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After soaking up the sweet and scenic delights of Switzerland, Northern Italy was calling. My “Alps out Loud” Globus escorted tour set off from Lake Geneva.

Its courtyard is framed by two stacked rows of delicate vaulted arcades decorated with plaster depictions of Bellinzona in the 19th century. The town is proud of its connection to the world’s oldest and smallest army, the Swiss Guards, who have been protecting the Pope for over 500 years. With its heavy-column arcades, wrought-iron balconies, and shuttered facades, Bellinzona exhibits the direct influence of medieval Lombardy. The cobweb of laneways leading to the square brim with traditional merchants and boutiques. The Teatro Romano and the ruins of the amphitheatre are just north of the Porta Pretoria, as the ruins of the Roman forum. Two must-see temples in town are the Cathedral of San Lorenzo — especially noted for its beautifully carved Renaissance facade — and Santa Maria degli Angioli, with its frescoes by Bernardino Luini, a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci. Famed for its precipitously steep drop into the lake and bulging profile, is mountain is known as the Sugar Loaf of Lugano. Located in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton of Switzerland, Lugano is a wonderful fusion of Italian, Swiss, and Mediterranean influences. Aosta is proudly the land of mountain food -- hams and salamis are laced with herbs from Alpine meadows; creamy cornmeal polenta accompanies meals; a rich beef stew, carbonada, warms the cockles; and buttery Fontina is the runaway cheese of choice. The third highest road pass in Switzerland rises to an elevation of 2469m, connecting Valais in Switzerland with the Aosta Valley in Italy. A Roman bridge spans the River Buthier and two Roman gates arch gracefully across the Via San Anselmo. Needless to say, this is one of Italy’s most-trafficked ski destinations in the colder months.