Gran Sasso

Just about 100 miles northeast of Rome, in the heart of Abruzzi, is one of the most interesting mountains in Italy, the Gran Sasso. It is great to climb, and also a marvelous place to simply trek. The Gran Sasso is actually made of three peaks and this great mountain features snow almost all year long and a perennial glacier. Unfortunately, the glacier has been melting and could disappear in the next decade or so.

At the middle lower level of the Gran Sasso lies an expansive flat site called Campo Imperatore in which sits a hotel with a restaurant; this area is the main base camp for trekkers and climbers before they initiate their excursions. Campo Impertaore is also famous for being the oldest skiing station in the country.

Grand Sasso is also part of a bigger national park and it is worth remembering that the park is home to three almost extinct animals: the Marsican bear, the wolf of the Apennine, and the rare Eagle that is really the only kind of eagle in Italy. All those animals are difficult to spot, but when they come into view they make a remarkable event.

Aside from its natural elements Gran Sasso is also home to one of the most important nuclear physics labs in the world. Indeed, inside the mountain in a James Bond movie-like set up, over a mile underneath the rock, a few hundred international scientists work every day.

Marmolada : 3,343 meters

The Dolomites are altogether an amazing groups of mountains, famous for their peculiar rocks as well their climbing walls. They are internationally renowned, to the point that they have been featured in several Hollywood productions, including Sylvester Stallone's blockbuster Cliffhanger.

Marmolada is the most famous mountain of the Dolomites and the tallest, and it features the largest glacier in the area, making this mountain one of the most attractive in Europe and one of the busiest in terms of tourism. It is relatively close to gorgeous places like Fazza's Valley and Cortina d'Ampezzo, which is the Aspen of Italy, making the entire area one of the best skiing environments in the entire world.

Monviso

Top Italian Mountains

Monviso

3,841 meters.

This mountain is very dear and very famous to all Italians, as it is where the longest Italian river "Po" is born. Therefore, after the Mount Bianco being the tallest mountain, Monviso is probably the most memorized and studied mountain name by Italian students. The mountain is split between Italy and France, however the peak is entirely in the Italian territory. Differently from other mountains, whose peaks are named after climbers or scientists, the Monviso features names after Italian cities or major celebrities in Italian culture, such as Dante.

Bedsides being the starting point of the Po, Monviso is very famous for being a stand alone mountain and for its interesting shape, which the urban legend says to be the actual logo of Paramount Pictures that the entire world is so familiar with.

An almost perennial fog also characterizes Monviso and its climate, however the fog doesn't seem to scare away the hundreds of hundreds of climbers that venture the mountain every year, making it one of the most visited in the Alps, and unfortunately one with the highest record of deaths in history. Due the high volume of tourists there are many refuges where people can rest and lodge; these refuges are all scattered around the base of the mountain, and many simply prefer to walk around it, rather than up and down.

Gennargentu

This massif is not known for its heights; indeed its peaks are sort of short and round, almost like tall hills. But, it's a major landmark in the island of Sardinia and it definitely played a strong role in the history of the region; therefore, lets' spend a few words to talk about it.

Let's start with the name which is Sardinian slang and it literally translates into "Silver Door". From a geological point of view, Gennargentu's rocks are among the oldest in the world. The area where Gennargentu stands is also a national protected natural park that features some unique flora and fauna.

So, for those that go to Sardinia to enjoy the extraordinary beaches, perhaps it's time to take a little detour on the mountain site and see something a little different.

Top Italian Mountains

Etna

Mount Etna

3,329 meters.

With no doubts this is the most interesting mountain in Italy, considering that is a volcano, a very active volcano and the highest volcano in Europe, nerveless a landmark of the Mediterranean and of Sicily. The unique characteristic of the Etna is its location right above the sea, allowing snow in the spring, while people just a few miles down the road swim. Etna has indeed a fully developed skiing station and in winter time it is a true magic sight to see the lava melting the snow.

During the summer months the dry peak of the volcano reminds a lunar environment,  something that definitely you don't see every day. Anyway, the overall area of the volcano is over 100 miles and it is safe to say that the natural elements brought by the volcano have a strong effect on the entire eastern coast of Sicily, making it a very fertile land that, in combination with other factors allows some of the tastier and richest fruit and vegetables on Earth to grow.

For those who are in in Sicily for the first time, it is a sensational view to see the Etna erupting at night time, as it's a natural show second to no other, with magical colors and extraordinarily emotional. Occasionally it possible to be submerged by a rain of ashes, which is not always pleasant, but often under control, and even that is an experience of a lifetime. The cities right by the volcano and all the way down to the sea, starting with the city of Catania, were all touched by the lava one way or another, therefore lava stone is a main element in their architecture, and often used for  streets and  houses, and it creates a natural barrier against the sea.

Vesuvius

This is the second most important volcano in Italy, still very much active, although it has not erupted in over a few decades. That has not stopped the dangerous building of houses all over the mountain and although there is a great park that is supposed to be protected area, the construction continues wildly. Nobody wants a modern Pompeii, but that is exactly what has been set up. Indeed, in the 79 B.C. in one of the most famous eruptions in the history of our planet, the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were totally covered by ashes and lava, to be found almost intact centuries later, sadly also with the bodies of their dead citizens. And that is what makes that eruption even more tragic, because after centuries, it was possible to actually see people on their daily activities taken by surprise and their emotions still frozen on their faces.

Anyway, today the volcano is clearly under constant monitoring by the government and scientific agencies, and there are many evacuation plans in place. However, from a naturalistic point of view, Vesuvius remains a great attraction and it's a true joy to look at. Until a few years ago, it was possible to see smoke coming out of it, which from the bay of Naples made it a very remarkable sight.

Top Italian Mountain part 1