42 Forests to Explore in Italy

The Central Apennines are characterized by a rich diversity of ecosystems and wildlife. Among the most important habitats are its beech woods, open hillsides and alpine grasslands. The Apennines is the second main mountain range of Italy and stretches for hundreds of kilometers from the north to the south along the Country’s main axis. These mountains are one of the last refuges of the big European predators such as the Italian wolf and the marsican brown bear, now extinct in the rest of Centra

The Bosco di Sant'Antonio nature reserve is a protected natural area located in the municipality of Pescocostanzo, in the province of L'Aquila. It was established in 1986 and since 1992 is part of the Majella National Park and stretches for 550 ha between the ridges of Monte Pizzalto and Monte Rotella. Immersed in numerous centuries-old beech trees, it houses the hermitage of Sant'Antonio. Due to its characteristics, it is an ideal place for horse riding, hiking and cross-country skiing.

The waterfall of Zompo lo Schioppo represents the highest natural waterfall in the central Apennines after that of the Rio Verde di Borrello; in fact, the waters precipitate from a height of over 80 meters and then flow downstream towards the town of Morino. The flow rate of the waterfall, originating from karst phenomena, depends on the amount of rainfall that occurs during the year.

The Valle Cavanata nature reserve is a protected natural area located in the municipality of Grado, in the province of Gorizia. It is located in Fossalon and is spread over 341 hectares, of which 67 by the sea. Established in 1996, it is part of the regional nature reserves of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is a former fishing valley that has been abandoned for many decades and has therefore taken on the appearance of a typical lagoon area. It is protected as a "Ramsar" area.

The Conero regional park is a protected natural area of the Marche region established in 1987 and which extends on the homonymous promontory, in the province of Ancona. Here there are some points from where you can enjoy breath-taking panoramas stretching on the whole Conero Coast, but also visit historical sites very charming. One of the nice trekking area and also it is suitable for more adventure activities.

The National Park of the Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna is a national park established in 1993, located in the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines, along the border of the Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions, between the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Arezzo and Florence. Since 23 September 1985 the RNI of Sasso Fratino has been awarded the Diploma of Protected Areas of the Council of Europe, while on 7 July 2017, in Krakow.

The I Giganti della Sila nature reserve, also known as the Fallistro nature reserve from the name of the locality in which it is located, is a protected natural area located in the province of Cosenza and was established in 1987. The reserve covers an area of ​​5.44 km² to the north-west and south-east, within the Sila National Park.

The Madonie Park is a protected natural area established in 1981. It includes the massif of the Madonie, situated on the northern coast of Sicily, between the rivers Imera and Pollina. The park is home to over half of Sicilian plant species, and in particular most of those present only in Sicily. The site was included in the network of Global Geoparks of ' Unesco the 17 November 2015, during the 38th Plenary Session of the General Conference held in Paris.

The Majella National Park is an important biodiversity refuge. The area is characterized by a layered cultural and spiritual heritage shaped by millennia of human-environment interaction. It includes wide lands with particular wilderness aspects, the rarest and most precious part of the biodiversity national heritage. The 740.95 km2 area, especially the Montagna della Majella, has been subject to a major international geoscientific research Project.

The Maremma Regional Park spreads across the hills of the Uccellina, a sinuous chain of hills parallel to the coast and covered with Meditteranean scrub. There are wide open spaces with lots of green, as well as many farmhouses that offer local Tuscan products and a place to stay and enjoy your leisure times. The park covers 9,000 hectares of open land around its boundaries. It is one of the paradises in Tuscany.

The Serre Regional Natural Park is a protected natural area of ​​the Calabria region, established in 2004. Located between Aspromonte and Sila, it is crossed by two long mountain ranges, large forests, among them the Stilo forest and rivers with waterfalls such as Marmarico, in the city of Bivongi, and the waterfall by Pietra Cupa, at the Fiumara Assi de Guardavalle.

The Bosco Pantano di Policoro oriented nature reserve is a protected natural area located in the municipalities of Policoro and Rotondella, in the province of Matera. The reserve covers an area of 500 hectares and was established in 1999, 21 of which are oases of WWF Italy called "WWF Policoro Herakleia". The reserve includes the site of community interest (SIC) “Bosco Pantano di Policoro and Costa Ionica Foce Sinni”.

The Etna park is a protected natural area of the Sicilian Region established in 1987. The purpose of the Park is to protect the woodland heritage and the conservation and development of the specific floral and fauna species of the places and to regulate and coordinate the development of those tourist activities that can give usability to the places and well-being to the populations settled in the area.

The Adamello Brenta natural park is a protected natural area established in 1967 and is the largest protected area in Trentino. It extends in western Trentino between the Valle di Non, the Giudicarie, and the Valle di Sole, over an area of ​​over 620 square kilometers, which includes the Adamello-Presanella mountain ranges and the Brenta Dolomites. The park also takes care of protecting the quality of the water of the numerous streams and over 80 lakes included in the area.

The natural park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli is a protected natural area established with LR Toscana n. 61 of 13 December 1979. The territory of the park extends along the coastal strip of the provinces of Pisa and Lucca including the municipalities of Pisa , Viareggio , San Giuliano Terme , Vecchiano , Massarosa . It also includes Lake Massaciuccoli , the mouths of the Serchio , Arno and Fiume Morto rivers , the former presidential estate of San Rossore,

The Mont Avic Natural Park is a protected natural area in the Aosta Valley and has an area of ​​over 5,747 hectares. The first regional natural park in the region, after the Gran Paradiso national park, created in 1989 and enlarged in 2003, it extends between the Champdepraz valley and the Champorcher valley, crossed by the Chalamy stream, in a secluded position from the major Aosta Valley tourist routes.

The Monte San Bartolo Regional Nature Park is a protected natural area of the Marche region, established in 1994, located close to the Adriatic coast in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, touching and "entering" to the north in the municipality of Gabicce Mare and to the south in the Pesaro municipality. On 5 August 2017, it was affected by a serious fire that destroyed 142 hectares of land between Fiorenzuola di Focara and Casteldimezzo.

The Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino natural park is a protected natural area in Trentino-Alto Adige established by the Autonomous Province of Trento in 1967. Its purpose is to protect the natural and environmental characteristics, promote scientific study and use social heritage of environmental assets. It was one of the iconic locations where you can spend a nice time in the middle of nature.

The Beigua Regional Natural Park is a protected natural area in Liguria in an area that extends between the metropolitan city of Genoa and the province of Savona and includes Mount Beigua. The park, together with that of the Capanne di Marcarolo for the Genoese area is the correspondent of the La Mandria natural park for the Turin area, and the South Milan agricultural park for the Milanese one, that is, all metropolitan natural reserves of the "belt".

The coastal dunes regional natural park from Torre Canne to Torre San Leonardo is a protected natural area located in northern Salento, in the territory of the municipalities of Ostuni and Fasano, both in the province of Brindisi. It was established with the regional law of 27 October 2006, n. 31. The park has habitats and coastal environments of high naturalistic and landscape interest.