Mountain Traveler is a series about travelers in the mountains.

Susan Van Allen wrote this guest post on hiking in Italy.  She is the Italian American author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go.

Van Allen has been traveling to Italy since 1976, enjoying all the pleasures this country has to offer.

Susan Van Allen’s Italy travel guide.

Experiencing Italy on foot is the perfect way to savor every detail of this beautiful country, get peace of mind, and a good fragrant hit of nature while you’re at it.

Some of my favorite trails are along the coasts. In the northern region of Liguria, there’s the popular Sentiero Azzuro (Blue Path) in the Cinque Terre, which connects five enchanting seaside villages.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy.

You can do the entire hike in 5 or 6 hours (beginning in Riomaggiore) and then, after a refreshing swim in Monterosso, take a ferry or train back to your starting point. But it’s best to settle in for a few days, to indulge in beach and boating time. There is a 5 euro charge for entrance to the Sentiero Azzuro, and be aware that it gets very crowded in high tourist summer season.

My most beloved coastal hike is the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods), above the Amalfi Coast, south of Naples. Steep paths that were once used for mules to carry goods to the villages take you through lemon groves, forests, and vineyards, with stunning views of the candy-colored towns below that stretch out to the tantalizing sea horizon.

Amalfi Coast, Campania.

If you prefer to go inland, the regions of Tuscany and Umbria are tops for hiking in the hills. Trails are well-marked and there are maps available at the small town tourist offices. An especially appealing hike starts from Cannara in Umbria and leads up to the fields of Pian d’Arca, where Saint Francis gave his famous Sermon to the Birds.

If you’re up for a week of group hiking, Country Walkers, offers excellent choices all up and down the boot, with native guides.

Country Walkers trips are perfect for solo travelers and for families. With everything taken care of, (meals and accommodations are included), it’s an especially stress-free way to experience bell’Italia.

This travel company is dedicated to sustainable tourism, so all their trips are environmentally responsible, and give travelers a great opportunity to blend in with the local culture.

Lipari, Sicily.

Last fall, I joined a wonderful Country Walkers trip in eastern Sicily. A great variety of terrain made for amazing times: one day we’d be hiking with the sun on our shoulders through the Oasi Naturale di Vendicari, amongst marshes, cactus and wild thyme, then we’d be bundled up at the top of Mount Etna, with icy wind whipping around us as we hovered over smoking craters, awestruck.

A highlight of a lifetime was climbing Stromboli, one of the Aeolian Islands, that lies between Sicily and the mainland. At the summit we were wowed by the island’s still active volcano, simmering and exploding with a low thunderous rumble and sparkling crimson fireworks.

Images courtesy of Susan Van Allen and the Italian State Tourist Board.

This is a Guest Post.