WHIZZING along on my e-bike past poppy fields and country houses with wonky terracotta roofs, I finally reach the peak of Pietra Perduca. From this impressive vantage point, you can look out across the whole valley — and in the distance I spot a tiny, ancient church sitting on top of a volcanic rock.

These views of unspoiled land are what the lush Trebbia Valley, a mountainous region in the north of Italy, is all about. Spending a few days in this region will leave you feeling refreshed.