nature
The Apennines: Italy's Other Mountains
The mountain spine everyone flies over to reach the Dolomites — Gran Sasso's plateau, the Maiella's wolves, and Sibillini silence.
Curatorial note
The Dolomites get the postcards; the Apennines get the Italians. Gran Sasso's Campo Imperatore is a high plain that feels Tibetan, the Maiella is the wolves' last stronghold, the Sibillini are the Marche at its wildest, and the Alpi Apuane are the marble mountains above Carrara — the source of everything Michelangelo carved.
Region · Marche
Marche
The Marche is the quiet central-Italy region that sits between the Apennines and the Adriatic. Urbino for the Renaissance, Ascoli Piceno for the piazzas, the Sibillini for hiking, and the coast for a low-key beach. It's the region to choose when you want central Italy without Tuscany's crowds or Umbria's pilgrims — and it's cheaper than both.
Mountain · Abruzzo
Gran Sasso
The highest and wildest of the Apennines — the Corno Grande (2,912m), the Campo Imperatore plateau, and the chamois. Worth a day or two for the plateau and the hikes; the alpine Abruzzo.
Mountain · Trentino-Alto Adige
The Dolomites
The most beautiful mountains in the Alps — pale limestone spires, the 'Enrosadira' (the pink at sunset), the Sella Ronda ski circuit, and the rifugi. Worth a week for skiing or hiking; worth a few days for anyone.
Mountain · Abruzzo
Maiella
The 'mother mountain' of Abruzzo — the second great massif (Monte Amaro, 2,793m), the rock hermitages, and the wildest of the Abruzzo parks. Worth a day from Sulmona for the mountain and the hermitages.
Mountain · Toscana
Alpi Apuane
The marble mountains of Tuscany — the white Carrara quarries (the Michelangelo marble), the peaks, and the wildest side of the region. Worth a day for the quarries and the hikes; the surprise of Tuscany.
Mountain · Trentino-Alto Adige
Dolomites
The Dolomites are worth three to five nights if you hike. Base in Ortisei or Cortina. A car is essential. Go in summer for hiking or winter for skiing; the shoulder seasons are quiet but lifts may be closed.
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