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The Secret ApenninesThe unknown Italian mountains
Nights: 7 (or you can choose a 12-night version – the Heart of Italy Long Trail – which takes you into Tuscany)
Starting point: Hotel Helvetia (3*), Porretta Terme. This is a smart Art Deco-style hotel in the old town with spacious public rooms, pleasant gardens, saunas and a pool. You stay on a bed and breakfast basis so that you can choose where you dine. Day 1: as your first walk is not overly long, you could take some time to explore Porretta Terme before setting off. When you are ready, you strike out uphill in the direction of Castelluccio, an ancient village with a crumbling castle and sweeping views over the surrounding area to reward the occasionally steep ascent. Your destination is Lizzano in Belvedere, from where the views – as the village's name suggests – are every bit as panoramic as those of Castelluccio, if not more so. (8km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Il Fondaccio (3*), Lizzano in Belvedere. This friendly hotel is typical of the authentic inns in this region, with owner Giorgio Gasparini offering warm and genuine hospitality and hearty Emilian cuisine. Day 2: for your day in Lizzano, we recommend a fairly strenuous circular walk that starts with a transfer and then ascends to the summit of Mount Belvedere, so named because it offers a 360-degree panorama of the Apennines. Part of the route is along the ‘Freedom Path’ that commemorates the heroism and sacrifice of the local resistance fighters and American troops who fought the Germans here. (12km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Il Fondaccio, as above. Day 3: leaving Lizzano, you gradually ascend towards Monteacuto, passing several hamlets, old water mills and viewpoints from which you can look to the dramatic peaks of La Nuda and Mount Grande. At Monteacuto it is well worth taking some time to explore, as the medieval village is one of the region's prettiest. From here, you descend to your destination, Pianaccio. (11.5km, 5.5hrs) Accommodation: Antica Locanda Alpina (2*), Pianaccio. Run by the ebullient Gianni Gentilini and his wife Marina, this is a simple but charming inn with an excellent restaurant. Day 4: the day starts with a short transfer, after which you have a steady ascent to the Cancellino Pass, where many migrating birds can be seen at the right time of year. If you are feeling energetic, you can detour to the summit of Mount Gennaio, which overlooks both Tuscany and Emilia Romagna (you are close to the border here). To return to Pianaccio, you descend across the high pastures of the western flank of the Corno alle Scale, following an ancient mule track. (17km, 5.5hrs) Accommodation: Antica Locanda Alpina, as above. Day 5: from Pianaccio, you ascend steadily through the tranquil, wooded Bagnatori Valley to the panoramic summit of Mount Grande, from where a path descends via a delightful hamlet to the attractive village of Vidiciatico. (15km, 6.5hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Montegrande (3*), Vidiciatico. This hotel is highly praised for the hospitality of Bruno Bartolomei and his wife Piera, and also for the delicious regional cuisine, which is justly renowned locally. Day 6: for your last day, you have a choice of three routes, all of which start with a short transfer. To take in one the Apennines' most famous sights, walk through the valley of the River Dardagna to see its series of spectacular waterfalls. For a final high-level walk with breathtaking views, choose the route that takes in the summits of the Corno alle Scale, the highest of the Apennine peaks (1,944 metres), and La Nuda. A third option leads to La Nuda and returns via the Bagnadori Valley. (21.5km, 8hrs or 19km, 7hrs or 13.5km, 7hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Montegrande, as above. Day 7: if you have chosen the 12-night Heart of Italy Trail you continue southwards. The walk from Vidiciatico takes you from Emilia Romagna into Tuscany, and is long but very rewarding. You start with a transfer then ascend through woodland of chestnuts, then conifers, then beech. It takes around three hours to reach the Porta Franca Pass, where you are greeted with breathtaking views – from the pass and the ridge that leads from it, you can marvel at the peaks of the Corno alle Scale and La Nuda, and look down into both Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. After such a long ascent, the rest of the route takes you downhill along ridges and through more woodland. (18km, 7hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Il Parco (3*), Gavinana. Set on the edge of the village, this is a welcoming hotel with simply furnished bedrooms which look out over the hotel's large, well-tended gardens. Day 8: for your day in Gavinana, we suggest a gentle circular walk that first ascends to the nearby observatory and its fine viewpoint. You continue east, contouring the mountainside above Gavinana and Maresca on quiet forest paths before descending into the village of Maresca and crossing open countryside back to Gavinana. Alternatively, you may prefer to take the bus (pay locally) to Pistoia, a handsome but little-visited town. Whatever you decide, you can relax in the pleasant gardens on your return to the hotel. (15km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Il Parco, as above. Day 9: leaving Gavinana, you follow the route of the old narrow-gauge railway to the medieval village of San Marcello in Pistoiese. From here, trails lead southwards across lightly wooded slopes on which you may spot deer and wild boar. We recommend a short detour to an old stone bridge, a perfect spot for a picnic. Towards the end of the day you pass through another historic village, Piteglio. (20km, 6hrs) Accommodation: Ristorante-Pensione Dina (inn), Prataccio. The simple accommodation of this authentic inn is more than compensated by the tasty regional cuisine, which has earned the restaurant a good reputation among locals. Day 10: your last walk is long but easy, rewarding you with very good views. You cross hills and a beautiful valley, your destination, the elegant hill-top village of Montecatini Alto, visible for much of the way. The increasingly Mediterranean vegetation heightens the sense of journey, emphasising the difference between these landscapes and those that you explored at the beginning of the holiday. (25km, 7hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gaia (3*), Montecatini Alto. Converted from a small 19th-century villa with a panoramic terraced garden, this is an attractive hotel with plenty of polished wooden furniture and spacious, well-equipped bedrooms. On your first night we include dinner in a local restaurant, while your second night is on a bed and breakfast basis only. Day 11: we suggest that you end your holiday with a day of sightseeing. There are regular trains to Florence, where you can visit some of the many art treasures and the famous Vecchio Bridge, or, if you would prefer somewhere a little quieter, you could head to Lucca, a delightful walled city with a magnificent cathedral. The journeys to both cities take approximately 30 minutes (pay locally), and you could dine in the city if you wish. Accommodation: Hotel Villa Gaia, as above. Walking chart for 7-night holiday: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: with an extra night at the Hotel Montegrande (Vidiciatico), you can enjoy another of our suggested walks (pay locally for the transfer). Extensions: If you are flying via Bologna, extend your holiday for 2 nights and experience the beauty of Florence, staying at the 3* Il Guelfo Bianco or Lucca at the 4* Hotel Llaria. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Similar holidays: From Bologna to Florence (grade 2-3), Lake Ledro to Lake Garda (grade 2-3), Italy's Green Heart (grade 2-3), The Catalan Pyrenees (grade 2-3), From the Picos to the Sea (grade 2-3), The Castles of the Cathars (grade 2-3), The Grand Cerdagne (grade 2-3) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airports: Bologna (or Bologna Forli but allow 1h30 for airport bus - pay locally) Prices & travel 2008 - Heart of Italy Long Trail:
Recommended destination airports: arrival Bologna (or Bologna Forli but allow 1h30 for airport bus - pay locally); departure Pisa Extra night prices (both holidays):
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The Apennines, stretching from Liguria to Umbria, form Italy's spine and offer some of country's best walking. Our chosen area is the Alto Appennino Bolognese between the great cities of Florence and Bologna and close to the Tuscan border. Here, traditional villages cluster on the lower slopes of dramatic peaks rising to nearly 2,000 metres, and inviting paths lead up through thick, majestic woodland of beech, oak and chestnut to the high mountains. Much of the walking occurs in the protected area of the Corno alle Scale Regional Park, rich in wildlife and flowers, and named after the area's imposing highest peak. In such a quiet, untouristy area, the welcome is genuine and warm. Our chosen inns receive high praise, not least for a regional cuisine of pasta, cured meats, fish from the rivers, bread made from chestnut flour, and, in season, wild mushrooms, truffles and chestnuts. 
Take in the spectacular views 
