If you’re looking to visit Italy sans crowds, perhaps the Dolomites mountain range’s new seven-day hike is for you. The Cammino Retico is a 170-kilometre, circular route that connects various remote villages between the Veneto and Trentino regions, and will wind through limestone peaks, idyllic valleys and lakes. 

The brand new route has opened for the summer and is hoping to attract tourists from hot spots – like the Amalfi Coast and Venice – and get them experiencing slow and sustainable tourism in lesser-known regions where depopulation is a serious risk for locals. 

This stunning new hiking trail will begin and end in Aune di Sovramonte, near the city of Belluno. It should take hikers seven days to complete and will wind its way through 10 municipalities. At night, hikers will be able to stay in mountain communities, with 50 accommodation options along the trail. Included is the walled town of Feltre and the lakeside town village of Arsiè. 

For the history lovers there are points of interest along the way. Along the route hikers will pass the 12th century Sanctuary of Saints Vittore and Corona, as well as the 17th century Villa delle Centenere. Stop at Monte Avena and discover traces of Neanderthal populations.

Come 2025, a second route is set to open for cyclists and will cover similar elevation ranges of the hiking trail, between 400 and 1,450 metres above sea level. So if this seems like a good fit for you, ditch the crowds and take a walk on the wild side of Italy. 

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