Ancient and compelling stories of brigands and smugglers. These are the ones that narrate some routes, to be experienced on foot or on pedals, in the name of an active and experiential vacation.
We want to introduce you to some of them among the North, Central and South of the Belpaese
SMUGGLERS' LEDGE
High above Lake Garda, the
Smugglers’ Ledge
is a breathtaking via ferrata route that takes advantage of a natural ledge (i.e., a flat ledge that interrupts a rock face and allows climbers to move across it).
We are on Dos de Calà, the trail is named after mountaineer Massimiliano Torti and was once traveled by those who smuggled salt and tobacco.
This is a difficult route: 4 km that begin and end in Pregasina (by the statue of the Madonna) and that – equipped with a long series of splits – at the most challenging points include ropes to attach to as on a via ferrata.
As you walk along the Cengia dei Contrabbandieri, the view is extraordinary: Lake Garda, which is the largest lake in all of Italy in size, has an elongated shape and a funnel-shaped tail surrounded by mountains.
THE WAY OF THE BRIGANDS
In the setting of theCentral Apennines, in a wild and unspoiled nature, among medieval villages and old mule tracks, unravels the
Way of the Brigantes
. This is a 7-stage route perfect for trekking lovers but also suitable for those who prefer cycling.
The loop route, on the Lazio-Abruzzo border, is 100 km long. It leaves and arrives in Sante Marie, an ancient village surrounded by hills and nestled in chestnut forests, not far from Rome.
The route marked – between the Varri Valley, the Salto Valley and the slopes of Mount Velino – the border between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal State, where the brigands of the Band of Cartore moved on horseback from one side to the other, fighting against the newcomers.
