Italy
The best hikes and national parks in Italy
For most travellers the Dolomites give the best hiking in Italy: 3–5 nights based in Cortina d'Ampezzo or Bolzano, late June to September, with lifts cutting the climb. Choose Cinque Terre instead if you want coastal walks between villages on a railway, or Etna and Sicily if you are already in the south. Skip the high routes outside summer unless you carry winter kit.
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Key facts
- Best overall
- Dolomites, based in Cortina d'Ampezzo or Bolzano; 3–5 nights
- Best coastal walks
- Cinque Terre, May–June and September, on the village railway
- Best for a Rome or Florence trip
- Tuscan countryside around Siena and Chianti, by car
- Best in the south
- Etna and the Madonie on Sicily, April–June and September–October
- Season
- High routes late June–September; huts mostly closed outside it
- Cost
- Most trails free; cable cars and park entries roughly €10–30 (2026 estimate)
- Getting there
- High-speed train to Bolzano, then bus or hired car; Cortina by bus from Venice or Dobbiaco
Our top picks
Ranked for a first or second trip to Italy, mixing the big mountain days with walks you can bolt onto a city stay. Nights are the minimum that does each place justice; costs are 2026 estimates and vary by season and operator.
- Dolomites — /cortina-dampezzo and /bolzano
- Cinque Terre — /northwest-italy
- Tuscan countryside — /siena and /wine-regions/tuscany-wine-country-chianti
- Etna and Sicily — /sicily and /catania
- Amalfi Coast — /amalfi and /sorrento
- Lakes — /varenna and /stresa
- Puglia — /lecce and /polignano-a-mare
- Sardinia — /sardinia and /cagliari
| Pick | Why | Best time | Cost | Nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolomites (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Bolzano) | Limestone towers, marked trails and mountain huts; lifts remove most of the climb | Late Jun–Sep | Trails free; lifts €15–30 a ride (2026 estimate) | 3–5 |
| Cinque Terre | Five sea villages linked by trail and a coastal railway, so you can walk one section and train back | May–Jun, Sep | Trail pass and train ticket (2026 estimate) | 2 |
| Tuscan countryside (Siena, Chianti) | Cypress roads, hill towns and vineyard walks between villages | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Car hire plus fuel (2026 estimate) | 3–4 |
| Etna and Sicily | Lava fields, craters and the Madonie and Nebrodi ridges; pair with Palermo and Taormina | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Guided summit trips (2026 estimate) | 7 |
| Amalfi Coast and Sorrento | Short, steep walks above the coast, with ferries and buses between towns | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Trails free; buses and ferries (2026 estimate) | 3–4 |
| Lake Como and the Lakes | Lakeside and ridge paths above Varenna, Bellagio and Stresa, easy by ferry | Apr–Jun, Sep | Ferries and cable cars (2026 estimate) | 2–3 |
| Puglia | Flat coastal and trulli-country cycling and walking around Alberobello and Lecce | May–Jun, Sep | Bike hire (2026 estimate) | 4–5 |
| Sardinia | Coastal paths and the Gennargentu interior, quieter than the mainland | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Car hire (2026 estimate) | 4–5 |
How we chose
We ranked by what a walk actually gives you: how easy the trailhead is to reach without a car, whether there is a marked path and a map, how crowded it gets in July and August, and whether a bad-weather day has an alternative. Long-distance routes that need hut bookings months ahead were marked down for a first trip.
Season and safety matter more in Italy than in most hiking countries. High routes hold snow into June, afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Alps in summer, and many huts and lifts close outside late June to September. Coastal paths such as the Cinque Terre sections can be shut after heavy rain, so always check the local park notice before setting out.
Prices are given as 2026 estimates because lift, ferry and park fees change each year.
- Reachable trailhead by train, bus or ferry
- Marked trail with a paper or offline map
- Crowd level in July and August
- A wet-day alternative nearby
- Hut and lift season
Best time
Late June to September is the window for the Dolomites and the high Alps: lifts and huts run, trails are clear of snow and the days are long. July and August are also the busiest and hottest, so start early and book huts and rooms well ahead.
For the coast and the south, May, June, September and October are better: cooler walking, fewer people and open ferries. Winter is for snowshoeing and ski-touring in the Dolomites, not for the high trails. Spring in Sicily and Puglia can be wet and windy, and summer heat makes midday walking unpleasant.
| Region | Best months | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Dolomites and Alps | Late Jun–Sep | Nov–May for high routes |
| Cinque Terre and Liguria | May–Jun, Sep | Aug crowds, winter closures |
| Tuscany and central Italy | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Jul–Aug heat |
| Sicily and the south | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Aug heat and crowds |
| Sardinia | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Aug ferries and beaches at peak |
Getting there
Italy's high-speed rail spine makes most of these reachable without a car. Bolzano is on the line from Verona and Bologna for the Dolomites; Florence and Siena cover Tuscany; Naples and Salerno cover the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii; Catania and Palermo cover Sicily by train and ferry. Fly into Rome Fiumicino, Milan, Venice or Naples and connect by train.
For the Dolomites, buses run from Venice and Treviso toward Cortina d'Ampezzo in season, and from Bolzano and Dobbiaco into the valleys; a hired car gives far more freedom for early starts. Cinque Terre is easiest by the coastal railway from Genoa or La Spezia. On Sicily and Sardinia, a car is close to essential outside the main towns.
Allow a buffer day before a long-haul flight, especially in strike season, and check the park's own site for trail closures the day before you go.
- Dolomites: train to Bolzano, then bus or car
- Cinque Terre: train from Genoa or La Spezia
- Tuscany: train to Florence or Siena, then car
- Amalfi Coast: train to Naples or Salerno, then ferry or bus
- Sicily: fly or ferry to Catania or Palermo, then car
Map
Approximate trailheads and bases, not exact paths. Use a paper or offline map on the trail; phone signal drops in the valleys.
| Place | Coordinates |
|---|---|
| Cortina d'Ampezzo | 46.5405, 12.1357 |
| Bolzano | 46.4983, 11.3548 |
| Cinque Terre (Monterosso) | 44.1461, 9.6540 |
| Siena | 43.3188, 11.3308 |
| Etna (Rifugio Sapienza) | 37.7340, 15.0030 |
| Amalfi | 40.6340, 14.6027 |
| Varenna, Lake Como | 46.0100, 9.2840 |
| Alberobello, Puglia | 40.7845, 17.2372 |
| Cagliari, Sardinia | 39.2238, 9.1217 |
Questions people ask
The best hikes and national parks in Italy?
The Dolomites are the best overall for marked trails, huts and lifts, based in Cortina d'Ampezzo or Bolzano for 3–5 nights from late June to September. Cinque Terre is the best coastal walking, Tuscany the best add-on to a Florence trip, and Etna and Sicily the best in the south.
When is the best time to go in Italy?
For high mountain hiking, late June to September, when lifts and huts run and trails are snow-free. For the coast and the south, May, June, September and October are cooler and quieter. July and August are hot and crowded everywhere; winter suits snowshoeing in the Dolomites only.
How many days do I need in Italy?
For hiking alone, allow 3–5 nights in the Dolomites, 2 in Cinque Terre, or 3–4 in the Tuscan countryside. If hiking is part of a wider trip, the 10-day Rome–Florence–Venice route leaves no room; add the Dolomites as a separate 4–5 day block instead.
Do I need a car?
No for the Dolomites, Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast or the Lakes, where trains, buses and ferries reach the trailheads. A car helps a lot in Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia, especially for early starts and quiet trails.
Are the trails free?
Most walking is free. You pay for cable cars and chairlifts, some park entries, ferries and the Cinque Terre trail pass. Budget roughly €10–30 per lift or entry as a 2026 estimate, and check current prices before you go.
Is hiking in Italy safe for beginners?
Yes on marked low routes with lifts, such as the Dolomites and Cinque Terre sections. High routes need a map, an early start and weather sense; afternoon storms are common in the Alps in summer. Tell someone your plan and carry water, a shell and a charged phone.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialItalia.it — official national tourism site
- officialDolomiti Superski — lift network
- officialParco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre
- officialTrenitalia — high-speed rail
- secondaryWikivoyage — Italy