Italy is starting to reopen to tourism after a long lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and the Italian Environment Ministry have joined forces to open a new hiking trail that connects all 25 national parks across the country. This is part of an effort to promote nature conservation and encourage outdoor recreation in Italy.
The route of the new walking trail stretches from north to south.
Mr. Sergio Costa, Minister of the Environment of Italy, emphasized the importance of conservation and education when creating this new walking route. He said that people need more outdoor activities during the recovery period after Covid-19, so this can be considered a project to spread environmental culture, biodiversity and sustainable development to everyone.
The new route has 9 more national parks than the old route.
The new Italian walking route, called the Sentiero dei Parchi or "Route of the Parks," passes through the snow-capped mountains of the Dolomites and Alps, along the coast of Cinque Terre, across the rolling hills of Tuscany to the caves and forests of Abruzzo, plus parts of routes on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park
del Pollino National Park
del Gargano National Park
Italy already has a walking trail called the Sentiero Italia, or "Italian Way," which runs nearly 7,000 kilometers along the Apennine and Alpine ridges, from Santa Teresa Gallura in the north of Sardinia to the town of Muggia in the province of Trieste. But it only connects about 16 of Italy's 25 national parks.
dello Stelvio National Park
National Park del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni
The Sentiero dei Parchi will be different, this section of the road will be extended on the old route to be able to pass through all 25 national parks across the country, including many newly added protected areas, biosphere reserves and UNESCO natural heritage sites.
Many protected areas, biosphere reserves and UNESCO natural heritage sites will be added along this route.
From now until 2033, the Italian Ministry of Environment will invest about 35 million EUR (about 40 million USD) to maintain the road, restore sections damaged by weather and natural disasters, and organize activities to enhance local cultural identity and support the economic development of sustainable tourism.
Sentiero dei Parchi is part of an effort to promote nature conservation and encourage outdoor recreation in Italy.
Like the Camino de Santiago and other long-distance treks around the world, hikers can collect passport stamps at various stops along the way. Upon completing the entire Sentiero dei Parchi, hikers will receive a stamp from the Ministry of the Environment and the Italian Alpine Club.
(1).jpg_0.jpg)
