These Italian mountains are real beauties! Italy is a country of art, as everyone knows. Long before people arrived, nature had already made it so. And the combination of the two is magnificent.
Beyond their beauty, all the great Italian mountain ranges visited by Grand Angle share a distinctive blend of cultures, shaped by their history. Magnificent peaks, unspoilt nature, excellent comfort, Italian joie de vivre and unique heritage: quite a combination, isn’t it?
The Tour du Mont Blanc
Yes, the summit of Mont Blanc straddles the border between France and Italy! The Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif extends towards Courmayeur and the Aosta Valley. This classic walking route never loses its appeal. Guided or self-guided, the classic 8-day itinerary or the full circuit: you’ll find the tour that suits you. And to picture yourself there, read our article on the most beautiful passes on the Tour du Mont Blanc or watch our video here.
Hikers on the Tour du Mont Blanc © A. Le Goff
A landscape in bloom on the Tour du Mont Blanc © A. Le Goff
The Aosta Valley and its crown of 4000+ peaks
Once part of Savoy, then French, before becoming Italian in 1860 and an autonomous region in 1948, the Aosta Valley has both French and Italian as official languages. Its many Roman remains and countless fortified castles bear witness to the region’s historical role as a crossing point, via the Great and Little St Bernard passes.
As for nature, it is a paradise, passionately protected and threaded with lakes, glaciers and rivers. 14 side valleys, with beautiful stone villages, meet the Dora Baltea river, which winds through the Aosta Valley. The valley is surrounded by celebrated peaks, including the “5 Giants”, rising above 4000m: Mont Blanc, Grand Combin, the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso.
Gran Paradiso and the Aosta Valley © François Ribard
Gran Paradiso National Park: a centenarian at its peak!
This national park, partly located in the Aosta Valley, deserves a special mention. It is Italy’s oldest national park, first established by the king in 1856 to protect the ibex. You certainly won’t miss the ibex here! You’ll also find chamois, marmots, foxes, eagles and more. It is the Alpine nature reserve with the richest wildlife heritage. The park’s 70.000 hectares, at elevations between 800 and 4061m, also harbour rich and often rare flora in a majestic setting. Bordering France, it continues into Vanoise National Park.
Gran Paradiso National Park was established in its current form in 1922.
Gran Paradiso © François Ribard
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Monte Rosa, between Switzerland and Italy
No fewer than 7 valleys surround the Monte Rosa massif, the second-highest massif in the Alps after Mont Blanc: 5 in Italy, including 3 in the Aosta Valley, and 2 in the Swiss canton of Valais. Expect magnificent stages, high mountain passes, glaciers, high Alpine pastures, rushing streams, lakes and villages. A demanding and unique circuit.
Monte Rosa © Shutterstock
Bernina, in the land of the piz
Here, the peaks are called “piz”. Naturally enough, Piz Bernina (4048m, another 4000!) stands in the very chic and beautiful Swiss canton of Graubünden, with its vast, mirror-like lakes. Its pass links Switzerland’s Upper Engadine with Italy’s Valtellina. On the Bernina circuit, you descend into Italy’s Valmalenco via the Passo Muretto.
Piz Bernina © Shutterstock
Once the Dolomites, always the Dolomites
See the Dolomites and you’ll want to return again and again, such is the uniqueness and variety of these mountains, with their twenty or so distinct limestone formations: peaks, sheer walls, towers, cirques and plateaus overlooking green valleys. As the hours pass, sunlight plays across the dolomite walls, turning them white, pink or gold. In the evening, from the remarkable and very comfortable mountain huts, nature treats you to a unique spectacle. Yes, the Dolomites are among the most beautiful mountains in the world, rightly recognised as a World Heritage Site.
The Dolomites also have a turbulent recent history, which has given the region a blend of Austrian and Italian cultures. You’ll find Austrian comfort and Italian joie de vivre, along with the best of both cuisines!
The Dolomites are accessible to more than just experienced mountain hikers. They are Grand Angle’s favourite mountains and our speciality, and we wanted to share our passion with everyone: with us, you’ll find walks for every ability and every trip length. And to picture yourself on your trip, read Thomas’s account: 4 days of hiking in the Dolomites.
A hiker in the Dolomites © Shutterstock
See all our walking holidays in the Italian Alps or keep reading with Solène’s article on Italy’s most beautiful landscapes.
