There's more to Lombardy than Lake Como

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It sees more foreign visitors than any other region, but don't let that fool you -- Lombardy is all yours to discover. Yes, everyone knows Milan, and yes, most tourists follow the Clooneys to Lake Como -- but leave those big hitters, and you'll find yourself in uncharted territory.

Which is crazy, because Lombardy's status as Italy's richest region doesn't only refer to money. There's an astonishing wealth of culture, too -- it's just that the lure of Leonardo da Vinci, who worked in Milan, seems to eclipse all else. Ditto the landscape -- you won't find the rolling hills of central Italy here, but, lolling at the foot of the Alps, there are mountains, glacial lakes and the fascinating pianura padana -- the flat-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see Po Valley, carved by Italy's longest river, where the horizon is only broken by supermodel-tall bell towers and supermodel-skinny cypresses.

This is the Italian region with the most UNESCO-protected heritage sites -- 10 of them -- from the Baroque sanctuaries on the Sacro Monte (sacred mountain) at Ossuccio, high up above Como, to the Santa Giulia Museum in Brescia, a veritable time machine with a Roman home in the basement and Lombard, Romanesque and Renaissance architecture throughout the old monastic complex. There are ninth-century frescoes at Castelseprio, and modern eclecticism at the Vittoriale degli Italiani on Lake Garda. There's a Caravaggio in Cremona (home to Stradivarius violins), and a striking Raphael in Bergamo, behind its UNESCO-rated ancient walls. Mantua is an almost Disney-perfect city, floating on artificial lakes, with its Ducal Palace frescoed by Mantegna, godfather of the Renaissance. While university town Pavia has Italy's third-largest cathedral dome, medieval skyscraper towers and the sprawling Certosa monastic complex.

See the lakes, of course, but not just Como -- Lake Iseo is quieter and home to Franciacorta wine, while Garda, with its lemon trees, is the most Mediterranean of all. And don't miss Milan's modern art scene -- the Fondazione Prada and Pirelli HangarBicocca will take your breath away. But make sure you don't then cut and run to other regions -- Lombardy's real riches lie in its less popular sights.

Spring and summer will do you well in Lombardy, and winter can be fascinating (if cold) when the mist rolls along the pianura padana. Avoid scorching, humid summers, unless you're heading into the mountains. Forget Fashion Week -- the time to visit Milan is around the Salone del Mobile (Design Week) each April, when citywide shops are taken over by pop-ups and installations (though hotel rates skyrocket). Usually held in January, Bergamo Arte Fiera is a modern art fair for fans as well as buyers.

"Lombardy is amongst Europe's richest and most industrial regions, yet it's incredible for nature! The Alps form its northern border with Switzerland and Austria; Italy's longest river, the Po, is the southern border; and it has the most rivers and lakes in Italy. There's fantastic skiing in Valtellina and Chiavenna, not far from St. Moritz."

Views don't get better than these: halfway up a cliffside above Lake Garda, with 360-degree panoramas of ragged mountains, jade pastures and that glittering lake rolling out beneath. But this isn't any fancy hotel; it's a locally owned, world-class spa, with super-effective treatments based on traditional Chinese medicine, and a gourmet restaurant cantilevered over the hillside.

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Stanley Tucci tackles Lombardy's No. 1 dish in "The Tucci Table." Remember to keep stirring!