Italy is famous all over the world for its millenary history surrounded by monuments, cities of art and culture, for its gastronomic excellence and for the beautiful landscapes from North to South. The beautiful country, however, also preserves incredible natural monuments: the spectacular mountains that embellish the territory. Let’s discover the most beautiful mountains in Italy.
Il Cervino ( The Matterhorn)
The Matterhorn, with its 4478 meters of height, is the third highest mountain in Europe, dominating the Valtournenche in the Aosta Valley from the south side and the Breuil-Cervinia basin while to the north it borders Switzerland. Its pyramid shape is unmistakable and there is no mountain that, at first sight, can be recognized as the fascinating Matterhorn. The imposing ice giant has always been one of the most sought-after destinations for lovers of traditional and non-traditional climbing.
Mont Blanc ( Monte Bianco )
Mont Blanc, with its 4808 meters of altitude, is the highest mountain of all the Alps, and for this reason also known as “King of the Alps”, “roof of Europe” and “eighth wonder of the world”. Among the most famous tourist destinations in Valle d’Aosta, it offers suggestive emotions with its ice beauty and the possibility to climb up to 3,466 meters of the panoramic terrace at Punta Helbronner thanks to the futuristic Skyway cable car.
Monte Rosa
Monte Rosa, the second mountain group in the Alpine chain and undisputed king of the Pennine Alps with the 4634 meters of Punta Dufour, is a record mountain also for the presence of the highest refuge in Europe, Capanna Regina Margherita, and for the east face which is the highest and steepest of all the Alps and reminiscent of the Himalayas. There are numerous observation points in Valsesia to admire its elegant profile which, at dawn, turns pink, kissed by the first rays of the sun.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks of Lavaredo)
Enchanting symbol of the Dolomites Unesco World Heritage Site, the Three Peaks of Lavaredo are among the most admired and photographed mountains, true postcard images. A unique spectacle, the “three fingers of dolomite” is composed of three massifs: the Grande, central peak, 2999 meters high, the Cima Ovest, 2973 meters high, and the Piccola, with a height of 2857 meters. The play of light that colors its profile, from pale grey to fiery red, gives moments of pure magic.
Monte Civetta
“The most beautiful rock wall in the Alps”: this is how the writer Dino Buzzati defined Monte Civetta, a majestic mountain group in the province of Belluno, between Val di Zoldo and Agordino, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. Civetta is loved and frequented by all mountain lovers: hikers and climbers in summer who have numerous paths and refuges at their disposal, skiers in winter along the snowy slopes of Ski Civetta.
Monte Baldo
With a height of over 2000 meters, Monte Baldo is the king among the peaks that watch over Lake Garda. It is a perfect destination for lovers of botany and nature: in fact, the mountain was not covered during the Ice Age and this allowed the survival of species of plants and animals still unique in Europe. There are over 600 types of plants cataloged and this is why Monte Baldo is also known as “the botanical garden of Europe”.
Monte Vettore
At 2476 meters high, Mount Vettore is the highest relief of the Sibillini Mountains, known as “the Roof of the Marche”. Its profile, majestic and imposing, is furrowed by stony and deep gullies that characterize its rugged walls colored by limestone. On the north side, at an altitude of 1941 meters, stands out the Lake of Pilato, which is home to an autochthonous species of shrimp, the Chirocefalo del Marchesoni.
Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso is the lord of the Apennines with its 2912 meters of altitude but the whole mountain complex is a grandiose succession of peaks, crests, dizzying rock faces, peaks, towers, gentle slopes, and valleys. Set in the Gran Sasso and Monti Della Laga National Park, it overlooks a spectacular landscape embellished with medieval villages, castles, thunderous waterfalls, abbeys and woods of beech, chestnut, silver fir, and turkey oak.
Mount Etna
How not to give the right space to Mount Etna, the most spectacular active volcano in Europe and among the highest in the world? UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbol of Sicily, is protected by the Etna Natural Park, established in 1987, where there are many nature trails open to all to enjoy a suggestive, almost lunar environment. In winter, whitened by snow, it becomes an equipped ski area.
Vesuvius
Symbol of the city of Naples with its unmistakable shape, Vesuvius is one of the most famous and studied volcanoes in the world, whose birth dates back over 400,000 years. The territory of the Vesuvius National Park is characterized by breathtaking landscapes, naturalistic riches, centuries-old crops, culture and traditions that make it one of the most enchanting and visited places ever.