Skip to content

Best Long-Distance Hikes in Italy

172 routes in Italy qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 98.9 km and 2,237 m (7,339 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 580 km.

That is 3 percent of the 6,268 routes we map in Italy. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 98.9 km against 11.7 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 2,237 m (7,339 ft) on average versus 389 m (1,276 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. The mix is broad: 23 are rated easy and 129 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

Alta Via n. 10 - Garda Brenta

Parco alto Garda bresciano · Lombardy

Distance
75.8 km
/ 47.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,668 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bassa Via del Garda

Parco alto Garda bresciano · Lombardy

Distance
72.5 km
/ 45.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,594 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 02 Variante 2.4

Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi) · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
50 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.1

Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi) · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.2

Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi) · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.3

Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi) · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
71 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.4

Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi) · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

E1 Toscana 06 – Variante 6.2

Parco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-Emiliano · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
9.0 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
198 m
Typical duration
2 hr 10 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

E1 Toscana 18 Variante 18.1

Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona, Campigna National Park · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Variante Eremo di Camaldoli

Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona, Campigna National Park · Emilia-Romagna

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
153 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

JK15

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
27.4 km
/ 17.0 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
6 hr 8 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

JK16

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
17.2 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
3 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK18

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
23.5 km
/ 14.6 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
5 hr 14 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK19

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
4 hr 40 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK20

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
22.4 km
/ 13.9 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
4 hr 57 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK21

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
32.2 km
/ 20.0 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
7 hr 18 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK22

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
18.9 km
/ 11.8 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
4 hr 8 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

JK23

Friuli – Venezia Giulia · Italy

Distance
22.0 km
/ 13.7 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
4 hr 52 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Meraner Höhenweg - Alta Via di Merano

Naturpark Texelgruppe - Parco naturale Gruppo di Tessa · Trentino – Alto Adige/Südtirol

Distance
91.7 km
/ 57.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,018 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 02 Piedmont

Lombardy · Italy

Distance
94.4 km
/ 58.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,077 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 03 Lombardia

Emilia-Romagna · Italy

Distance
118 km
/ 73.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,606 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 05 Liguria

Emilia-Romagna · Italy

Distance
73.8 km
/ 45.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,623 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 06 Tuscany

Liguria · Italy

Distance
314 km
/ 195 mi
Elevation gain
6,912 m
Typical duration
84 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 07 Lazio

Lazio · Italy

Distance
381 km
/ 237 mi
Elevation gain
9,575 m
Typical duration
104 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 08 Campania

Campania · Italy

Distance
172 km
/ 107 mi
Elevation gain
3,550 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Francigena - 09 Puglia

Apulia · Italy

Distance
521 km
/ 324 mi
Elevation gain
4,821 m
Typical duration
131 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Emilia-Romagna

Emilia-Romagna · Italy

Distance
252 km
/ 157 mi
Elevation gain
5,546 m
Typical duration
67 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Latium

Lazio · Italy

Distance
153 km
/ 95.0 mi
Elevation gain
3,362 m
Typical duration
41 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Trentino

Trentino – Alto Adige/Südtirol · Italy

Distance
90.2 km
/ 56.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,984 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Tuscany

Emilia-Romagna · Italy

Distance
128 km
/ 79.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,810 m
Typical duration
34 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Umbria

Lazio · Italy

Distance
98.0 km
/ 60.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,155 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Via Romea - Part Venetia

Emilia-Romagna · Italy

Distance
166 km
/ 103 mi
Elevation gain
3,652 m
Typical duration
44 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Grande Traversata del Partenio

Partenio Regional Park · Campania

Distance
47.3 km
/ 29.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,050 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
E1 Toscana 03 Lago Santo Parmense / Passo del LagastrelloParco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)15.2 km333 m3 hr 40 minModerateOctober to May
Alta Via n. 10 - Garda BrentaParco alto Garda bresciano75.8 km1,668 m20 hrExpertOctober to May
Bassa Via del GardaParco alto Garda bresciano72.5 km1,594 m19 hrExpertOctober to May
E1 Toscana 02 Variante 2.4Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)2.3 km50 m33 minEasyOctober to May
E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.1Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)2.2 km49 m32 minEasyOctober to May
E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.2Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)3.4 km75 m49 minEasyOctober to May
E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.3Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)3.2 km71 m47 minEasyOctober to May
E1 Toscana 03 Variante 3.4Parco Regionale delle Valli del Parma e del Cedra (Parco dei Cento Laghi)4.1 km89 m59 minEasyOctober to May
E1 Toscana 04 Passo del Lagastrello - Passo del CerretoParco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-Emiliano13.5 km298 m3 hr 16 minModerateOctober to May
E1 Toscana 05 Passo del Cerreto - Passo di PradarenaParco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-Emiliano10.8 km237 m2 hr 36 minModerateOctober to May

If you only have time for one, start with E1 Toscana 03 Lago Santo Parmense / Passo del Lagastrello, E1 Toscana 02 Variante 2.4, Variante Eremo di Camaldoli. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for