A guidebook to trekking the Grande Escursione Appenninica (GEA), a 400km waymarked trail through Italy’s Appenine mountains. Extending from Bocca Trabaria to Passo Due Santi through the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, the route is straightforward and suitable for a broad range of trekkers, with walking on paths, forestry tracks and quiet lanes.

The GEA is presented in 23 day stages, graded by difficulty, of between 8 and 25km, with accommodation available at each stage end (though camping is also possible on some stages). With convenient access by public transport, it is also easy to walk a shorter section of the route.

• Route description illustrated with sketch mapping and elevation profiles
• Comprehensive notes on accommodation and facilities
• Peaks including Monte Prado (the highest peak in Tuscany)
• Advice on preparation and planning
• Sized to easily fit in a jacket pocket

Contents

Map key
Overview map

Introduction
The GEA trek
The Apennines
Highlights and short walks
Plants and flowers
Animal life
Getting there
Local transport
Tourist information
When to go
Accommodation
Food and drink
What to take
Maps
Emergencies
How to use this guide
Dos and don'ts
Background reading

The GEA

Stage 1    Bocca Trabaria to Passo di Viamaggio
Stage 2    Passo di Viamaggio to Caprese Michelangelo
Stage 3    Caprese Michelangelo to La Verna
Stage 4    La Verna to Badia Prataglia
Stage 5    Badia Prataglia to Rifugio Città di Forlì
Stage 6    Rifugio Città di Forlì to Passo del Muraglione
Stage 7    Passo del Muraglione to Colla di Casaglia
Stage 8    Colla di Casaglia to Badia Moscheta
Stage 9    Badia Moscheta to Passo del Giogo
Stage 10    Passo del Giogo to Passo della Futa
Stage 11    Passo della Futa to Montepiano
Stage 12    Montepiano to Rifugio Pacini
Stage 13    Rifugio Pacini to Pracchia
Stage 14    Pracchia to Lago Scaffaiolo
Stage 15    Lago Scaffaiolo to Boscolungo
Stage 16    Boscolungo to Lago Santo Modenese
Stage 17    Lago Santo Modenese to Passo delle Radici
Stage 18    Passo delle Radici to Passo di Pradarena
Stage 19    Passo di Pradarena to Passo del Cerreto
Stage 20    Passo del Cerreto to Prato Spilla
Stage 21    Prato Spilla to Lago Santo Parmense
Stage 22    Lago Santo Parmense to Passo della Cisa
Stage 23    Passo della Cisa to Passo dei Due Santi

Appendix A    Route summary
Appendix B    Italian–English glossary
Appendix C    Useful contacts
 

Seasons

spring through to autumn: late June-September fits best with accommodation availability in the central section

Centres

Abetone, Arezzo, Bibbiena, Bologna, Parma, Pieve Pelago, Pistoia, Pontremoli, Porretta Terme, Prato, Reggio Emilia, Sansepolcro

Difficulty

no special experience needed: any fit walker can embark on this route, and there are plenty of short sections, making the route perfect for bespoke walking holidays. The few moderately exposed stretches can always be detoured

Must See

the Casentino National Park and Franciscan sanctuaries; the WW2 Gothic line; open ridges on the northern stretch; alpine-style lakes in the Apennines National Park; Monte Prado, Tuscany's highest peak (2054m); magnificent beech woods; alpine flowers

July 2023

Rigoso B&B

August 2021

Stage 5

October 2018

Updates

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.