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Umbria, Hiking the Ancient Hills
When you think of hiking in Italy the Dolomites or Tuscany are generally top of mind. However Umbria (located next to Tuscany) is quickly becoming a popular choice as well.
Base yourself in enchanting Norcia, a pedestrian friendly walled town. Located in a valley surrounded by mountains the village is the gateway to Sibillini National Park. For accommodation consider the Hotel Grotta Azzura, dating from the 15th century and located just off the main square with each room individually decorated. The restaurant is popular with visitors and the local citizen’s alike who enjoy the dishes of pasta, locally grown lentils and meats grilled over the ancient fireplace. The Bianconi family run both the hotel and ithe outstanding restaurant.
There are two ways to approach the hiking in this region. One way is to hike the 120 kilometer long distance trail in Sibillini National Park staying at the various Refugio in the mountains. The Refugio are mountain huts offering sleeping accommodation and meals. Although mountain hut sounds a bit primitive they are actually quite nice with excellent views of the mountains. Allow nine days to walk the entire trail.
A more popular choice is using Norica as a base for daily hikes. In the immediate area of the town there are trails through the Santa Scholastica Valley and another to the north along the Castoriana Valley passing through typical Umbrian villages to the abbey of St. Eutizio.
The best hiking trails however, can be found in Sibillini National Park. It takes about a 45 minute drive up the mountain to get to the start. Trails here circle the vast open plain of the Piano Grande (Grand Plain) and can be steep in sections. The park even does include a small ski resort. Horses in small herds run free but keep a respectful distance while flocks of sheep also graze. Views are spectacular as there a few trees as you cross this wind swept land. The Adriatic Sea can be seen in the distance on some days.
Located in the center of the Grand Piano is the village of Castelluccio, perched on a hill above the Piano Grande and a great spot to stop after your day hiking.
During our visit to Norica there was a religious festival with the main street all lit with colorful lights as a solemn procession proceeded through town to the church. Afterwards there were fireworks and dancing to a live dance in the streets. The previous day medieval flag throwers and drummers had also paraded along the car free streets.
Umbria is great for hiking, one of the unknown gems of Italy and because of that offers a great walking holiday value.
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Although you most likely have a map with you using a hiking GPS can be much more accurate especially when several trails connect, we provide indepth reviews of the top models. In particular take a look at our review of one of the most popular GPS for hiking.
Hiking in Maine