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Italy - Riches of the NorthPiedmont, Liguria, Lakes & DolomitesPiedmont's Hills & Vineyards
You needn’t be a wine connoisseur to choose Piedmont for a walking holiday. Indeed, our enchanting, very gastronomic holiday here will introduce you to one of Italy’s most alluring landscapes – all the more special because it is so little-known – leading through lush green scenery framed by the majestic peaks of the Alps. The enjoyable routes are gentle and reasonably short, leaving you plenty of time to admire the timeless villages and crumbling castles which you pass and to call in at wine-producers if you so wish. Along the Ligurian Coast
Grade 2 • 7 nights • discover two wild coastal regions • stay in high-quality hotels The Ligurian Riviera – especially the Portofino Peninsula and the Cinque Terre – is one of the natural wonders of Italy, where warm, wooded mountains tumble steeply down to the Mediterranean, and fishing ports and small resorts nestle in the little bays and sandy coves. Discover the region (and its delicious seafood) on this route which offers endlessly changing scenery and some of Europe's finest coastal walking. Lake Iseo
Iseo is the smallest of Lombardy's four major lakes, but is a true jewel, with imposing mountains to the north, the delightful Franciacorta vineyards to the south, and the beautiful island of Monte Isola at its centre. The walking here is varied and enjoyable, but perhaps the holiday’s greatest feature is the accommodation – you stay in three top-quality hotels and can savour refined cuisine at the superb restaurants. Italy's Lakes & Mountains (new for 2007)
Lakes and mountains are two common themes in northern Italy, and our holiday combines both to dramatic effect, featuring rewarding routes that reveal the very best of these magnificent landscapes. You start with three nights near Lake Iseo at a superb 4-star hotel, giving you the chance to walk on the lake's Mediterranean island, then drive into the mountains for four nights at the highly praised Zirmerhof, ideally placed for scenic walks and cultural visits in the enchanting Südtirol. Lake Ledro to Lake Garda
The scenery surrounding Italy’s largest lake
and its tiny neighbour, Ledro, astonishes
with its variety. More than just a walk from
one lake to the south-western shores
of another, this is a marvellous
discovery of Mediterranean and
Alpine landscapes on which no two
days are the same: our routes vary in altitude, revealing lemon and
olive groves, alpine meadows, woodland, gorges, grassy
plateaux, high passes and constantly changing views. As
the scenery evolves, so too do the culture and cuisine.
Valleys & Villages of the Dolomites
The mountains of the southern Dolomites are a patchwork of vivid green meadows, forests and tranquil hamlets. Here, you find not only wonderful paths, but also delightful hotels offering a blend of authenticity, comfort and character enhanced by attentive service and delicious cooking. This walk combines five such idyllic places so that after a great day's walking you can relax in peaceful, panoramic surroundings and savour outstanding regional cuisine. Mountains & Riviera
Rugged and wild, and coated in majestic woodland of chestnut, beech and oak, the Apennines are Italy’s secret mountains and a paradise for walkers. Far below, on the west coast, the Ligurian Riviera is much better known, yet there are still trails high above the coast that remain a well-kept secret and reward you with inspirational views across the glittering sea. You stay in two hotels which are as different from one another as the landscapes you discover using our detailed walking and cultural notes. The High Dolomites
Few would argue that the Dolomites are the most beautiful of the Alpine range, the jagged summits pointing like fingers into the sky. This flexible route through the most westerly Dolomites combines the finest features of this mountain area – an exceptional standard of hotels, excellent Tyrolean and Italian cuisine, and splendid walking. Each day, you have a choice of walks, from magnificent trails into the high mountains to gentler walks through meadows and forests.
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Grade 1-2 • 7 nights • alluring countryside • opportunities for wine-tasting • exquisite cuisine 
Grade 2 • 6 nights • top-quality 4-star
hotels, outstanding cuisine • undiscovered lake
Grade 2 & 2-3 discovery • 7 nights • elegant hotels with excellent facilities • choice of walking routes & cultural visits 
Grade 2-3 walk • 7 nights • majestic
landscapes • discover the quiet side of the famous lake 
Grade 2-3 • 7 nights • idyllic hotels • inspirational views to the Dolomites • wonderful paths
Grade 2-3 discovery • 7 nights • two very different landscapes • hire car included 
Grade 2 & 3 walks • 7 nights • enchanting
mountains • stay in 4-star hotels, two with pools
The Valle d'Aosta is home to Italy's first national park, tucked away in the north-west corner of Italy bordering France and Switzerland. The Gran Paradiso National Park is an area of outstanding beauty, set in the heart of the Italian Alps, comprising a large region of high mountains, soaring from deep green valleys to the snow-capped summit of the Gran Paradiso at over 4,000 metres. To walk here through its rolling meadows and dramatic valleys is a real joy.