Backpacking the coast of Italy

You want the via Francigena. This website has useful information. Starts at the Swiss border and ends in Rome. Not as well known as the Spanish caminos so it might be harder to find accommodation along the way.

Hello k.marchman,

I'll admit not exactly what you asked but here are several coastal hikes I've been wanting to do:
Cinque Terre High Path:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/italy/liguria--3/alta-via-delle-cinque-terre-the-high-path-av5t-1?u=i
https://www.incinqueterre.com/en/trail-number1-high

There is also some hiking on the island in the La Spezia bay and then on the south side of the bay:
https://blog.studentsville.it/living-in/palmaria-island-and-the-hidden-gems-of-liguria/
http://www.liguriaguide.com/lerici-hiking.html
https://www.alltrails.com/italy/liguria--3/lerici

So I have wondered about hiking the high trail, hiking the nature preserve island and then southern peninsula. And if it were to involve kayaks all the better.

Amalfi Peninsula hikes:
The Path of the Gods is the most famous but hiking trails cover much of the peninsula.
https://www.alltrails.com/italy/campania/amalfi
https://www.theamalficoast.online/amalfi_coast_hiking_trekking_guide.html

I am unaware of a long coastal hiking path in Italy unless there is something on the eastern coast I have missed.

I just found out about this sea to sea trail and it looks really interesting: https://www.kalabriatrekking.it/il-cammino-coast-to-coast/
Hike all the way across Italy - albeit at the narrowest part.

And the ultimate trail Italy is building a 4000+ mile trail to connect all the National parks in Italy by one path:
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/national-parks/italy-new-hiking-trail-connects-national-parks-sentiero-dei-parchi

Also there are several via Francigena paths that criss-cross Sicily: http://www.viefrancigenedisicilia.it/?lang=en
Watch those summer temperatures in Sicily.

I have visited many of these places but without the time or opportunity to hike them. Scotland is the only long trek walking I've been able to make work so far but these are the places I've got my eye on.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!
=Tod

The Via Francigena is well established and signed and has a network of accommodations. The official website is here: https://www.viefrancigene.org/en/ There's an app and an official guidebook and a catalogue of tourist services. The numbers of pilgrims will vary a lot by region, but I'd guess there are an average of at least a dozen hikers a day in the very rural areas of northern Tuscany. Near Piacenza we even saw there was a ferry service for pilgrims across the Po river - scheduled on weekends and available by cell phone otherwise in season. Lucca has had an 'entry point' for the Via Francigena with a museum and hospitality services since 2016.

Ten more named long distance routes are described on this site in Italian: http://www.viaggiatorisidiventa.it/itinerari-a-piedi-i-cammini-piu-belli-da-fare-in-italia/