Italy Coast to Coast Walk 2026

In the last post we talked about how we researched our trip. After we have planned our route based on this research, we have to make sure we are fit enough and have the right gear to undertake it. This is the focus of this post, what we have done in the past along with a couple of tweaks for this trip. Training We keep ourselves generally fit by walking and bike riding in the (hilly) Northern Rivers. As well as walking locally most days, one day a week we usually complete the Ballina to Lennox Head coastal walk, a distance of about 20 km. As departure date grows closer, we increase the distance by adding on loops into Ballina and carrying increasing weight, until we end up in full kit. We also increase the food intake! Foot Care We both currently wear Merrell Moab hiking shoes, which have wide toe boxes and are waterproof. We replace the inner soles with gel soles for added comfort. Our preferred socks are Darn Tough, although Kath is experimenting with toe socks this time as well. We ...

One of the great joys of these long trips is the anticipation - looking forward to being in a country with a different history and culture, learning a bit of the language, and reading about the places we'll be walking through. For this trip, we have consulted guide books for the long-distance walking paths that form part of our route.  We have also dipped in to generic guide books. Then there are the walking narratives covering various sections of our route.  We have read books about art, food, and history, and biographies of people who are associated with some of the places on our itinerary (eg Pavarotti with Modena, Hannibal with Lake Trasimene, Pantani with Cesenatico). We discovered that Pantani lived in the same house in Cesenatico where Garibaldi had stayed during his retreat from Rome in 1849 - and we hadn't even heard of Cesenatico before planning this trip.  Turning to fiction, we have read several novels set along our route, both historical and contemporary. We ...

We're excited to be getting ready for another adventure! This time we are heading to Italy. The plan is to walk from the East Coast to the West Coast,  starting from Marina di Ravenna on the Adriatic Sea on Tuesday 21 April, arriving at Ostia on the Tyrrhenian Sea on Sunday 12 July.  Using walking paths and small roads, we aim to cover about 25 km most days,  with plenty of rest days in interesting places in between. We've pre-booked bed and breakfasts and small hotels in the places we pass through.  We're planning to write a blog post about our experiences every day. Follow along to share in wonderful vistas, fabulous food and the joys of long distance walking! Coming soon: Reading, Preparation