Between Lucca and La Spezia is a piece of unknown Tuscany, which is an insider tip among hikers. Spring, summer, autumn and winter - Tuscany and the Apuan Alps are a travel destination for every season.
The wild mountain landscape of the Apuan Alps is incredibly diverse. Dense forests with well-developed hiking trails lead through an area that ranges from rough to wildly romantic. In the northwest the mountain range is bounded by the Magra river, in the east the Serchio river forms the border and in the southwest the Versilia joins the mouth of the Vesilia river, which is also the namesake for the region.
Although the mountain range is called the Apuan Alps, it actually has nothing in common with the Alps. The name goes back to the ancient Apuan tribe.
The Apuan Alps and the white gold of Tuscany
Slightly undulating hills with lots of green and the typical slender cypress trees, picturesque small villages and fascinating medieval cities with a rich culture, exciting stories - that is Tuscany as we know it from travel brochures.
Wine lovers swear by them famous wines and the rich cuisine. Northern Tuscany have Marble mountains around Carrara World fame entered and the white gold has secured wealth after prosperity. The rugged, rocky mountains of the Apuan Alps rise up to 1945 meters directly above the sea.
In contrast to the gentle slopes of the Tuscan Apennines, you will find high mountains here that the most beautiful mountain hikes promises and, in addition to a grandiose mountain panorama, also offers breathtaking views again and again. In the distance, the marble quarries appear again and again like a mirage or oversized snowfields.
The mountains around Vagli Sotto are beautiful and at the same time a paradise for hikers, walkers or trekking tours. The 1700 meter high summit of Monte Roccandigia invites you to enjoy hiking. The village of Campocatino is 1000 meters above sea level and from here it goes over green meadows, over a moraine hill along a glacier basin and past the typical shepherds' huts to the bizarre rock faces of Monte Roccandigia.
Marble quarry near Carrara 
Marble quarry near Carrara
The highest peaks in the Apuan Alps
The fourth highest mountain in the Apuan Alps, the Pania della Croce, rises majestically at 1858 meters. It goes up quite steeply through beech forests and over scree fields. The view in between is always phenomenal and the view from the summit cross is hard to describe. The green hills of Tuscany alternate with a view of the Ligurian and Tyrennian Seas, the Apennines and the shiny white mountains near Carrara. Some tempting mountain tours lead to the highest mountains:
- the 1946 meter high Monte Pisanino
- the 1890 meter high Monte Tambura
- the 1888 meter high Monte Cavallo
- the 1808 meter high Monte Grondilice
. As tempting as many of the trekking tours and mountain hikes are and seem harmless and simple at first glance, you need some experience and respect for nature. Fog fields that suddenly appear are particularly notorious. Monte Forato is of unusual beauty. Due to the erosion of the natural elements, a natural arch with a width of 32 meters and a height of 25 meters has formed between the two mountain peaks. A miracle of nature lets the sun go down twice here. First the sun disappears just above the arch behind the rock and then reappears in the hole, giving the impression that it has set twice.
Mount Cavallo 1890 m 
Mount Pisanino 1946m 
Mount Tambura 1890m
Picturesque places as starting points for exciting mountain tours
Much here resembles the Alps. Numerous huts offer accommodation for multi-day hikes. The huts are open from mid-June to mid-September. So if you want to use spring or autumn for extended hikes outside of this time, you should perhaps drive from one of the places on the coast to the mountains or stay overnight in one of the historic mountain villages of Stazzema, Arni, Cardoso or Pomezzana.
Especially in late autumn the mountains show themselves in all their splendor when the chestnut forests put on their colorful dress. Then the temperatures are also lower than in summer and ideal for hiking.
The diversity of the landscape makes the Apualese mountain range one of the most original in Italy. The karst mountains impress not only with their rugged rock walls, but also with large underground cavities. For example, the cave "Antro del Corchia" is one of the largest cave and grotto systems in the world. Of the total length of 150 kilometers, however, only two kilometers are accessible to tourists.
Hiking and swimming surrounded by a lot of culture and an impressive landscape
On the hiking trails between Lucca and La Spezia you will come across small rustic villages and churches that are well worth seeing. Imposing villas of rich, famous aristocratic families such as the Villa Medici invite you to take a break in beautiful parks and gardens. Rich Merchants from Lucca built the town of Massarosa into an important trading center and their magnificent villas still shape the cityscape today.
In the hilly surrounding area, a Mediterranean flora enchants with eucalyptus trees, cypresses and poplars. It lies dreamily embedded Lake Massaciuccoli and invites you to swim. Every step of the way on all hikes through the mighty mountains, views of a Tuscany like from a picture book emerge again and again. The via ferratas on the Garfagnana Trek, the Apuana Trek and the Pigglione Trek are an alpine challenge for trained and experienced mountaineers. The paths are well marked and maintained. Regardless of whether the wild and romantic area is hiked on foot or explored by mountain bike, one of the most interesting hiking areas that Italy has to offer captivates everyone.
Last updated: 11.03.2021
