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• Half-day hikes
• One-day hikes
• Multi-day treksLeave the big city behind to explore the countryside on foot.
Buy the most detailed map you can find showing all the unpaved roads and trails.
Pick a destination, any destination—a neighboring village, a mountain hermitage, or some commanding hillside with a scenic overlook—it doesn’t matter where you go; it’s the journey that counts.
Stuff a few clementini oranges in your pocket and go walkabout, chatting with farmers along the way.
You can even do this without leaving the city. I discovered this joy after falling asleep on a Florence bus. I awoke when the bus sighed to a stop in some suburban outpost, stumbled out to revive with an espresso at the bar across the street, and ended up in a wonderful conversation with a pair of Florentines who proclaimed me to be the first tourist ever to set foot in the neighborhood.
For something more orginized or beyond an afternoon stroll, consider trekking.
You can go it alone, join a local trekking outfit like the Club Alpino Italiano, or sign up for an escorted hiking tour.
Join the only tour that takes you to the Cinque Terre on a one-day hiking trip from Florence. Hiking is the only way to truly experience the magic of the Cinque Terre. Take a break from the bustle of the city and hike this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. It's a unique and memorable experience, exploring the only unspoilt survivor of the genuine Italian Riviera. Led by your knowledgeable guide you will trek scenic trails and wander through vineyards and olive groves, over stone walls and along a spectacular coastline. This tour includes coach transportation, rail and boat travel between villages, entry in to Cinque Terre National Park and a delicious lunch...
A cultural landscape of great scenic and cultural value, the Cinque Terre is an UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its incredible beauty. This full-day excursion departs from and returns to your Florence hotel, and offers a convenient way to discover the colors and flavors of this fascinating area. You will meet your guide in Riomaggiore, the southern-most of the "Five Lands." From here you'll follow the Via dell'Amore (Road of Love), a scenic path that overhangs the rocky coastline far below. It leads to Manarola, second smallest of the villages and probably the oldest; the cornerstone of Manarola's church of San Lorenzo was laid in 1338. Corniglia is next. Perched on top of a promontory, Corniglia is the only one of the five villages without direct access to the sea. It is enclosed on three sides by picturesque, terraced vineyards while the fourth side descends steeply to the blue waters of the Mediterranean. After a guided visit of the village and its park, you'll stop for a tasty lunch of local dishes and wines at the Cantina de Mananan (included in the price). Last but certainly not least is Vernazza, the most picture-perfect of the five...
Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore -- each with its own distinct character, set high above the rocky cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea - these five picturesque villages comprise the celebrated Cinque Terre. This breathtaking place was proclaimed a UNESCO Wold Heritage site in 1997 and it is the perfect backdrop for an entire day spent exploring the area. Excursion starts from Rapallo or Santa Margherita Ligure where you meet your guide and head by train to Corniglia on a train. After exploring this little village, you hike through the famed terraced vineyards and pine forests all the way to Volastra, and then descend to the seaside town of Manarola. Following a break for lunch, you take the celebrated Via dell'Amore (Road of Love) that connects Manarola and Riomaggiore where you catch a ferry to Monterosso. This is a wonderful chance to admire the beauty of the area from the sea and take some stunning photos to treasure for years to come! Monterosso is the largest of the Cinque Terre and has frequent trains back to Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure...
With your expert guide, enjoy a scenic, full-day adventurous hike through the beautiful Chianti region in Tuscany, full of lush vineyards and quaint villages. At the end of the hike, your friendly guide will lead you to a spot where you can relax and enjoy a picnic of cured meats, locally grown vegetables, breads and cheeses, accompanied by a glass of wine. Continue in the afternoon to stroll the Via Francigena path, an ancient pilgrimage road said to link Rome to Canterbury in England, ending at the medieval hill town of San Gimignano to walk around its UNESCO World Heritage-listed city center...
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...
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: 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: 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...
While for some activities you can just show up, this is one travel item you really should try to reserve in advance.
Popular activities like cooking classes can sell out.
Many are available only on certain days of the week, so it pays to know that you'll have to set aside, say, Tuesday morning for that guided market walk with a local cookbook author.
Many of the best activities are available by advance booking or appointment only—particularly wineries. Some vineyards welcome walk-ins, true, but many more will give you a cellar tour and wine tasting only if you call ahead a few days (and those tend to be the ones most liberal with the free samples).
If you have your heart set on dining in a particular restaurant, go ahead and call ahead,even if it's just earlier on the same day—though a day ahead is preferable. I have found that a corrollary of Muphy's Law applies to this aspect of travel. Any restaurant I am particularly keen on but blithely assume I can just waltz into will inevitably be filled to the brim: no tables available. However, half the time when I do book a table in advance I'll end up being the only guy in the place (nor near enough for my advance booking to feel like overkill). Still, better safe than sorry. Reserving a table is quick and painless; getting turned away at the door can be crushing.
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