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A local hiking group from Siracusa, Sicily takes a rest at the remains of a 9th-century church and village high in the hills.It may be slow going, but there's no way to see the Olde World like a walking or hiking tour through Italy.
For millennia, this is how anyone not rich enough to afford a horse got around, and Italy is still very much built to a human scale, crisscrossed by ancient pathways and pilgrim's routes scattered with tiny villages and hamlets with welcoming inns each within a day's walk of the last.
Destinations: Garfagana Valley, Tuscany
Pnce you’ve seen, smelled, felt and tasted northern Tuscany, you’ll want to devour as much of it as possible. This journey into Garfagnana—one of Italy’s top trekking regions—offers plenty of exercise for mind, body and soul alike. Over eight days, you’ll hike the unspoiled mountains by day, learn to prepare delicious local cuisine in the evening and put your well-used feet up at the end of it all to soak in the simple pleasures of country life....
Destinations: Cinque Terre
Isolated from the rest of Italy by the impressive landscape, you're here to hike. The rugged villages of Cinque Terre still remain a world away from the bustle of Rome. Follow coastal trails and discover villages clustered on windswept cliffs and perched above beautiful coastlines. Hike and swim by day and sample the fresh seafood and local delicacies by night. For the active traveller who wants to experience a real slice of Italian life, this compact adventure tops the menu. ...
Destinations: Amalfi, Furore, Positano, Ravello, Valle delle Ferriere, Pompeii, Naples
Charming hilltop towns, acres of lemon groves and vineyards, mile after mile of stunning cliffs kissed by cobalt-blue waters… its official name is the Amalfi Coast, but this magical land answers to ‘heaven’. On this trip, you’ll live like one of the region’s (incredibly lucky) locals, discovering the small towns, mountain trails and local customs of this uniquely beautiful place. Explore the ruins of Pompeii in the morning, hike the coastline of the Med by afternoon, and tuck into bed at your converted 17th-century monastery homebase at sundown...
Destinations:In Italy: Courmayeur, Planpincieux; In France: Chamonix, Lac du Miage, Le Buet, Les Houches, Les Contamines
Description...
Destinations: Italy: Courmayeur, Planpincieux; France: Chamonix, Le Bossons, Les Frasserands, Val Montjoie, Les Chapieux; Switzerland: Trient, Champex, La Fouly
Undertake one of the most dramatic walks in Europe. No amount of training can prepare you for the staggering beauty and degree of diversity that is contained within the Mont Blanc Circuit. Postcard perfect villages, cerulean glaciers, striking alpine vistas, challenging passes and rewarding days await on this walking adventure through France, Italy and Switzerland...
Destinations: Italy (Coeurmayeur), France (Chamonix, Les Contamines, Les Chapiuex), Switzerland (Val ferret, Champex, Trient)
Experience the rarified air of Europe as you trek the Alps from France to Italy and Switzerland on this active 10-day adventure. This challenging hiking circuit will reward you with mesmerizing views of glaciers, steep valleys and, of course, Mont Blanc itself. Travel across high passes and through Alpine meadows and recharge at night with delicious mountain cuisine in simple refuges. Challenge yourself to conquer one of the world's premier hiking circuits and uncover the alpine heart of Europe on this incredible journey...
Destinations: Calalzo, Cortona d'Ampezzo, Canazei, Bolzano
Beloved by mountaineers and nature lovers alike, the Dolomites sit perched atop northern Italy like a rocky crown. This exhilarating trip through the mountains features day treks through some of Italy’s most unbelievable scenery, with plenty of visits to small villages along the way to soak up the unique local Ladin culture and cuisine. Nights are spent in mountain refuges, where your hosts will ply you with hearty home-cooked meals. Eat up; you won’t find tastier mountain-trekking food anywhere else...
Club Alpino Italiano (www.cai.it) - The premier Italian association geared toward aiding hikers and walkers. Membership also usually gets you discounts at Italy's network of mountain huts.
Intrepid Travel (www.intrepidtravel.com) - This fantastic Australian company marries an independent travel style (staying in cheap guesthouses, traveling by public transport) with the expertise of truly knowledgeable guides and an empahsis on cultural experiences. Intrepid has a larger than usual commitment to sustainable tourism, and travels in tiny groups, often limited to 8-12.
G Adventures (www.gadventures.com) - Like Intrepid, another champion of independent-styled (but guide-led) travel in small groups (max: 12–16), with variety of Italian adventure trips including several hikes and multi-sport active vacations.
Country Walkers (www.countrywalkers.com) - High-end (and hence pricey), but impeccably credentialed, with around 20 guided and self-guided walks in Italy and another dozen private and custom tours available.
Wilderness Travel (www.wildernesstravel.com) - Specializes in walking tours, treks, and inn-to-inn hiking tours of Europe, as well as less strenuous walking tours. About a dozen Italy options.
The Wayfarers (www.thewayfarers.com) - Top walking tour outfit for nearly three decades, offering eight classic Italian itineraries.
Butterfield & Robinson (www.butterfield.com) - Long-established, upscale walking tour outfit with a half-dozen Italy walks (and about 10 bike rides, a few designed for families). Top notch. Not cheap.
On Foot Holdiays (www.onfootholidays.co.uk) - Self-guided walking itineraries throughout Europe. They provide the maps, B&B reservations, luggage transport, sometimes meals, and often transfers to and from the starting and ending points; you do the walking on your own. Decent prices for the service: £700–£750 (they're British) for a week walking such regions as the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, and the Sabine Hills near Rome—up tto £875–£900 for walks that include meals (across the Apennines to the sea in Liguria, or trekking in the Dolomites).
Sherpa Expeditions (www.sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk) - British company offering mostly self-guided (about a dozen Italian walking and trekking itineraries) and group treks (a handful in Italy).
InfoHub.com (www.infohub.com) - Hundreds of hiking, trekking, and walking tours throughout the world offered by dozens of tour operators and guides.
Even if you don't want to walk from town to town through the countryside, you may be happy to spend a day walking around town with an experienced guide. There’s no better way to bring a city’s culture and history to life than through a professional guide’s anecdotes, character sketches, jokes, and tons of background details. And the easiest (and cheapest) way to get one is to sign up for a guided walking tour (or group bike or Segway tour).
Guided specialty walking tours can run the gamut from a spin through the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel to a private tour of the art & architecture of Venice to a stroll through Bologna's gourmet side of pasta, mortadella, and chocolate.
For some walks, you must reserve in advance; for others, you just show up at a specified place and time and pay the guide the fee (might be anywhere from $10 to $60). You can pick up brochures on guided walking tours at local tourism offices in Italy
ReidsItaly.com has partnered with Viator, which provides a variety of walking tours you can sign up for ahead of time (there are direct links to a few in the last paragraph), as well as advance booking for skip-the-line tickets to major sights in Rome, Florence, and Venice. Here are some of their guided walks in major Italian destinations:
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This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in April 2015.
All information was accurate at the time.
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