Many people don't think of Italy when they imagine the Alps, yet Italy's northern boarder runs largely along the crest of the Alps in both France and Switzerland. While it is true that the Alps drop precipitously to Italy's flat Piemonte, there are several areas worth a visit. Especially worthwhile are the many rock climbing cliffs, peaks and crags in the foothills. These fun destinations are often bathedin warm sun even when poor weather grips the higher summits.

The Gran Paradiso and the surrounding peaks is another good objective. The normal route offers a moderate glacer climb, while the steep and icy Northwest Face is a challenging technical climb.

The world famous Dolomites are a rock climbing paradise with steep long routes rising straight out of grassy meadows. In addition to the many difficult routes here, there are also numerous moderate climbs. Also worthwhile are the many via ferrata off-train routes, where non-climbers (or climbers looking for a more moderate outing) can enjoy high exposure and great views with comfort and security.

Difficulty

Our selection is divided into four different levels of difficulty. We have devised a simple system of symbols to allow you to judge at a glance the difficulty of a given route. Click here to see a table with explanations of symbols.