southwards from Campania to get the ferry to Sicily. According to one of many local legends, Hercules founded Tropea after ridding the region of a tribe of giants. Or it might have been Scipio Africanus, the roman General. This is one unique thing about Tropea: the local folklore is a syncretic mixture of pagan traditions and organised religion, in which popular catholic festivities come together with celebrations that date back to the Roman empire. If you manage to spend a few days in town, make sure you explore some of the most popular local beaches, such as Litorale del Cannone and Passo dei Cavalieri. The latter is also an ideal spot for scuba diving and snorkeling.