Crossing the Apuan Alps in the Garfagnana

The Apuan Alps are a geographical oddity: a chain of peaks as sharp and steep as miniature Dolomites, yet facing the Tyrrhenian Sea and carved by the white marble quarries famous the world over. And yet those who come to Versilia rarely look up toward the interior, and the Garfagnana side stays almost deserted. Here the stone villages, the CAI-marked trails and the mountain huts beneath the ridges tell of a real mountain world, far from the beach umbrellas of the coast. It is a world unto itself, where deep valleys, chestnut woods and the old quarrymen's paths coexist with rock faces that made the history of Apennine mountaineering, yet remain unknown to the mass tourism that stops on the sand just a few dozen kilometres below.

The crossing

The classic crossing links some of the group's most striking peaks and passes. You climb toward the area of the Rifugio Donegani and the Rifugio Orto di Donna, at the foot of the walls of Pizzo d'Uccello, one of the most forbidding mountains of the Apennines. From here you follow the trails that cross the heart of the northern Apuan Alps, touching places like the Foce di Cardeto and the crags beneath Monte Cavallo. In this very northern sector the group culminates in Monte Pisanino, the highest peak of the chain, while to the south stretch the ridges of Monte Sumbra and the Pania della Croce, the so-called Queen of the Apuans, reachable from the Rifugio Rossi.

The landscape changes constantly. You pass from the beech woods of the Garfagnana to high-altitude meadows, and finally to bare ridges where the marble surfaces gleaming white amid the grass. From above, on clear days, the eye runs all the way to the sea and the islands of the Tuscan archipelago: to see the crowded coast from a lonely, silent ridge is one of the most singular experiences these mountains offer. The scars of the quarries, the ancient quarrymen's paths and villages like Vagli or Isola Santa complete a mosaic that is both human and wild.

The difficulty

This is not an easy trek. The Apuans are steep, with big elevation gains packed into little space, rocky sections, chain-assisted passages and trails that demand a sure foot and no fear of heights. Some ridge stretches are exposed and should be tackled only in good weather. It is a crossing suited to already fit hikers, ideally split over several days by relying on the group's huts, which should be booked well in advance since they are small and seasonally run.

Getting there

To get there you reach the Garfagnana by heading up the Serchio valley from Lucca, by car or on the local railway line as far as Castelnuovo Garfagnana or Piazza al Serchio, from where roads branch off toward the valley villages and the trailheads. Without a car, moving between the valley heads is complicated, so it pays to plan your logistics carefully.

When to go

The best season runs from late spring to autumn. May and June bring flowering meadows and long days, while October turns the beech woods copper and offers crisp air and exceptional views out to sea. In high summer the ridges can be hot and busier on weekends, whereas in the shoulder seasons, and above all on weekdays, you often walk alone. Precisely because all the tourist attention is drawn to seaside Versilia, the inland side remains a refuge of quiet just a few kilometres from the crowds.

A practical tip: in these mountains the weather changes fast and fog can rise from the sea within hours, making the ridges treacherous. Set off early, always check the forecast and the condition of the assisted trails at the huts or the local CAI sections, and carry enough water, because on the limestone ridges springs are rare. Do that and the Apuans will reward you with one of the most surprising panoramas in Italy, where the mountain looks out over the sea.