Umbria is well known as the ‘green heart of Italy’ and not surprisingly given it’s name, it is ideal walking territory. With an abundance of national parks to choose from, many of the areas are protected ensuring that Umbria’s natural beauty will be preserved for future generations.

The parks include the Monti Sibillini National Park as well as a number of smaller regional parks, among them Colfiorito, Monte Cucco, Monte Subasio, the Tiber River Park, Trasimeno and the Nera River Park. In addition there is the Parco STINA and some smaller reserves such as the parks of Sette Frati and Villalba, Lake Alviano and La Valle.

The largest of the parks – the Monti Sibillini National Park – is a wonderful place for hiking. Covering nearly 18,000 hectares, this is a nature lovers paradise with nearly 2000 species of flowers from edelweiss to orchids. The Monte Cucco regional Park just as good for anyone interesting in hiking. The scenery here is just as breathtaking, with an equally abundant wildlife, from crayfish in the rivers, to eagles in the air and wolves in the forests. With over 120 kilometres of trails in the park, the difficulty will be knowing which route to choose! For the birdwatcher enthusiasts out there, opt for walks in the Colfiorito Regional Park.