The Secret Apennines

Once again Inntravel have come up with a brilliant walking holiday. Impeccable organisation as always. Early October and this area of the Apennines was stunningly full of colour, wild blueberry, funghi, chestnut woods, incredible mountain scenery and waterfalls. The Grade 3 ascents were exhilarating, each daily itinerary took us through a beautiful variety of countryside and everywhere we went we met smiling friendliness. Monte Grande was a definite highlight… golden eagle! It was ideal to start at Hotel Helvetia for our first night, roof top jacuzzi, spa, very good breakfast. All the hotels, Il Fondaccio, Antica Locanda Alpina, Montegrande, were comfortable, very welcoming and the meals... wild boar, fresh pasta, porcini... were extremely good. Authenticity and generosity sums up the feeling that came across in each of these well chosen hotels. (A very special mention for Carmen and Stefano at Montegrande, the quality of Carmen's care and welcome was second to none, and Stefano's cuisine exceptional). Thank you Inntravel, you never disappoint!

The Monte Gennaio route was our favourite day (possibly influenced by the weather!); Might have considered extending the walk over the Corno and LaNuda if we weren't doing the top later in the week. As it was, I think that side of the Corno is much more appealing, without the skiing paraphernalia. Maybe a thought for future route alternatives.

The rolling hills of the Apennines are glorious in the autumn. The routes are challenging at times but as the distances are not great, easily manageable in the guide times. The family run hotels are a joy with great pride taken in local cuisine. We also learned what a part this area of Italy played in WW2 as part of the “Gothic Line”.

An enjoyable week's walking in a part of Italy off the beaten track. Some stiff climbs, but splendid views make the effort all worthwhile.

Small hotels in quiet villages provide appropriate accommodation and excellent meals suitable for those who've had a good day on the hills.

Don't overlook the local wines!

This was the fourth Inntravel holiday that I and my partner have been on and, as ever, it was almost faultless. We stayed in some great hotels, two of which served truly superb food. Much of the walking was in forest, which might not be to everyone's taste. Our favourite day was the walk up to Corno alle Scale, the only walk where much of the route was above the tree line.   

We really enjoyed this holiday. The views were often spectacular and the countryside varied enough to always be interesting. Both accommodation and food were generally very good. We thought that overall the holiday was very good value compared with some of the other Inntravel holidays we've been on.

Another fantastic walk and Inntravel holiday. Great combination of scenery, woods, mountains, hills and rivers, it was varied and rewarding, amazing views after some steep and challenging climbs. Some fantastic food and mostly good hotels although some room for improvement with couple of them with service and picnics. The day 4 walk was amazing and a highlight although a very long descent. Some of the villages passed along way in many of the walks are hidden gems you would never get to see. Peace and tranquility, hardly another person for 6 days. 

Wonderful walking in a very beautiful area. Such friendly people. Everyone we met had a smile and no wonder living where they did.

The whole trip was really enjoyable - the part which sticks in the memory is being caught in a tremendous thunderstorm, soaked to the skin then arriving at a Refugio containing a roaring fire and a large crowd of very wet Italians and friendly host - brilliant!

Everything about this holiday was a highlight! The walking and views were sensational and we hardly saw anybody else on the walks. The inns, the hosts and the meals could not have been bettered. We felt we were taken back to a bygone age when a host would really treat the guests with genuine warmth and kindness. We also met some other walkers from Denmark, doing similar walks (but with a different company) who were very friendly and helpful to us!

This was an exceptionally good week -  full credit to Inntravel for working out this excellent itinerary.  It had a bit of everything:  beautiful woodland paths, mountain scenery above the treeline (esp day 6) warm sunshine (we travelled in mid June) mediaevel hamlets and villages, great hotels and (my god) consistently excellent Italian food and wine.  Every day had something of interest.   For us, we especially enjoyed day 1, a beautiful walk to Lizzanno and day 6 (option 1) a spectacular walk up the cascading valley and then the high wonder of Corne Alle Scala ( you walk up to almost 6,500 feet)   Special mention for Hotel Fondaccio on days 2 and 3 -  we had a fantastic large garden room next to the swimming pool and a really warm welcome.   Whilst it should be mentioned that some parts of the walk are quite tough, nevertheless both my wife and I really enjoyed this week  -  highly recommended.     

We enjoyed this holiday greatly. The Apennine villages were delightful and so were the flowers en route. The routes were in places slightly challenging for their steepness, but although we are in our mid-70s we managed it all wihout any significant problems. We liked the stunning views from Monte Gennaio and the fine ridge along to the Corno alla Scale

The sustained brilliant weather helped; the summit climbs and the panoramic views were spectacular, even encountered a mini-glacier on the col leading to the pass below Corno Alle Scale; I could see that some of the routes might be really challenging with adverse weather, especially the M Gennaio traverse and descent; also the friendliness, great food and helpfulness of the hotel hosts stands out.

A more strenuous walk than anticipated due to steepness of the hills - we had to contend with some heavy rain but hotels were helpful in sugesting alternative routes, picked is up early when wet etc. - so no problem.

Variety in style and atmosphere added to trip and generally very good. 

Excellent cuisine and wine so put on 4-5 lbs despite the strenuous walking - mea culpa!

I really enjoyed trip, despite terrible weather on some days. Other travellers very nice ( interestingly service better on days with fewer walkers- not just Inntravel but other walkers).

Walk notes generally good. Glad of briefing from hotel. Speedy transfers. Paths generally well signed but some exceptions. 2 tricky crossings of rivers streams, exacerbated by rainfall; glad to have poles. No unfriendly natives. Paths being excavated in 2 places so had to negotiate rubble and soil and digger. Not a problem for us but not much open in villages. 

Hotels all fine: friendly owners and staff, nice rooms ( not bothered by tiny room and shower wetting floor in hotel 3. Nice to have kettle in 2 hotels.

Hotel 1 Helvetia- gloriously luxurious: lovely room and bathroom and lovely public areas. Staff not particularly bothered by our custom and supplement for spa ( but too small for a swim). Packed lunch not good enough- sandwich in a flabby burger bun and too little filling. Apple large and wooly. We loved Trattoria Toscana.

Hotel 2 Il Fondaccio: nice welcome, spacious room in garden ( no wifi but not a problem), kettle. Nice food and great coffee for breakfast but dry bread and Nice dinner, particularly starter. Unfortunately picnics terrible - day 1: milk choc which i don't like, salad with yesterday's greenery and- i think corned beef- greasy and worse becauae end of tin. And juice drink. Nice fruit. Day 2 ( cold and wet) nice fruit, vile salad with some sort of grain- no protein- and stale bread. Might have been choc or biscuits- no drink as noone told us to pick them up.

Hotel 3- dinner nice but 2 pasta/ rice courses, breakfast fine, a variety of bread- and toaster. Great welcome drinks but bar expensive.Picnics should have been good- selected what you wanted but not as great as they should have been- fillings thin in rolls- and second day not what I asked for.

Hotel 4 Montegrande- this was brilliant: nice, varied food for breakfast and dinner, drinks reasonably priced, brilliant lunch- with a decent amount of protein, lovely welcome drinks and snacks on both nights. Nice room with balcony. Lovely public areas. Carmen super...

In conclusion: please address picnics- except at Montegrande- why not a HF system where you order sandwich and select other things you want ( behaviour of fellow walkers impeccable so they wouldn't abuse it)?

Wear high ankle boots as there are alot of rivers streams, and early in the walk schedule (starting May 11th or 12th) we had snow and lots of rain! Overall spectacular views (if not foggy at high altitudes), friendly helpful hosts, and a challenging walk.

The highlights of this trip were the warm welcomes and care at the hotels, the beautiful scenery, the peace and tranquility of the walks and also the sense of achievement when we completed each day. The walks were more challenging than we had previously done but we enjoyed the challenge and feel fitter having completed them.

Total enjoyment - walks, hotels, food all brilliant. A fantastic 'taste' of the area.

We found Inntravel through a google search, and we have been thrilled with this trip.  There is no other way we could have seen these beautiful villages and towns, met the wonderful innkeepers, feasted on their local specialties and enjoyed these trails almost entirely on our own, without the fantastic organization that Inntravel provided.  We are already scanning your website for other trips that might interest us.  You have exceeded our expectations, and we will be certain to share our experience with friends.  Expect more Canadians to discover Inntravel!

The beauty of walking in the early autumn, as the leaves start to carpet the forest floor, with wild flowers and fungi of myriad shapes, sizes and colours poking out all around; the sense of acheivement on the crests of Monte Grande and Corno alle Scale, as we gazed at the almost endless views of the moutains stretching away from us: these will be our everlasting memories of our walks in The Appenines. I did have two or three tick bites but recognised these easily and had a Lifesystems tick remover card, which worked brilliantly - may be worth recommending to your clients.

We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. The walks were generally as we had expected with some challenging parts but worth it for the wonderful views from the top and the lovely meanderings through chestnut forests! All the hoteliers were very friendly but the rooms varied greatly between being quite palatial to monastic! The food was generally very good although sometimes the picnics were dissappointing, however we were able to supplement with our own supply of fruit, tomatoes and pama ham. I appreciated the trouble all the hotels took to provide me with dairy free alternatives whenever possible. We particularly loved our vist to Bologna, soaking in the magic of the medieval architecture and culture which provided the perfect counter-balance to all the walking in beautiful scenery.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our walk The Secret Apennines with a Bolgna City add-on

The Apennines were wonderful walking, and offer a chance to see a different Italy, almost unknown to tourists. Siena and Lucca are delightful old cities. There are very few places in the world where the past has been so well preserved.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Secret Apennines and From Florence to Siena walking itineraries with our short break in Lucca.

Fantastic week in a lovely part of the world. Friendly people, great food, stunning scenery. Challenging routes that were rewarded in the evenings with delicious food and wine.

It was a delightful holiday and really off the beaten track.  It was very tranquil, with beautiful woods and mountain tops and lovely views. The Apennine people were very welcoming and friendly and very proud of their countryside and their cooking. It really was a superb holiday.

On the walks themselves we barely saw a soul. On one track we came across three mountainbikers, and on another we met a group of six walkers and that was it. When we walked through a village the local folk we met were unfailingly friendly and hospitable, and we only wish we could have spoken Italian.

As a pair of 67 year olds we managed the walks pretty well, but you'd need to be reasonably fit, especially on some of the steeper ascents and in the sometimes searing heat. We were there towards the end of August and the temperatures in the open were hitting 30 C. We brought back some wonderful memories of a very happy holiday - the amazing variety and profusion of butterflies, the colours of the wild flowers, the unmistakeable rooting of wild boar, the canopies of so many varieties of trees, the old mills and "casones" from a bygone age, but perhaps above all, the silence and walking through a far simpler way of life.

We very much enjoyed staying in the little hotels you found for us as their service was so friendly and personal. We also took your recommendations for eating out in both Poretta and Lucca: the people at Trattoria Toscana in Poretta told us to come back next year for their 100 years celebration!  We ate twice at Vecchia Trattoria Burralli in Lucca, made very welcome and were recognised the second night. I had had a foot problem on the day walking to Vidiciatico so didn't want to walk the next day. Carmen at the Hotel Montegrande arranged for her husband to drive us to the huge outdoor swimming-pool and collect us again when we wanted to come back, which was really kind. We met walkers from Belgium, Germany and Denmark who were staying at the same hotels and doing the same walks with companies from their own countries. Meeting up with them in the evenings gave an added dimension to the holiday. All in all it was a good holiday made extra special by all the people we met and talked to.

Some of the hotel staff were excellent.

We were slightly taken aback at the challending element to the walks - but it was absolutely perfect from beginning to end - so good for us!

We had a great week in the Apennines. The walking was excellent with an abundance of wild flowers and butterflies. The beech woods were lovely with soft leaves underfoot. Some paths were very steep but we got used to the walking notes directing us "uphill, steeply at times" !! Hotels were comfortable and delightful staff.

Food and wine was lovely and lots of it.  We particularly enjoyed the sparkling Pignolleto and Lambrusco as an aperitivo.

A wonderful insight into a little known region of Italy. Strongly recommend the stay at either end of the [Secret Apennines] walk in Bologna and Lucca. We enjoyed the whole experience and the mountain villages are delightful with wonderful hotels serving exceptional local food.

Highlights: The views, the uncrowded (almost completely deserted) routes, the variety of each day. Highly recommended. 

A fabulous holiday - stunning scenery with beautiful walks and we were just at the right time for the wild flowers. Don't miss the ice cream - fabulous gelateria in every village we stayed!

Overall a very enjoyable holiday. Lovely, if sometimes challenging, walks with splendid views. The hotels were welcoming and our hosts ensured we had plenty to eat. 

Our highlights were the amazing scenery and views and the wonderful wild flowers - the kind of flowers you buy in the garden centre growing out there in the wild! Stunning. Then, of course, we have to mention the food which was interestingly different from Italian food we had had before and of exceptionally good quality. Our hosts were very generous.

No complaints at all, very enjoyable holiday, stunning walks with lots of wildlife to view. The evenings were great with interesting conversation with other intravellers

Enjoyable - beautiful gentians and pasque flowers on the mountain tops.

This was my first Inntravel holiday and I was unsure what to expect. The friendliness and efficiency of all the staff at Inntravel was great and the attention to detail in every aspect was outstanding. The accommodation was really varied and gave a real flavour of Italian hospitality. The friendliness and helpfulness of Italians in general and of all the staff in the hotels we stayed at added to our enjoyment. The quality of the food was excellent in all the hotels but four course were a bit challenging! All the walks were delightful, particularly in May for lovers of wild flowers. The little hamlets we passed through were lovely, particularly Monteacuto which is a real gem, and the notes added to the interest. The final ascent of Corno Alle Scale was a fitting end to the trip. I would definitely go on another Inntravel Holiday and will recommend it to friends.

This was an amaxing holiday - really well organised with easy to follow route notes and maps, the welcome at hotels was really friendly and food was wonderful.  

Both the Lake Ledro to Lake Garda and then the Secret Apennines hikes were varied, interesting, and information on the areas we hiked was appreciated. We enjoyed eating the regional food at all hotels.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed combining both our Lake Ledro to Lake Garda and Secret Appenines walking itineraries.

Low cloud prevented the final day's views so the walking highlight was the summit of Monte Gennaio where the panorama was spectacular. The true highlight, however, was the food. Scrumptious!

This (walking) holiday should be on every Inntraveller's wish list. Exceptional hospitality and food combined with fascinating walks. Wonderful.

We enjoyed every minute spent in the Apennines, despite one or two tough ascents! Grade 3 was a step up for us and although challenging at times was well wihin reach of two senior citizens. The Italian cuisine was of a high standard at each location and we enjoyed visiting several local bars to plan our route for the following day. Antica Trattoria Toscana was a good recommendation for the 1st night spent in Poretta. Bologna is also great for a city break and if you are able to add on a couple of nights don't miss Ristorante Da Nello on Montegrappa, you will not be disappointed. Inntravel take all the uncertainty out of your holiday: you know you can depend upon excellent route notes, you know you are going to get picked up at the right time, you know the walks are going to be through beautiful countryside. If you enjoy walking, good food and not too many people, you will enjoy the Apennines.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: The Secret Apennines walking holiday has been graded 2-3

Antica Locanda Alpina was excellent and a great example of traditional Italian hospitality in the mountains.

We have been to Italy before but this revealed a different, more intimate side, with family run hotels and a sense of remoteness and tranquility in the walks. A different and delightful experience. 

We could walk all day in alpine forests and not see a single person, there were more dear and wild bore than people on our walks. On the occasion that there was a clearing in the tree cover the views were very beautiful. I wish I had brought a better breathable rain jacket for the climbs which were steep but when paced were manageable and enjoyable.

In our experience Italians don't do breakfast (although the spread was ok) or packed lunches, provided lunches were not good. Was it not for our own provision of snickers (chocolate bars from UK) or fortune to buy a big bag of biscuits at a rare open shop early in the trip we may not have had such a good time walking. 

The places we stayed were quiant but not charming and there was little to do - this wasn't a massive problem as we were happy to rest after the walk for tea - recommend bringing a book or two.

For a planned holiday on short notice it was a good option for us at the time. It cost a lot for what we got - roughly £1000 pp for a week, by comparrison we went to Canada for 3 weeks for £2000 pp (flights included).

We loved this holiday.  The scenery was breathtaking and the walks through the forests and in the mountains were magical.  Highlights included visiting the charming villages nestled into the hillsides, meeting only locals (hardly any other tourists in sight!) and receiving such wonderful welcomes at the hotels, to say nothing of the food!  The add-on of a couple of nights in Bologna was well-worth doing as this is such a fascinating city.  Can't recommend this holiday highly enough (but don't all go at once - keep it to yourselves!)

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed our The Secret Apennines - A Self-Guided Walking Holiday followed by our Hotel Porta San Mamolo, Bologna City add-on.

We took our 16 and 21 year old sons with us.  This was our 3rd Inntravel holiday.  A grade 2-3 holiday is certainly a big step up from a grade 2!  Some of our party found the ascents challenging in the July heat. However once up on the ridges, the views were amazing.  This is a really quiet part of Italy, we barely saw a soul on the paths.  The highlight of our holiday was being followed by a dog for 6km all the way to Lizzano.  It just would not go home and faithfully arrived at the hotel with us, where it had a large bowl of water and its owner was telephoned to collect it.  The directions were excellent - we did not get lost once.  The hotels were comfortable, but very quiet.  We were the only guests at Antica Locanda Alpina on one of the nights.  It is worth tasting the chestnut beers here.  The weather was very hot and we were glad of the opportunities to refill our water bottles with chilled mountain spring water.  We were caught in a thunder storm on the way to Pianaccio, just below the summit of Monte Grande. We were drenched and the lovely Carmen dried our boots overnight for us.  The highlight walk on the last day, taking in the Dardagna Falls and then up to the summit of Corno alle Scala is unmissable, but involves a lot of ascent.  The chairlift runs at weekends.  Once you reach the road after ascending from the falls, the station is just ahead and is 10 euros, one way per person.  We loved our holiday and the slow travel where time seems to stand still - a week with Inntravel feels like two weeks of any other holiday and I have returned to work re-energised.  We look forward to many more Inntravel holidays in the future.

A fabulous holiday with comprehensive maps and instructions to explore a truly beautiful but very uncommercialised part of Italy.  The hospitality and personal welcome from each of the hotels was fantasic and the food was great.  Would highly recommend. Our top tip?  Read the instrucutions carefully when it comes to water management.  You can trust the local water fountains but on some of the walks you need to make sure you have plenty of water with you.  

Another great holiday with Inntravel. We were lucky with the weather and enjoyed walking in the shade of the woods on several days but the most stunning walks were on the mountain tops where the Alpine flowers were in bloom and the views magnificent (we even saw the sea!). Most days we didn't see a soul. The hotels were very friendly and the food was delicious - so nice to discover there is more to Italian food than pasta and pizza (though these were good too!). Two days in Bologna made a relaxing end - it is a fascinating city and the churches and museums (largely deserted) were splendid.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined The Secret Apennines with our Bologna City add-on

Monte Belvedere was a delightful day, and the ridge walk around Monte Genaio quite exhilarating (in a very strong wind). The wind proved rather persistent, and on the final day, we couldn't resist the temptation of the chair lift to the top of Corno alle Scale, fortuitously arriving as the cloud broke, and the wind dropped. Great views and wonderful grassy meadowland for lunch. The walk from Pianaccio to Vidiciatico was the least enjoyable, and overall, there was maybe a little too much time on woodland tracks - hard to avoid given the densely forested nature of the area. Suggested times for walks suited me fine, but often back at hotel early afternoon - a later start in the morning might suit some better. 

All 4 hotels were excellent but the 2 smaller (Hotel ll Fontaccio and Antuca Locanda Alpina) were particularly delightful. The welcome and the settings at these was terrific and Oh! the food!! Fabulous!

The butterflies were another highlight; on top of Mount Belvedere, we saw 2 different kinds of Swallowtails and all week, the profusion of butterflies was a delight. We also saw fireflies.

A very enjoyable week. The walking was actually harder than we expected, although this partly due to the very hot weather - 4600 metres of ascent, by our calculations.  The only  tip I might pass on is this - from the large cross at Corno alle Scale, it is easier to go 30 metres beyond it and turn left on to a R/W marked path, which takes you down.

We loved the food and wines and welcome from all the hotelliers - the presentation of the food at Locanda Alpina especially memorable. We lunched at the Trattoria in Monteacuto which felt more like a family party! Highlights of the walking: the ridge at Porta France and the Dardagna Valley. Lowpoint the 3km climb from Pianaccio - but we survived! 

We found the whole trip seamless, everything was without any faults or delays from start to finish. The routes were good and relatively easy to follow, the hotels were clean and well appointed and if anything the food was delicious but too much in some cases. Many of the walks were stunning!!

As an experience of walking off the beaten track in Italy, but on well-marked paths in interesting and varied areas, this was just what I was looking for. Even though I was traveling on my own, I felt this was a very achievable experience, using the notes that Inntravel provide. Background information in my folder gave me some great insights into the areas I walked through. I found the old chestnut forests and signs of the old way of life (like the casone) intriguing. Pianaccio is a remote little gem of a village: I hope tourism can boost the village's economy to keep it alive - a very small number of permanent residents still live here. The mixed beech and pine forests around here are lovely to walk through, and although I missed out on the Monte Gennaio circuit, my cooking lesson with Irene was fun. Thanks to Inntravel I feel a real sense of achievement, made possible by your concept and support for independent travellers.

First trip with InnTravel and will definitely use you again. Faultless and neat organisation, route notes and maps. Good hotels with excellent food. Routes might be slight improved but this is being a bit picky! 

An excellent holiday and really good value. We would have preferred longer walking options on days 1&2. However the walks were well planned to get higher as the week went on so that you found yourself looking down on places you had been to earlier in the week. Highlights were lunch on Monte Grande and the walk up Corno alle Scale on day 6 when we managed to add in a walk to la Nuda which was a lovely grassy mountain top and would be a worthwhile expedition in its own right. It has to be said we were really lucky to have glorious sunny weather all week.  We were also delighted by the beautiful wild flowers everywhere. In terms of the hotels, Pianaccio was a real treat. Everything was homemade including the bread and was utterly scrumptious. An absolute gem. It would be perfect if you could visit that hotel last as it is difficult for the others to match it though they were fine places to stay.

The food was great on this holiday. We are vegetarians and were as well catered for as the carnivores. We were especially impressed with the home-cooked food provided by Linda and her family at Hotel Il Fondaccio, and by Marco and his family at Antica Locanda Alpina. We really needed the vigorous exercise the walks provided to walk off all their delicious meals. 

It was wonderful to be able to drink the natural spring water coming out of the fountains we often found on the walks. It was as chilled and refreshing as cold bottled mineral water, but better because we knew that it came straight out of the mountains. This was a rare experience. 

The time of year we went, mid-May, was good for walking, but we encountered hardly a soul on our walks. We liked the feeling of solitude; it was a break from our usual more urban lifestyle. The holiday is well-named 'The Secret Apennines.' 

The route along to Porta franca, the ascent of Monte Gennaio and the ridge walk along to Passo Del Cancellino was the highlight of the holiday. The views of course were amazing and the variety of wild flowers en route were fanatastic. It was a beautiful clear day and that really was the icing on the cake.

Inntravel offers a perfect mix: walking all day without having to carry your luggage or return to the same place; challenging hiking and comfortable hotels; the basic itinerary seamlessly organized in advance, but each day totally open to do what you wish. Walking notes are clear and accurate and easy to follow, and the map notes offer a good visual backup. With respect to "The Secret Apennines" in particular, I would say that the holiday was splendidly planned, with widely varied landscapes in a really beautiful and amazingly un-crowded part of Italy. Mountain springs provide clear fresh cold water along the way. Day 4 was a highlight with a long slow incline through a beech forest and magnificent vistas from above the tree line atop Monte Gennaio. Day 6 option 3 is listed as a poor weather option but the beginning was a spectacular fair weather walk with meadows full of wildflowers and butterflies (in May), and the second half was more challenging than we expected. Hotels were comfortable with warm, relaxed, welcoming staff -- at Fondaccio and Locanda Alpina in particular it felt a little like being in someone's home (in a good way). The food is authentic, expertly prepared, and beyond ample.