What you get on this adventure: An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area Seven days of hiking Round-trip transportation from Pisa International Airport to the accommodation and back Transportation from the Apuan Alps to Pisa on the last day Accommodation for 7 nights on a twin-sharing basis 7 breakfasts, lunches and dinners What’s not included: Unexpected transfers not planned in the program Visits to particular tourist sites Optional activities and personal expenses Transportation to the destination

How fit do I need to be?

In order to participate in these guided hiking tours, you need to be in very good physical shape. You’ll be hiking anywhere between 4 and 7 hours every day, covering up to 16 km (10 miles) with ascents ranging from 550m (1,800 ft) to 950m (3,116 ft). Keep in mind, you’ll be packing a daypack filled with water and other things you’ll need throughout the day.

What do I need to bring?

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring: Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 30L bag) Hiking poles — optional Water bottle or hydration bladder (2-3L capacity) Hat and gloves Walking boots with good ankle support Comfortable padded walking socks Warm fleece jumper Spare clothes for layering Waterproof rain jacket Lightweight hiking pants Hiking shorts Towels Bathing suits Sunhat Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.) Headlamp or flashlight Sunglasses Binoculars — optional Blister packs — optional Camera — optional (but recommended) Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and age requirements

Group sizes and prices: The group size for these group hiking adventures is 5–11 people with one guide. Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows. Hiking in Tuscany can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements. Min. age requirements: If you are older than 18, you’re good to go. Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. If your group has hikers under the age of 18 , contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Deposits and cancellation policy

Secure your spot for the following season with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you’ll be the first one to know. Pick the month that suits you best and we’ll let you know once the dates are live—don’t risk missing out on your bucket list adventure! Only 10% of the total amount should be paid as a deposit upon booking. This deposit is non-refundable, but can be transferred to another 57hours adventure in case the dates don’t suit you by the end of the year. Once the set dates for the following season are live, you can confirm your booking by the end of this year by paying another 20% of the total amount. The final balance is due 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. For set dates, a 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies. In case of cancellation on your part, the cancellation fee will be kept by your guiding service in the following manner: More than 30 days before the departure: €200 per person for set-up fees. Between 29 and 16 days before the departure: 50% of the full price of your holiday. Between 15 and 2 days before the departure: 90% of the full price of your holiday. Less than 2 days before the departure: 100% of the full price of your holiday. Keep in mind that: The interruption of a holiday by a participant cannot give rise to a refund. If you can find a suitable and willing replacement more than 30 days before the departure, you will only be charged the €200 per person for set-up fee. With less than 30 days before departure, any modification of your holiday will be regarded as a cancellation. In case of cancellation by the guide due to the minimum number of participants not being reached, or as a result of conditions questioning the safety of the participants, or for a case of absolute necessity at least 21 days before the departure, you will be proposed, in the majority of the cases at least, a formula for replacement. If this formula is not convenient for you, you will be entirely refunded.

Getting there and meeting location

Your guides will pick you up in the Garfagnana valley, then transfer you to the Lavacchio Farm in Tuscany, which will be your homebase for the remainder of the tour.

Covid measures in Tuscany, Italy

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity. We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Tuscany, Italy, please refer to Italy’s Ministry of Health Website and the Italian National Tourist Board Website . Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

Hiker on top of the mountain in Apuan Alps

Hike and Explore the Wild Heart of Tuscany

For most, the name Tuscany brings to mind a vision of cobbled piazzas, combed vineyards in Chianti, or marble basilicas sparkling with Renaissance art—but beyond the luster of Florence and Pisa, Central Italy hides a more dramatic side.

This all-inclusive 8-day hiking tour is your ticket to the wild heart of Tuscany. Set off for the luxuriant forests of the Garfagnana region, traipse through medieval history in the Serchio Valley, and explore mysterious mountain ranges dripping with legend and lore—all while tasting the sweet life at a cozy rustic farm.

A hiker sitting on a cliff in Tuscany, overlooking the Apuan Alps

Hiker walking on path in the Apennine Mountains, Tuscany

In the Tuscan countryside, life moves at hiking pace

Confined and cleaved by over 4,000 mountains, Tuscany is a region whose soaring beauty has to be admired from above. The perfect place to do it is Garfagnana, a historic area north of Pisa, nestled between the Apuan Alps to the west and Apennine Mountains to the east.

For eight days, you will follow hidden trails through dense chestnut forests, along rolling alpine meadows, and up to fantastic peaks that vanish in the clouds. These are Tuscan treasures you won’t find in tourist brochures—but ones your local guide will know a thousand stories about.

GRAND TUSCAN VISTAS
MOUNTAINS OF MARBLE
LUSH VALLEYS & FORESTS
ITALIAN HOSPITALITY
LOCAL DELICACIES

Hiking on the summit of Apuan Alps in Tuscany.

Where hiking and hedonism meet

IDYLLIC COMFORT ABOVE THE FORESTS OF GARFAGNANA

Throughout this tour, your homebase will be the newly restored Lavacchio Farm, an organic oasis where there are no guests, only friends. After 5-7 hours of hiking in the mountains, coming back to a homemade meal, fine wine and a swim in the pool feels like paradise.

In the spirit of Italian culture, you will dine together with your hosts, who will make sure your bellies are full and your faces alight with laughter. All the while, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Garfagnana and the Apuan Alps glistening from afar.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF POETS AND PARTISANS

Start your hiking adventure in the Serchio Valley, where sleepy villages, medieval churches, and preserved WW2 bunkers hide behind every corner. This is an area steeped in history—just as Dante traveled these mountains in search of inspiration, Italian partisans found freedom on its long-forgotten paths.

Pay a visit to a 900-year old Romanesque church tucked away in the hills before taking an old shepherd’s path to the rolling pastures and endless vistas of Prato Fiorito. Nothing speaks to the immense power of the mountains like the image of nearby hamlets buried by landslides centuries ago.

Foce Carpinelli, mountaIn landscape between Lunigiana and Garfagnana (Tuscany, Italy) at summer

Discover the wild side of Tuscany

Climb to the top of Central Italy

VIEWS ALL THE WAY TO THE ALPS

The highlights of Garfagnana are the two craggy kings of Tuscany—the Apennine Mountains and the Apuan Alps. Extending for over 1,200 kilometers, the Apennines form the rugged backbone of the boot-shaped peninsula.

When you reach the snaking ridge of Monte Prado, the dividing line separating the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, you’ll feel like you’re walking on air. And if you direct your gaze northwards, the Alps will greet you with their snowy peaks.

VIEWS ALL THE WAY TO THE COAST

The Apuan Alps are known as Italy’s Mountains of Marble—the world’s purest has been quarried here since Roman times. Sparkling just as bright is the Mediterranean Sea lapping the Ligurian Coast in the distance.

You’ll start by following an old trading route to Monte Forato, where the forces of wind and water have carved natural arches into the mountain. Then, after a pizza night and wine tasting, it’s time to ascend Pania, the Queen of the Apuan Alps.

Trekking on Monte Forato also called Pania Forata, the highest swing in the world.

ITALY’S LOVE LETTER TO MOUNTAINS

Owing to its enchanting rural scenery, Garfagnana has always been a region rich in folklore. One of the most beautiful local tales tells a story of the Dead Man—a ridgeline of Pania that forms the profile of a sleeping giant.

According to legend, a young shepherd, plagued by unrequited love, lay down on the pasture and perished from sadness. Moved by his tragic fate, the spirit of the mountains transformed him into this crest of the Apuan Alps.

As you say goodbye to the Tuscan countryside, the giant will remain in slumber, forever awaiting the return of his loved one.

Daffodil-covered field under Monte Croce in Tuscany

Barga cityscape in the Garfagnana region of Tuscany.

Your guide

Born and raised in Lucca, Italy, Stefano Lera has been working as an eco-friendly hiking guide since 2013. He leads customized hiking tours all over Central Italy, the Apuan Alps and the Apennines. Stefano is the founder of Wild Trails Hiking Guides, as well as a park guide in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, where he organizes outdoor activities for local school children.