With so many wonderful places to explore, it’s reassuring to know that Italy still has a few secrets. When it comes to the best hikes in Italy, some of the most rewarding trails are the ones less travelled. These quieter paths offer a deeper insight into the country’s rich culture – and serve views so breathtaking, even a Renaissance artist would struggle to capture them.
So, read on to discover five great Italian hiking trails you’ll want to keep to yourself—where every step takes you further from the crowds and closer to the real Italy.
1. Garfagnana: the Wild Heart of Tuscany
For many, Tuscany conjures gentle, rolling hills dotted with cypress trees and vineyards – but the mountainous Garfagnana region, between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, is the Tuscany your guidebook forgot.
On our Walking in Tuscany trip, you explore a peaceful patchwork of chestnut forests, farmland and panoramic trails, following quiet paths that wind through timeless villages and along scenic ridgelines. It’s one of the most scenic and rewarding Italian hiking trails for those looking to see a different side of the region.
What makes this one of the most authentic walks in Italy is our base for the week: Braccicorti. This welcoming agriturismo is part rustic farmhouse, part Exodus legend. Think hearty home-cooked meals (Tuscan staples like ribollita and wild boar ragu), warm hosts, and views that stretch across the Serchio Valley. It’s Tuscany, but not as you know it – and all the better for it.
Take me there: Walking in Tuscany
2. Sardinia: Nuragic Ruins, Coastal Routes and Crystal Coves
Sardinia often flies under the radar, but this walking trip reveals just how much the island has to offer beyond its white sand beaches. Perfect for those seeking hiking holidays in Italy with a twist, our Walking in Sardinia itinerary begins in Dorgali, with daily walks that take in everything from panoramic mountain trails to prehistoric cave villages and canyon floors.
Highlights include a loop walk around Monte Tului with sweeping views of the Gulf of Orosei, and a full day exploring the dramatic Gorropu Gorge, the deepest natural canyon in Italy.
You’ll visit the Bronze Age Giants Tomb, the Nuragic settlement of Serra Orrios, and the mysterious prehistoric village of Tiscali, built entirely inside a hidden cave. There’s also time to swim at Cala Luna Beach, stroll through ancient woodland, and sample local wines at a traditional cantina (winery).
This is Sardinia as few get to see it—rich in history, rugged beauty and warm island hospitality.
Take me there: Walking in Sardinia
3. Western Dolomites: History in the Heights
The iconic image of the Dolomites may be the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, but there’s a lot more to this range beyond these three famous spires. To overlook the rest, especially the western reaches, would miss some of its most captivating corners.
Our Highlights of the Dolomites trip allows you to take in the western front of these dramatic mountains. Based in the heart of Val di Fassa, the trip includes daily hikes around the Catinaccio and Sassolungo massifs: dramatic, UNESCO-listed landscapes shaped by time and tectonics.
The trails here tell stories, of ancient coral reefs turned to stone, of First World War soldiers forging iron roads up cliffsides, and of Ladin culture, which is still alive in the mountain villages you pass through. En route, we also stop in rifugios, Alpine huts that serve hot apple strudel, strong espresso and jaw-dropping views. Italian hiking trails don’t come much more dramatic—or more rewarding—than these.
Take me there: Highlights of the Dolomites
4. Puglia and Matera: Olive Groves, Cave Towns and Trulli Tales
Our Walking Puglia and Matera trip takes you through a less-trodden route of whitewashed towns, Trulli houses, and sun-drenched countryside. Beginning in Matera, a World Heritage Site famed for its ancient cave dwellings, known as Sassi – your route veers off the tourist trail through the rich agricultural heartland of Puglia.
Following quiet paths lined with dry-stone walls, you weave through olive groves and into Ostuni, Alberobello and Locorotondo, where most local people still live a rhythm tied to the land.
Expect easy to moderate walking with a big return: think long lunches featuring Puglia’s bold, sun-ripened flavours, coastal towns layered with centuries of history, and the chance to try traditional orecchiette made just as nonna intended.
If you’re craving hiking holidays in Italy that swap the crowds for countryside charm, this sun-drenched adventure delivers the goods—and then some.
Take me there: Walking Puglia and Matera
5. Prosecco Hills: Sparkling Trails and Local Secrets
The Prosecco Hills may no longer be a hidden gem, but the places we walk through still feel like well-kept secrets. Our Walk the Prosecco Hills and Hidden Venice trip begins in Pieve di Soligo, where vineyard-covered slopes stretch in every direction and quiet trails link hilltop hamlets, ancient monasteries and family-run wineries.
Exploring the Soligo Hills, you walk vineyard paths around Valdobbiadene, San Pietro di Barbozza and Santo Stefano, and visit the Pietrovecchio winery to learn about local production and enjoy a guided tasting.
There’s a day in Venice exploring lesser-known neighbourhoods, meeting traditional artisans, and pausing for a spritz and cicchetti by the canal. The trip then takes you along First World War routes on Monte San Giorgio, where you stop in the hilltop town of Asolo and admire the UNESCO-listed Villa Barbaro.
This adventure comes to a close with a panoramic walk on Monte Cesen, high above the Veneto countryside—an ideal finale to one of the most picturesque Italian hiking trails.
Take me there: Walk the Prosecco Hills and Hidden Venice
Whether you’re drawn to coastal paths, alpine ridgelines or quiet countryside trails, these hikes reveal a side of Italy few travellers ever get to see. If you’re feeling inspired, take a closer look at our Italy walking holidays.
