4) Hiking The Alta Via Dei Parchi In Emilia-Romagna

The Alta Via dei Parchi cuts its way across the Apennines in Emilia Romagna, as well as a bit of a Tuscany and Marche. It offers walkers over 500 kilometres of uphills and downhills to get their hiking boots stuck into, and is a must visit for anyone who loves putting one front in front of the other in the great outdoors.

Featuring a mouth-watering cocktail of thick green forests, glacial rings, volcanic rocks, chalk cliffs and beautiful lakes backdropped by some of the most picturesque scenery imaginable; a hike here is like no other hike on earth. The route crosses two national parks, five regional parks and one interregional park. With Mount Cusna, Mount Prado, and Alpe di Succiso all situated within its boundaries – the national park of Appenino Tosco-Emiliano is where you’ll find some of the highest peaks in the Northern Apeninnes. In terms of the region’s hiking highlights, this place is definitely right up there.

5) Hiking In Parco Nazionale Del Gran Paradiso

Home to the famous city of Torino, Piemonte is a region in northwest Italy. It borders Switzerland and France; as well as the Italian regions of Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Valle D’ Aosta and Liguria. Situated on the frontline of the Alps, with a wide range of heart-melting hiking trails to immerse yourself in, Piemonte not only brings together “foot” and “mountains” in its name but in its nature as an activity-focused outdoor destination.

Hiking, climbing and mountaineering lovers will experience a real exploration adventure in the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso’s Piedmontese slopes, one of the oldest natural reserves in Europe, which offers amazing sport and cultural, but also well-being and relax oriented events in every seasons in the valleys around the Gran Paradiso massif. Any chat of the hiking credentials in Piemonte would be remiss if we didn’t also mention the sprawling network of ways to be discover on foot from the Torino, Biella and Monferrato area to the Ossola Valleys with a view to the Lake Maggiore and Orta, through the Valsesia with the Parco delle Lame del Sesia, Canale Cavour and Parco del Ticino.

6) Hiking The Sentiero Liguria

Liguria is a fun, banana-shaped, coastal region in the north-west of Italy that adventurous souls will love. The remarkable nature of this place is perfectly illustrated by the fact that you can surf and do proper hiking/mountain biking within a few kilometres of each other in the same national park; in the space of one afternoon.

This region’s park network consists of one national park, nine regional natural parks, the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri hiking trail, four regional nature reserves and several protected areas. Before we discuss the Sentiero Liguria, big shoutout to the amazing Alta Via dei Monti Liguri that traverses mountain ridges and which is somewhat of a promised land for both walking boot-wearers and mountain bike-riders.

Connecting Luni in the province of La Spezia with Grimaldi in Ventimiglia, the Sentiero Liguria is a hiking trail that stretches for over 600km. Visitors to it can take the trail in either direction, passing olive groves, vineyards, holly oak woods, beach clubs, cliffs, sacred routes, ancient Roman roads, tiny tracks and narrow, atmospheric, Italian alleyways known locally as “creuze” along the way. A magical walking experience this, it will stir your senses in ways you’ll never forget.