Where are the Apennine Mountains? That is a question to which most Americans do not know the answer.
Almost No Tourists
We recently ran our first tour in the Apennine Mountains, a seven-day hiking adventure. From the moment we left our meeting city to the point we reached our final destination, we saw only two groups of travelers from outside Italy where the mountains lie: a youth group from France and an Australian couple. That is it: two groups of non-Italian tourists in six days of hiking! And no Americans. Not on the trails, in the towns, or at the historical stops along the way. The Apennine Mountains are simply not on the radar of most travelers and this left our small group thrilled with the idea that we were experiencing real Italian culture each stop we made and each person we met.
In the Footsteps of St. Francis
Our recent tour was actually set up as the St. Francis Way Hiking Adventure, as this region was where the famous saint spent most of his life. We were able to learn about St. Francis and visit a number of hilltop sanctuaries and monasteries. Yet it turned out none of our group had signed up for the tour because of the connection to St. Francis. Instead, we all had other motivations: see the beautiful landscapes of Tuscany from a different vantage point, do a hiking trip in a region more moderate than the Alps or Dolomites, or simply enjoy the incredible benefits of being in Italy with our local guide Giovanni. And really, the trip was only partially about St. Francis and much more about all of Italian history, from pre-Roman Etruscan times up through modern life. We learned about the culture of Italy seemingly unchanged by modern life and focused on enjoying local food and drink that was specific to this region of Tuscany. So we renamed this tour for 2026, calling it Italy’s Apennine Mountains Hiking Adventure to more accurately represent the trip.
Apennine Mountains Hiking
The hiking on this tour is moderate. The Apennines themselves are not super high (less than 10,000 feet). There is a hiking trail that often runs along the ridge top down the spine of the mountain chain and we avoid the big ups by transferring most mornings to the top of the ridge. Our hikes average just over eight miles per day and most days we limit elevation gain to 1,000 feet.
What does that mean on the ground? Walking eight miles in a day for six days in a row can be tiring but without many huge uphills it is entirely doable for people in moderate shape. We use a combination of dirt trails, gravel roads, and stone paths that give us great variety of scenery. We walked through some of the largest intact forests in Europe, looked down from on high over the beautiful Tuscan countryside, and stayed in small towns and villages each night.
So where are the Apennine Mountains?
Where are the Apennine Mountains? We have already learned they are in Italy and our Apennine Mountains Hiking Adventure takes place in Tuscany. However, the Apennines actually run almost the entire length of Italy, 750 miles, starting in the Northwest and ending in the south. They impact almost every region of Italy and are crucial to Italy‘s climate, flora and fauna, history, and culture.
Ask an Italian, and they can tell you all about the Apennine Mountains. But try to find a non-Italian tourist on the trail and you might be looking awhile! For a taste of pure, unfiltered Italy join us on our Apennine Mountains Hiking Adventure, May 3 – 9, 2026.
