Area Sosta Ponte Pietra

You may be here for the hiking and cycling, or perhaps for the food and wines, but do make some time for some watersports too. They're so close at hand when you're staying at Area Sosta Ponte Pietra, along the northern and eastern shores of Lake Viverone (15 minutes’ drive). There's a wakeboarding school, beaches to swim from and places that’ll rent you equipment like paddleboards in the summer. You'll most likely want to head to the lake shores with your swimsuits and towels, but also pack a pair of binoculars if you fancy keeping watch for birds like herons and grebes… and hiking boots, too, if you plan on tackling some of the paths around the lake. When it's time to go to Biella (15 minutes), leave all of those behind in favour of afternoons on pretty bar terraces and riding the historic funicular from downtown to the medieval district. Outside of the city is a stunning and well-preserved medieval village called Ricetto (15 minutes), so you need not end your sightseeing in Biella.