Trekking in the Apennines. Gillian Price

are marvellous hostel-like huts mostly run by CAI, the Italian Alpine Club, but open to everyone. Reachable only on foot they are manned by a custodian (gestore) and a merry band of helpers and provide bunk beds in dormitories, along with a café and restaurant service; most also have hot showers. CAI cardholders and members of overseas alpine clubs with reciprocal rights are entitled to discounted rates. UK residents can join either CAI or its Austrian counterpart – see Appendix C. A quick note on hut etiquette: walking boots should be left in the entrance hall where slippers or flip-flops are usually available for guests; from 10pm to 6am it’s ‘lights out’ and silence. Unless specified otherwise, guests need their own sleeping sheet and towel.

      Hotel at San Godenzo (Stage 6)

      A Posto Tappa is the Italian equivalent of the French gîte d’étape walkers’ hostel; only two are encountered on the GEA – in Stages 7 and 13. They offer dorm accommodation and cooking facilities. Two unmanned and basic bivacco huts are also en route – they are always open but you need to be self-sufficient in food, sleeping bag and possibly water. A foresteria, on the other hand, refers to guest quarters at a monastery, though these days this usually translates as hotel-standard facilities.

      Carry a stash of euros in cash as credit cards are rarely accepted for payment in the rifugi – unlike the majority of hotels and restaurants. Banks and ATMs in villages en route are listed in the walk description.

      Rifugio Mariotti sits on the edge of Lago Santo Parmense (Stage 21)

      When using the phone in Italy always include the ‘0’ of the area code, even for local calls. The sole exceptions are toll-free numbers beginning with ‘800’ and mobile phones that start with ‘3’, and the emergency numbers. All attempts at speaking Italian are appreciated – helpful expressions can be found in Appendix B.

      Camping

      By far the best way to enjoy this trek would be to combine guesthouses and camping out along the way; groceries can be purchased at the villages, and water is available en route. For walkers who prefer the freedom and don’t mind the extra weight, the odd discreet pitch won’t be a problem. A single night is tolerated in the designated national park areas of the Casentino (Stages 4–6) and the Appenino Tosco-emiliano (Stages 18–22). Generally speaking avoid private property and always check where possible. The only designated camping grounds on the route are located near Badia Prataglia (Stage 5), Passo della Futa (Stage 10) and Rigoso (off-route, Stage 20). In any case, early in the season it is a good idea to go equipped with bivvy gear just in case accommodation is not available.

Food and drink

      Though it stays in Tuscany for the most part, the trek also takes in corners of the Italian regions of Umbria and Emilia-Romagna, and ends up at the doors of Liguria. Each is renowned for distinctive and memorable cuisine, a wonderful bonus for visitors.

      A good rule is to be adventurous and ask the staff what their specialities are. Don’t skip the antipasti (starters) unless you have a particular aversion to bruschetta, crunchy bread rubbed with fresh garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and chopped fresh tomatoes. Then there are crostini, an unfailingly scrumptious assortment of toasted bread morsels piled with pâté, melted goat’s cheese, wild mushrooms or olive paste. Don’t miss Emilian crescentine, also known as ficattole by the Tuscans: lightly fried savoury pastry, akin to soft Indian naan bread, served warm with thin slices of ham, salami or local sausage such as finocchiona, flavoured with fennel seeds. The famous cured Parma ham is prosciutto crudo.

      All manner of fresh home-rolled pasta is proudly on offer. One traditional speciality is tortelli (similar to ravioli) con ripieno di patate with a potato or zucca pumpkin filling, or stuffed with creamy but light ricotta cheese and spinach. Ravioli toscani on the other hand are filled with meat and vegetables. They come either smothered in rich pomodoro (tomato) or al ragù, the tomatoey-meat sauce that made Bologna famous, if not al burro e salvia (melted butter with a hint of sage). Widespread are pappardelle al cinghiale, flat ribbon pasta served with a rich pungent sauce of stewed boar, not to everyone’s taste, though a worthy alternative comes with funghi, wild mushroom sauce. Thick homemade bringoli are a spaghetti lookalike that hail from Umbria and come with sauces of vegetables and mature cheese. Freshly grated parmigiano cheese accompanies most pasta dishes.

      Polenta, a thick corn porridge that goes well with stews, may be available; leftover pieces are sometimes fried. Towards the end of the trek near Tuscany’s border with Liguria, you’ll encounter testaroli al pesto, simple pasta squares prepared from a batter cooked on a griddle, then softened in hot water prior to serving, and accompanied by an aromatic sauce of olive oil, basil, pine nuts, parmigiano and pecorino cheeses.

      Country-style minestrone is a thick flavoursome soup with tons of vegetables, otherwise there’s zuppa di ceci, chick pea soup, or the traditional home-style Tuscan staple zuppa di farro with spelt, a nutty-tasting type of wheat. Zuppa di porcini made with mushrooms is a must-taste.

      The second course is almost exclusively meat. One standard is the renowned fiorentina, a mammoth T-bone steak; the locals boast it has to weigh at least one kilo to earn the name. Then there’s lamb which is delicious as crumbed fried cutlets, agnello fritto. Game (selvaggina) is common, possibly boar (cinghiale), pigeon (piccione) or rabbit (coniglio). Cheeses are concentrated on the amazing range of tangy pecorino from sheep, but there are other cow’s milk treats such as rich pungent formaggio di fosso, which has been buried in straw and is often served with honey.

      The Pontremoli valley is clearly seen from Monte Orsaro (Stage 22)

      Vegetables are usually served as a side dish, contorno, and will depend on the season, verdure di stagione. An insalata mista will get you a mixed salad, with olive oil and vinegar brought separately.