Walking - Hiking
in Italy

Italy Pictures | Italy Travel Guide | Italy Beaches

Italy Map | Europe Map

Walking Tours | Europe Cycling Tours

Walking Tours in Italy, why there?
- it has the highest and the weirdest bits of the Alps, which also happen to have the best weather.
- the villages are possibly the most cultured of any to be found in the Mediterranean area and hide some fabulous artistic treasures.
- the wine is good.
- the coastline is gorgeous.
- and Italians invented the arch and other cool stuff way back when they called themselves the Romans.

Where to go:

Alps - the Italian Alps include the highest mountain peak on the Mont Blanc Massif bordering France and Switzerland, as well as the colourful and spectacular Dolomites range, and they get the best weather.
The Dolomites:
The Dolomites are known for their magnificent limestone peaks, much loved by the climbing fraternity.
Around 300 Via Ferrata walking trails curl around and through the mountains, most of them accessible from
the alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Eastern Dolomites which offers support, facilities and equipment rental to both climbers and hikers, including guided tours [www.guidecortina.com]. Picturesque mountain huts are available for overnights and the season runs from June to mid-September.
Nearby Lago di Misurina is one of the most beautiful lakes in the region while Passo di Gardena, Val di Badia and Corvara village offer excellent hiking tours through flowery meadows and past red rock vistas in the Puez Odle Natural Park.

Get there via Venice, Italy.

Apennines - this mountain range runs from the Maritime Alps next to the Mediterranean Sea for 630 miles all the way down the Italian 'boot' to the Ionian Sea.
Hiking Tours in this are are about vistas of walled vineyards, ancient villages with chapels, old monasteries and a continual supply of good wine.
This is not a remote region so places to stay and restaurants aren't difficult to find.
Tourists will be less in evidence here than in many parts of the Alps - excepting some of the beautiful parts of Tuscany, Umbria or the coast.

Tuscany and Umbria - popular for hiking trips due to the cultural significance of the regions which lie in this area. Europe's Renaissance was launched from here and the overall setting of landscape, architecture and tradition offers classic Italy - very classy if you like your pictures by Donatello and your prose by Dante.

Official Walks - Italy is good at marking its alpine paths but notoriously bad with all the rest so be prepared to get lost as paths south of the Alps vanish before your very eyes.
There are four big walking tours:
- the Sentiero Italia 'Grand Italian' Trail.
- the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri' Ligurian Mountains High' Trail.
- the Grande Escursione Apenninica 'Grand Apennine Mountains' Trail.
- the Grande Traversata delle Alpi 'Grand Alpine' Trail.

Contact the Italian Alpine Club for information on trails and better maps; you will want the best you can get.

For more information see:
Italy Travel Guide

...and Bugbog Links | European | Alps | Pyrenees | France | Spain | Greece| Germany | Iceland

Also see UK walking | Walking Tours