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Active Italy Activities

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Hi! We are thinking of doing a couples trip next fall (September/October) timeframe. It could be 6 of us, with some a mixture of levels of fitness, but all capable. I am usually tasked with planning these trips and I always like to do a mixture of city life and outdoor adventures. So far I am thinking of focusing on the four areas below for the trip. I have been to Italy before, but the rest of the group has not. I'd love a mixture of staying in the major areas and doing some day trips outside of the typical tourist areas.

  • Venice
  • Florence
  • Rome
  • Naples

Ideally, we would be relying on public transport for all of these locations, so that is something to keep in mind. In our previous trips, we have done hiking, kayaking, biking etc. so all of those would fit great. For example, I was thinking we could do a day of biking in Tuscany & maybe hit a winery while biking.

If anyone has ideas for these area that are more active activities, that would be greatly appreciated! If you have done it, did you do it with a company and/or where did you rent gear if needed?

Also! A few of us are big on history (which of course Rome is great for!) I did the typical Rome stuff & have been to Pompei, so any recommendations there would be great too!

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
4949 posts

I have not been to Venice, but it just occurred to me--is it possible to do kayaking there? Google indicates yes, and that sounds marvelous (putting it on my list anyway)!
I think your biking to vineyards idea is great, but I don't have a specific recs for an outfitter. Will you stay in Florence only? I have done a lot of hiking in Italy, but it was most often while staying in smaller towns and with a car. I did walk a bit of the Via Francigena last time, and I think parts of it would be fun to bike. I stayed in San Miniato and there was a nice bike shop that rented e-bikes, so it was easier to get in and out of town without being tired out before you even get to the trails.
Naples is the easiest because of the proximity to the Amalfi Coast, which is a hiker's paradise. Will you stay in Naples only or venture to the AC also?

Posted by
212 posts

rowvenice.org provides info on taking a Venetian rowing lesson that may be of interest

Posted by
17417 posts

Yes, there are kayaking opportunities in Venice. One of several companies offering guided kayaking:

https://www.venicekayak.com/

Naples to Venice is an ambitious travel plan, and none of those 4 cities offer outstanding outdoor adventure opportunities, unless you take a day and travel well away from the city. When we were in Venice for a month we did find a nice outdoor experience on the island of Sant’Erasmo, which is devoted to farming. It was a pleasant day with 8 miles of wandering around, a small beach, and lots of farm fields (mostly artichokes), but nothing I would recommend for a short visit to Venice.

What I would recommend, if I were helping a friend plan this trip for a group such as you describe, is to skip Naples (you have plenty of Roman history to see in Rome and Pompei) and spend 3-4 nights in the Dolomites before finishing your trip in Venice. Take the train to Bolzano (from Florence) and then a local bus to the Val Gardena, probably the village of Ortesei. Lifts go up to peaks and plateaus on both sides of the town. You can rent mountain bikes, take them up on the Mont Seuc lift, and ride on trails on beautiful Alpe di Siusi. This is a huge meadow surrounded by rugged peaks of great beauty. The Alpe and the hillsides offer mils and miles of paths, trails, and car-free roads perfect for all ability levels. Most places offer e-bikes and they are what you will see most people riding. I guarantee it is an unforgettable experience (on the best way). We have been up there either riding or hiking in 4 separate September trips and had 90 percent sunny days.

On another day you ride the Seceda lift to the top, then hike down to the Col Raiser lift and ride back down to the valley. Despite the rugged appearance of the terrain in these photos, it is not a difficult hike as the trail is well built, with traction footing provided where needed.

https://www.mtb-dolomites.com/seiseralm/en/two-atitudes.asp

https://www.val-gardena.com/en/tours/detail/mtb-tour-val-gardena-alpe-di-siusi/

https://theunexploredbackyard.com/seceda-ridgeline/

You can also reverse the hike and hike up from the Col Raiser lift and ride down. Just don’t try what we did by mistake and hike all the way back down to Ortesei from the top—-that was a brutal day.

Lots of other opportunities for your third day in Ortesei, including an adventure park with ziplines and a ropes course which challenged even my very athletic daughter-in-law, age 45. (Our tween grandchildren and their dad did just fine, and I did not attempt it.)

https://www.coldeflam.it/index_en.php

Or you can spend part of a day lounging by a nice hotel pool or enjoying the spa services on offer at a hotel like this:

https://www.hotel-interski.com/en/recreation/30-0.html

Then head to Venice for another historic and beautiful city.

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