Читать книгу Walking in Tuscany. 43 walks including Val d'Orcia, San Gimignano and the Isle of Elba онлайн

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Summer (June–August) brings lovely conditions on the coast although not necessarily the best for walking inland, where heat and mugginess can take the pleasure out of it and haze can spoil visibility. Mid August is peak holiday season so the main towns and the island of Elba are inadvisable unless you have advance booking for accommodation and don’t mind extortionate prices, blazing heat and traffic-choked roads. However, this is also the time of year when higher altitudes such as the Casentino forests and the mountainous Alpi Apuane and Apennines come into their own, with pleasant temperatures even in July and August.

Climbing beneath the sheer face of Monte Nona in the Alpi Apuane (Walk 12)

Autumn (September–November) is a very promising season as visitors are few and far between. Italy stays on daylight saving time until the end of October, meaning long walking days (it gets dark around 6–7pm). Foliage can be spectacular, with brilliant reds and hues of yellow and orange during the grape harvests. Leaves scrunch underfoot and in the woods you risk bombardment by falling spiky chestnuts. The sole negative note comes from the Sunday gunshots and yapping dogs who belong to the hunters. November is probably best avoided as it is notoriously foggy.