Autumn Colour in Italy — Where to Find the Best Fall Foliage

Foliage, Italian style: why you don't need to go to Canada

Italy has one of the richest forest biodiversities in Europe, and between October and November offers chromatic spectacles that need not envy New England. The difference is that here the foliage is experienced on foot, among medieval borghi and silent trails, without the tourist coaches that crowd the American routes. Here is where to go for the most beautiful colours.

The Casentino Forests (Tuscany–Emilia Romagna)

The Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi is considered the place with the most beautiful foliage in Italy. Beeches, maples, chestnuts and Turkey oaks create a mosaic of red, gold and orange that reaches its peak between mid-October and early November. The trail from the Foresta della Lama to Campigna (2 hours, easy) crosses the forest at its heart. The Eremo di Camaldoli makes a perfect stop. From Arezzo, Pratovecchio is reached in an hour.

Tips for the Casentino Forests

• The last weekend of October is the busiest: opt for weekdays instead
• The Passo dei Mandrioli offers the broadest panorama over the forest
• The visitor centre in Badia Prataglia provides free trail maps

Val di Non (Trentino)

The valley of apples transforms in autumn: the orchards turn golden, the larches on the slopes shift to orange and Lago di Tovel — once red from an algae now extinct — is surrounded by blazing woodland. The lakeside walk (1 hour, flat) is suitable for everyone. Not to be missed: Canyon Rio Sass at Fondo (12 euros). From Trento: 40 minutes by car.

Oasi Zegna (Biella, Piedmont)

This natural park created by the Zegna family in the 1930s is a Piedmontese secret. In autumn the beech and birch woods explode with colour along the Panoramica Zegna, a 26-km scenic road. The Bosco del Sorriso is a sensory path through the trees (1 hour). Entry is free. From Biella: 30 minutes.

Val Canali (Trentino)

At the foot of the Pale di San Martino, Val Canali in October offers one of the most spectacular contrasts in the Alps: grey, vertical Dolomite walls against forests of golden larches. Villa Welsperg, seat of the Paneveggio Park, is the starting point for easy walks. The trail along the Canali stream (1.5 hours) is particularly scenic. From Trento: one hour.

Parco dei Nebrodi (Sicily)

Foliage exists in Sicily too: the Nebrodi, the mountain range between Messina and Cefalù, is covered with beech, oak and Turkey oak forests that in November glow with warm colours. The Bosco di Mangalaviti, the southernmost beech forest in Europe, is a unique natural phenomenon. CAI-marked trails, no admission charge, no tourists. From Cefalù: an hour and a half by car.

Val di Mello (Lombardy)

Italy's Yosemite — as climbers call it — in autumn is an amphitheatre of granite and golden forest. The flat valley-floor trail (2 hours return) is easy and spectacular, with waterfalls and small pools. In October the few hikers present make the experience all the more intimate. From Sondrio: 30 minutes to San Martino, then 20 minutes on foot.

Bosco di Sant'Antonio (Abruzzo)

Near Pescocostanzo, this monumental woodland of century-old beeches and Turkey oaks is one of the most photographed in Italy in autumn. The trees have unique sculptural forms, shaped by wind and time. The circular trail (1 hour) is flat and suitable for everyone. Pescocostanzo itself is a borgo of rare elegance, with artisan workshops producing bobbin lace and wrought iron. From Sulmona: 30 minutes.

Langhe (Piedmont)

In October and November the Langhe offer a different kind of foliage: the nebbiolo, barbera and dolcetto vines turn red, orange and yellow, creating an undulating, painterly landscape. Combined with the white truffle season in Alba (Fair from October to December) and the wines, it is a multisensory experience. A lunch with tajarin al tartufo costs from 25 euros in the trattorias outside Alba.

When and how to see the foliage

• Northern Italy and mountains: peak between mid-October and early November
• Central Italy: from late October to mid-November
• South and Sicily: November, sometimes early December
• Set out early in the morning: low-angled light enhances the colours
• After rain the colours are more intense and the undergrowth is fragrant
• Bring binoculars: foliage is beautiful even from a distance
• Avoid the last Sundays of October at the most popular spots: choose weekdays instead

Italian foliage is a seasonal heritage that renews itself every year. No intercontinental flight is needed: just leave home at the right moment.