My husband and I are first-time visitors to Italy. On the Best of Italy tour, we are considering two possible hikes. One would be a selection from "an array of challenging hikes" in the Dolomites, and the other is Cinque Terre.
We'd really like to be well prepared and are wondering what to expect. What, exactly, is "challenging"? Do we need poles? If so, where can they be acquired?
We would love to have an enjoyable experience and value insights from those who have gone before us.
Ciao!
Posted by
North Carolina
2499 posts
If you bring your own trekking poles, you’ll have to put them in checked luggage, not carryon. If you want to buy them while in Italy, you can get them from sporting goods stores there.
Posted by
Vignola, Modena, Italy
555 posts
In Italy we have a very extended network of path everywhere and some ones are very scenic.
Some trails are easy, more to enjoy a day or a couple of days out. Cinque Terre are probably of that kind: easy ones.
"Challenging" could be some trails in the Alps and in Dolomites there are several ones. In the Italian meaning a challenging trail means a very steep one where you walk for several kilometers and rise several hundreds of meters in a day. Not a climb, but a trail who can include even difficult passages.
Poles: is a personal decision. If you are used to bring them can be a good help. Personally I don't like them very much. In the Alps probably you can find even shops or hotels who rent them. Or you can find them on sold in the most of sport item shops.
More than poles be sure to wear the right shoes! Too many people afford trails without something suitable. If you suffer an incident or need to be rescued in Italy the most of service is free, but not if the incident has been caused by wrong shoes! In that case you have to pay a lot of money. In some places you can even be fined.
Posted by
Huntsville, TX, USA
319 posts
Most of the Cinque Terre trails are fairly easy. Trail 531, between Manarola and Riomaggiore, is a little more challenging. All of the above advice is about what I would have said. The Cinque Terre is quite pleasant in the late Spring/early Summer. We hiked all of the trails in late May and the weather was perfect. If you go in August please plan to drink more water.
Posted by
west Chester, PA
372 posts
Hello Sheila Ann,
We have been to both Cinque Terre and recently to the Dolomites. They are at different ends of the spectrum. CT is very congested 5 small towns with some (still) closed paths linking the 5 villages. The places that are open are packed with visitors and the second time we were in CT, we mistakenly went on a weekend. We could barely walk on the trails that we open due to the crowding, however, it is still beautiful.
The Dolomites are within an enormous area of Italy that borders Austria. Some of the places are crowded, example Lago di Braies, but most of the places are wide open. We stayed in Ortesi, which was fabulous, had supermarkets (2), restaurants and plenty of shopping and several funiculars to bring you up to the higher elevation for hiking. You can do easy hikes up to very difficult ones. This entire area was absolutely stunning, the roads are curvy and hilly, but I would go there again tomorrow if I could.
Hope this helps!
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1638 posts
Some of the hikes in the Dolomites are ultra challenging, even for experienced hikers. Think harnesses and helmets.
I won't call the CT walk a "hike." You don't need poles for this route.
Posted by
Washington, DC USA
511 posts
As others have noted, most of the Cinque Terre paths are not especially challenging and you would not need poles. In addition to the heavily touristed popular paths linking the 5 towns, the Cinque Terre national park has dozens of other well marked and not too challenging foot paths that provide nice views and scenery, taking you far away from the crowds in a pretty short time.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1144 posts
Hello sheilaann, I'm sure the Dolomites offer great hiking but if you were interested in CT hiking there is this trail I've had my eye one for a while - The Cinque Terre High Path.
https://www.incinqueterre.com/en/trail-number1-high
Rather than the trail that goes from town to town this is a trail that runs along the spine of the mountains above CT from Porto Venere to Levanto covering 22 miles if you go all the way.
If you take the ferry you could land at any town and then make your way to high trail and then do it towards PV or Levanto as you wish. I was in PV last year but didn't have the free time to check out this hike but I hope to one day.
Have a great trip!
=Tod