In May this year, Anya flew to Bologna and then travelled overland to the mountains of north east of Italy. At this time of the year, there was still a lot of snow on the mountain tops and in some of the higher valleys. April/May is our favourite time of the year and especially as far as walking goes (the year before we went walking in Alsace in the north of France and experienced three days of heavy snow). 

The entire north of Italy, bordering France on one side and Austria on the other, is mountainous. In the  north east area, many of the locals in the villages and towns speak French as a second language.