When you walk the paths of northern Italy you feel as if you are in a postcard or in an ancient legend. High and green mountains with their snowy domes rise above you, clear lakes spread out beside you, ancient stone buildings are hidden behind you and all this is wrapped in the magic of Italy. So even if you are a family with children, friends, or a couple who wants a romantic vacation, it is impossible to visit northern Italy without traveling on foot, even a short route, because the nature here is too powerful to be ignored.
How do you do that?
Hiking is such a popular thing in the area, that almost every organized tour company will offer to include at least one route in your visit there. If you are traveling independently, the walking routes organize your trip and give you a comfortable framework on which to place the other attractions and places you want to visit. The routes are clear and user-friendly, and you can find a wide variety of them so that you can find the level of difficulty that suits you.
When?
The most recommended season is summer – between May and September.
In the spring and fall it’s cool, but when wrapped in several layers you can enjoy an equally wonderful trip, it’s just important to remember that some restaurants and attractions will not be open.
In winter, it is not possible to travel in the area on foot, but all the mountains become a winter paradise and one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world.
Some provisions
As before any trip, don’t forget to stock up on water, comfortable shoes, a hat and a bag.
As soon as you get to a high place it gets cool, even if it’s the height of summer, so it’s important to bring warm clothes and sometimes a raincoat as well.
In addition, you should bring a camera (although it probably won’t be able to capture the intensity of the views as you will see them yourself), snacks, money for parking and choppers, and Pack a cup of coffee to warm up at a beautiful peak and create a good atmosphere.
And we left!
The blue route in Cinque Terre – Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre, or in the sacred language the five lands, is a collection of five picturesque villages embedded on cliffs above the sea. The Blue Route (Sentiero Azzurro) is a path on the edge of a cliff that connects the five colorful villages, from the village of Monterosso to the village of Riomaggiore, while overlooking the landscape.
Since the place is a national park, the entrance fee is 8 euros. There is a ticket that also includes a train ride from each village on the route to the beginning for a fee of 15 euros (recommended option if you don’t want to do the entire route). There are convenient information stations at the entrance, it is recommended to go through them and equip yourself with a map and tips.
You start the walk in the village of Monterosso, surrounded by vineyards and beautiful hills that flow down to the sea, and each time another village peeks around the corner. It is recommended to stop in some of them and absorb their atmosphere, colors and flavors. Finish in the town of Riomaggiore and from there take a train back to the starting point.
Degree of difficulty – medium.
Route type – one-way.
Duration of walking – about six hours.
Location – the village of Monterosso, “Monterosso Sentiero Azzurro” in Wise.
Lake Braies – Lago di Braies
High, snow-capped mountains reflected in clear lake water and green forests that reach right to the water’s edge – such an image really exists in reality, and you can find it in Bryce Lake. This is one of the most beautiful lakes from the collection of lakes found in the Dolomites. You can bathe in it, sail a boat, have a picnic and walk around it.
When you get to the lake, you won’t be able to stop taking pictures. The route that surrounds it gives different angles of this natural wonder, and the tourism in it, which usually gives a bad taste, actually adds to it. The route is very comfortable and you can also do it with strollers, and a wooden cabin with boats standing above the water gives you the feeling that you have arrived at the right place. A beautiful way to spend a relaxing day that you will want to return to for years to come.
Degree of difficulty – easy.
Track type – circular.
Walking time – about an hour and a half.
Location – “Lago di Braies” in Wise.
Tre Cime – Tre Cime
Terra Cima, or the Three Teeth, are three dramatic and very steep cliffs in the Dolomites, which do not seem real at first glance. The mountainous areas are studded with inns that offer a bit of warmth and a little something to eat, but mostly overlook the view that unfolds from the high altitude.
You should get to the route early to enjoy the silence of nature and a more authentic experience, before crowds of tourists flood the place. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo Circuit is one of Italy’s most iconic routes, and it circles the three giant teeth in a relatively comfortable route with few ascents and descents. We start the walk at the Aronzo Inn, and the fresh air indicates a height that simply cannot be found in Israel. Summer is the perfect moment for a trip, where the entire route is decorated with wildflowers.
Degree of difficulty – medium.
Track type – circular.
Duration of walking – about five hours.
Location – near the town of Misorina, “Rifugio Auronzo” in Wise.
Falzarego Lagazuoi tunnels
A steep cable car leads to the beginning of the route, from where you can see the entire amazing area from above. All that remains to be done is to go down a challenging and beautiful road, away from the crowds of tourists, and full of spectacular and breathtaking sights.
After a long and winding uphill drive, you reach a cable car that climbs to a height of 2,800 meters. As soon as you get out of the warm trailer, wrap yourself in as many layers as possible and start descending. Part of the time the walk can be in the clouds, a crazy and unbelievable experience (especially for us, residents of the hot and low country). Because the area was involved in many battles of the First World War, you can find bunkers and tunnels cut into the rock. Part of the path passes through them, so it is recommended to bring a flashlight with you to enter them.
Due to the high altitude of the route, it is recommended to do it only in the summer.
Degree of difficulty – medium-hard.
Route type – one-way.
Duration of walking – about four hours.
Location – “Falzarego Lagazuoi Cable Car Station” in Wise.
The cable car leaves every 15 minutes from 9:00-16:30 at a price of 12.5 euros per person.
Lake Tenno – Mittelalterdorf Canale of Lago di Tenno
Turquoise water is the thing that symbolizes the water of Lake Tano more than anything else. A color that is hard to believe because it is natural fills the eyes of those watching it. The path that surrounds it combines the beautiful views of Lake Tano and the Dolomites, ancient ruins and historic villages, and all this in a simple and easy way.
A walk that is suitable for all levels of difficulty and passes between deep turquoise waters, green fields and distant mountains. The route passes through an ancient village where stone canals have been in place for many years between the narrow alleys. Recommended for families!
Degree of difficulty – easy.
Track type – circular.
Walking time – two to three hours.
Location – “Trattoria dal Bacon” in Wise.
so in conclusion…
If you are looking for a vacation that offers wild nature and comfortable and crazy ways to experience it – you have come to the right place. And a big bonus is added to all this, because in between you can stop at an inn, a cabin or a village and enjoy the most delicious food in the world!
