Walking vacations in Italy guide




Our Italy walking Vacations
Amalfi Coast walking vacation, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
Tuscany tours, walking and wine tasting in Italy
Walking and wine tasting in Tuscany
Sicily walking vacation, Sicilian Volcanoes
Discover Mt Etna and the beautiful volcanic achipelago
Snowshoeing vaction in the Dolomites
Michelin recommended cuisine & inspiring walks
Dolomites walking vacation in Italy
Sandwiched between the spectacular peaks of the Dolomites
Piedmont walking vacation, Vineyards of Barolo
A gastronomic gem quietly tucked away
Walking vacation in Tuscany
A variety of daywalks in the beautiful Tuscan countryside
Mont Blanc Circuit trek, with hotel accommodation
Classic Tour, using small inns and guesthouses
Mont Blanc Circuit hiking vacation
Probably the most dramatic walk in Europe
Cinque Terre walking vacation
Walk the stunning coastal routes of the Cinque Terre
Tuscany hiking vacation, Italy
Discover Tuscany hiking from town to town
Sardinia walking vacation, Italy
Superb daywalks amid rich and charming scenery
Italian Alps walking and cooking vacation
Walking in the Italian Alps with Piemontese Cookery Classes
Puglia and Basilicata walking vacation in Italy
Unique regions between the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas
Mont Blanc vacation, Tour du Mont Blanc
The best of the Tour du Mont Blanc
Umbria self guided hiking vacation, Italy
Easy hiking tour, through vineyards and cultural heritage
Umbria self guided walking vacation, the North Valley
Along Saint Francis trails through the Green Heart of Italy
Lake Como family walking vacation, Italy
Lake Como; a panoramic hike, suited to do with children!
Amalfi Coast budget walking vacation
The hidden trails of the Amalfi Coast
Prosecco Hills walking vacation, Italy
The Prosecco Road, Italy’s oldest wine route
Amalfi coast small group hiking vacation
This walking vacation explores the spectacular Amalfi Coast.
Bergamo circular walking tour in Italy
Begamo; start hiking at about 5 km distance from the airport
Chianti walking vacation in Italy
Volterra and the soaring towers of San Gimignano
Lake Como summits walking vacation, Italy
Splendid views for trained hikers at Lake Como
Puglia walking vacation in Italy
Combine superb cuisine, wines and easy walks
Francigena Way walking vacation in Italy
Orvieto to Rome walking vacation
Tuscany small group walking vacation in Italy
Centre-based hiking vacation in Tuscany
Dolomites center based walking vacation in Italy
Discover Alta Badia, heart of the Italian Dolomites
Amalfi and Sorrento hiking vacation, Italy
Explore the hidden gems of the Amalfi Coast and Alta Via.
Amalfi Coast moderate hiking vacation, Italy
Coastal hike following in the 'Footpath of the Gods'
Is an Italy walking vacation for you?
Do go walking in Italy if...
Don't go walking in Italy if...
Our top Italy walking Vacation
Amalfi Coast walking vacation, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
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What does walking in Italy entail?
Guided or self-guided?
Walking vacations in Italy may possibly be as varied as an Italian gelato menu – and each just as tempting. Some have expert local guides, some more qualified International Mountain Leaders, and others are self-guided. Guided trips are usually in small groups, which is the norm on more strenuous walking vacations. However, if you prefer to walk independently, and not be tied to timetables or fixed itineraries, an organised self-guided walking vacation in Italy takes all the other work out of it for you, providing maps, copious notes, accommodation, luggage transfers and, in most cases, food. So all you have to do is walk. It depends on the walk but, in general, no previous experience is needed, although an ability to read a map does help.How tough are they?
We have categorised our walking vacations on Responsible Travel just to make your search a little easier. On most walking vacations in Italy, a basic level of fitness is required but there are many different options available.If you are just stepping out for the first time, you will want an introductory walking vacation, such as River Po valley in Bergamo, where you can escape into luscious hill walking along the ancient trade tracks of the Via Mercatorum, starting just 10 minutes from the airport. If you have pushed yourself up a few hills of a Sunday, then a moderate walking vacation will push you just a bit more, with 5-8 hours walking per day, and some days stretching those calves more than others, but leaving you a bit of rest in between, so you can take in the sights. Such as taking on a section of the Tour de Mont Blanc, or climbing some of Sardinia’s Gennargentu Range, dipping down into gorges with river pools to cool off in.
If you are a well-seasoned walker then take a look at our strenuous walking vacations, such as taking on the Mont Blanc circuit in a week rather than the usual two weeks or climbing Sicily’s volcanoes, the most famous of which is Mount Etna. Even tougher, and falling into our challenging trekking vacations is the Via Ferrata or 'Iron Way' in Italian, which refers to a system of cables that cling to the side of the Dolomite Mountains, enabling you to summit the domain of serious climbers.
Centre based or nomadic?
If you want to cover distance in, for example, the Dolomites or Tuscany, then hiking from one bed to another is usually your best option, with your bags being transferred for you. However, if you want to take on hearty hikes in Umbria or Sardinia, and take your time to enjoy gastronomic gorgeousness along the way, a center based vacation might suit you best.
Hut or high end?
You could probably sleep anywhere after an eight-hour hike; however, there are lots of different accommodations available on walking vacations in Italy, to suit your budget or, simply, if you are walking from one bed to another every night, to fit in with your route. The high trekking routes of Mont Blanc have a network of hostels called mountain refuges or mountain huts. Built originally for hunters and hikers, today they are run like most hostels: there is a community atmosphere, an eco-ethos, with shared dorms, meals at fixed times, and clearing up done together. Sleeping bags and pillows are provided, but you should bring a sleeping sheet or sleeping bag liner with you.Family-run chalet style hotels and agriturismo farms are also a feature of walking vacations in Italy, with local experts as hosts, who will probably have crafted a series of idyllic itineraries for you during your stay, as well as plenty of fine fare to fill those hollow legs when you get back. Some even have pools or hot tubs to ease the mountain muscles. And for the full on white robes and spa treatment after a day on the hills, there are hotel to hotel walking vacations in the likes of Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast where, surrounded by medieval castles or millionaires, one expects some sort of mansion to mosey into at the end of the day.