7 Epic Multi-Day Hikes for Your Next Italian Vacation

One of the most well-known Italian cammini, the Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome and Apulia. Some of the best sections (called tappe in Italian) take hikers through the heart of Tuscany, from Lucca south to Siena, passing wineries, farmhouses, and medieval villages along the way. A popular 32-mile (52-kilometer) stretch from San Gimignano to Monteriggioni and Siena can be completed easily in two or three days. Start with wine tasting in San Gimignano, and celebrate completing your hike with a day trip to the Val d’Orcia region from Siena.

Western Sardinia is a world away from the posh resorts on the island’s east coast. The 240-mile-long (386-kilometer-long) Cammino di Santa Barbara takes hikers along old mining paths near the rugged southwest coast, a region once dedicated to ore extraction that’s blessed with unexpected beauty: heavenly climbing stacks, majestic sand dunes, and churches dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners. The roughly 28-mile (45-kilometer) section between Masua and Piscinas can be completed in just a few days, passing Portixeddu and Piscinas beaches—two of Sardinia’s finest.

One of Europe’s most spectacular mountain ranges, the Dolomites are crisscrossed with eight long-distance trails. The epic Alta Via 1 cuts 75 miles (120 kilometers) through the range’s eastern side from Lago di Braies south to La Pissa; public transport reaches the trailheads from Dobbacio on the northern end and Belluno in the south. Plan for eight to ten days of hiking, as well as sleeping and eating in mountain huts (rifugi in Italian). If you’re looking for an even bigger challenge, try the Alta Via 2 or climb the Via Ferrata near Cortina d’Ampezzo, located roughly halfway between Braies and Belluno.

The Cammino di Celestino unfolds within the Abruzzo region’s Majella National Park. Following paths once taken by Pope Celestine V—founder of the Celestine monastic order and the first pope to resign—the 56-mile (90-kilometer) route is divided into six tappe, each completed in one day. Climbing from Sulmona to San Liberatore Abbey, hikers can get a chance to spot rare Italian wolves, Marsican brown bears, and Apennine chamois, while stopping at Celestine hermitages and abbeys along the way. From Majella, the Gran Sasso National Park, L'Aquila, and Pescara are each under two hours away by car.

The Amalfi Coast’s delightful seaside villages are perfect for slow, indulgent beach lounging. But the region is also home to cliffside trails, nature reserves, and mountain towns best explored on foot. While there are few marked multi-day paths, guides can take hikers from the coast to explore the hilly, terraced interior, while never straying far from post-hike swims and wine and limoncello tastings. The popular Path of the Gods trail offers a relaxed introduction to Amalfi Coast hiking—it’s a half-day route from the hills of Agerola to lovely Positano.

The Antica Trasversale Sicula treks 400 miles (638 kilometers) straight through the heart of Sicily, tracing a route once connecting ancient Greek cities. The full journey from Mozia to Kamarina is a heroic undertaking: 38 tappe which require at least 44 days to complete, passing eight provinces, seven nature reserves, and dozens of archeological sites. With so much to see, it’s best to pick a specific region to explore; the trail’s southern section, for example, cuts sharply southwest between Gela and Ragusa, finishing near the modern town of Scoglitti, at the ruins of ancient Kamarina and an archeological museum.

Cilento is Amalfi’s alluring, carefree cousin—a coastal region beloved by in-the-know Italians rather than tourists. It’s also home to the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, which can be explored on a 224-mile (360-kilometer) perimeter loop trail departing from Paestum, famous for its Greek temples and buffalo mozzarella farms. To explore the region’s protected marine reserves, join a boat excursion or try the final three tappe in reverse, starting near the Santa Maria di Castellabate Protected Marine Area and hiking 29 meandering miles (47 kilometers) back to Paestum.