Lessinia is the mountainous area immediately north of Verona, a limestone plateau cut by deep valleys that slopes gradually down toward the Po plain. It is part of the Veronese Pre-Alps and includes the Lessinia Regional Natural Park.
The lower hills are covered with olive groves and vineyards that produce excellent Valpolicella and Soave wines. Higher up, the landscape shifts to orchards of cherry and chestnut trees, then beech forests and open grazing meadows on the plateau itself. The geology is fascinating — these rocks were sea floor tens of millions of years ago, and marine fossils are abundant. The most famous find is the fossilised fish collection at Bolca, one of the most important palaeontological sites of its kind in the world.
In winter, the higher parts of the plateau offer modest skiing. In summer, the valleys and mountain pastures are good walking and cycling territory, and the local cuisine — featuring Monte Veronese cheese, wild mushrooms, and game — is a draw in its own right. The traditional stone-built mountain huts (malghe) scattered across the plateau give the landscape a timeless quality.