Va’ Sentiero: the new free guide to Sentiero Italia is now online

The new free guide (in Italian and English) to the world’s longest hiking route by Va’ Sentiero, the Sentiero Italia (Grand Italian Trail) is now up online. A route that covers 7000 km connecting the whole of Italy, islands included, with a guide to each and every section, by the young expedition team, Va’ Sentiero, with the support of Ferrino, to offer every hiker the incredible opportunity to explore it in person.

The motto is “Walk, discover, and... share” and with this in mind, the young members of Va’ Sentiero set off in 2019 to explore the world’s longest hiking route, the Sentiero Italia. Armed with a great love of the Italian mountains, they devised a project to share and to make the most of the environmental, cultural, and social heritage of Italy’s highlands. These are areas that are often forgotten, and which Va’ Sentiero can show us with the underlying theme of the Sentiero Italia. From the landscapes to the cuisine, faces, and even dialects, always seeking to abide by the rules of responsible tourism. 6 young people who are genuinely exploring and recording the trail, working to create multimedia material that includes a photo book, a documentary and now, a perfect guide to organise the best possible travel itinerary. It is available in Italian and English on the Va’ Sentiero website: www.vasentiero.org “The Va’ Sentiero project is a wide-ranging idea that aligns perfectly with the responsible tourism ethos we have been following for years”, explains Anna Ferrino, CEO. “We are glad to be supporting a project that raises more awareness of Italy, not just for its artistic and cultural landmarks, but also for the destinations linked to outdoor activities such as trekking. Once again, thanks to the guys at Va’ Sentiero, we can show how the Italian mountains have lots to offer in terms of fabulous nature walks with great appeal”.

What is Sentiero Italia

CNN called it “the greatest of the great walks”, the Sentiero Italia is a high trail that covers the whole of the mountain chains in Italy, in a continuous fashion. It is about eight times the length of the Camino de Santiago, and with its 7000 km, the Sentiero wins the title of the world’s longest hike. This is a trail that cannot be equalled, and it brings with it 350 gorgeous little villages, large rock faces, centuries-old woods, ancient traditions, and dialects from 20 regions of Italy, from Friuli-Venezia Giulia to Sardinia. Created in the 1990s, thanks to the work of the Associazione Sentiero Italia and the Club Alpino Italiano, over the years, this long route has been gradually abandoned. But in 2019, the Club Alpino Italiano began an important restoration project, thanks to a group of volunteers. Today, it is not just the dream of every hiker, this trail is a symbol for environmental protection, a tribute to slowness, an opportunity for those who want to care for their territory.

How does the Va’ Sentiero guide work?

The Va’ Sentiero guide is available, free of charge from www.vasentiero.org. It is an open access digital resource, which is user friendly and designed to guide anyone who wants to set off along the Sentiero Italia, providing all the information required: maps, GPS tracks, photos, and videos of highlights, together with descriptions of the route and a list of accommodation available at every stage. There are also recipes not to be missed, historical facts, local legends, and popular traditions. All of this for 14 regions, 240 stages and 4881 km (for now) along the Sentiero Italia. Each point of the guide is written based on the actual experiences of the guys from Va’ Sentiero, who, day after day, have recorded route from every viewpoint, including tips about any variations to routes during their expeditions, and advice on points of interest in the immediate vicinity of the trail.

Who are Va’ Sentiero?

Va’ Sentiero is “Walk, discover and ... share” and was created by 3 young people with a shared love of the mountains in their home country, Italy. Va’ Sentiero is a social initiative based on the idea of sharing, with the aim of making the most of the environmental, cultural, and social heritage of Italy’s highlands, but in a way that is all about sustainable tourism. Today, the team consists of 6 young hikers and, since 2019, it has been involved in a genuine expedition on foot along the Sentiero Italia, suitable for everyone – pandemic permitting, of course. The team members are a Guide & Project Manager, Photographer & Communications Director, Logistics and Events Director, Video maker, Clerk and Philosopher, and Social Media Manager, the team is involved in an authentic exploration and documentation of the trail, then in creating multimedia material. To date they have covered 14 regions out of 20 and in spring, they will be setting off again to complete the expedition by October 2021.