About Traveling to Italy

Italian Park System

While visitors to the Italian park system have reported that it lacks the same level of organization and trail preparation as its U.S. and U.K. counterparts, Italy boasts a robust network of outdoor sites. Outdoor opportunities abound in the Alps, Apennines and special nature preserves within its astoundingly beautiful river and lakes regions.

Alps

The Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi, located at the edge of the southeastern Alps in Italy's Venetia region, features an extraordinary landscape of mountains and lush valleys and is home to rare species of flora.

The Apennines

In the extreme south of the province of Alessandria lies Parco Naturale Capanne di Marcarolo. The park's namesake, the plateau of Marcarolo, is situated in the mountain area of the Apennine of Liguria and Piedmont. The area is renowned for the waterways and wetlands traversing through it.

Rivers and Lakes

Riserva Naturale della Foce dell'Isonzo possesses a marshy landscape and several lagoons and is the habitat of 250 species of (primarily) aquatic birds.

Coasts and Islands

Parco del Delta del Po in the Emilia-Romagna region features a number of important Italian monuments, including the Abbey of Pomposa; St. Apollinare in Classe; the "chiaviche" (monumental water locks); and the historical town centers of Mesola, Comacchio, Ravenna and Cervia.

Metropolitan Areas

The Parco Naturale Laghi di Avigliana is located at the the mouth of the Susa valley and is about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the famous city of Turin. It is adjacent to Mt. Pirchiriano, where the abbey of the Sacra di San Michele is situated.