When most people think of Tuscany, they picture Florence, medieval villages, vineyards, and rolling hills. But travel to the northwestern corner of the region and the scenery changes completely.
Between cities such as Lucca and Pisa and the Ligurian coast rise the Apuan Alps: steep limestone mountains where you can spend a day rock climbing, follow a via ferrata, descend a canyon or venture onto a classic mountain ridge.
The mountains are also a great addition for travelers continuing on to Cinque Terre or La Spezia, offering a change of pace from the coast.
We spoke with a local team of IFMGA mountain guides based in Tuscany about the outdoor experiences they most often recommend to international visitors, from complete beginners and families to more experienced adventurers.
Here are some of the best ways to add a little outdoor adventure to your trip through Tuscany.
1. Try rock climbing, even if you've never climbed outdoors
You don’t need to be a climber to try climbing in Tuscany.
There are natural climbing areas throughout northern Tuscany where local mountain guides take people for their first outdoor climbing experience. Beginners can learn how climbing equipment works, try basic movement techniques and climb routes adapted to their ability.
The best climbing area will depend on where you’re based. Monsummano is easy to reach from Florence or Lucca, while Vecchiano is just a few minutes from Pisa. Both are suitable for beginners.
For something more technical, Monte Corchia and Monte Procinto in the Apuan Alps offer longer multi-pitch routes in a more alpine setting.
Traveling with children?
Rock climbing can be a surprisingly good fit for a family day out.
At Monsummano, local guides organize climbing days specifically for children and young people on natural rock. Rather than focusing on performance, the activity uses games and movement to introduce children to climbing.
According to the local guides we spoke with, rock climbing can be suitable for children from around 6 years old, depending on the child and the chosen climbing area. Technical equipment such as climbing shoes, helmets and harnesses can be provided, meaning families don't necessarily need to travel with climbing gear.
According to the local guides we spoke with, children can often start climbing from around age six, depending on the child and the area. Families usually don’t need to bring any technical gear either, as climbing shoes, helmets and harnesses can be provided.
2. Experience a via ferrata in the Apuan Alps
Looking for something a little more adventurous than hiking, but don’t have much, or any rock-climbing experience?
A via ferrata follows a mountain route equipped with fixed cables, metal steps, and other aids that make it easier to move through rocky, sometimes exposed terrain.
The Apuan Alps have several routes to choose from.
For someone trying via ferrata for the first time, the local guides particularly recommend Monte Procinto. A complete outing takes around six hours, including approximately 1½ hours to approach the route, 2½–3 hours on the via ferrata itself and another 1½ hours to return to the car.
Monte Forato is another good via ferrata option in the southern Apuan Alps. Those with more experience can move on to more technical routes, such as the **Siggioli via ferrata on Pizzo d'Uccello**.
A helmet, harness and dedicated via ferrata kit are essential, but this equipment can usually be provided on a guided outing.
3. Escape the summer heat with a canyoning adventure
When Tuscany’s beaches and cities get hot and crowded, the mountains offer a cooler, quieter change of pace.
The Apuan Alps and nearby Apennines are home to streams and gorges carved by water over thousands of years, creating excellent terrain for canyoning.
Depending on the canyon, a descent can involve natural slides, jumps, rappels, waterfalls and short swimming sections. Some routes follow relatively dry gorges, while others take you directly through pools and waterfalls and require a wetsuit.
The local canyoning season generally runs from May to October.
For absolute beginners and families, local guides particularly recommend Rio Serra, near Forte dei Marmi. It is suitable for first-time canyoners and can be enjoyed by children from around 6 years old.
Another standout option is Rio Selvano, near Lucca. One of the local guides we spoke with describes it as “probably the most beautiful canyoning in Tuscany.” It is recommended for children from around 10 years old, making it an interesting option for families with older kids as well as adults.
If you want to add something active to your Tuscany itinerary, canyoning is a great option for couples, friends and families.
4. Already climb? Head deeper into the Apuan Alps
The Apuan Alps have plenty to offer experienced climbers too.
Beyond the sport-climbing crags, you’ll find multi-pitch routes, exposed ridges and more alpine objectives that reveal a completely different side of Tuscany.
Local guides use routes such as the Cresta degli Abbacchiati on the Pilastri di Setriana and the Cresta dei Bimbi on Monte Procinto to introduce climbers to longer multi-pitch terrain.
Other objectives include classic Apuan ridges such as Garnerone or Grondalpo, where the day becomes less like visiting a climbing crag and more like a complete mountain adventure.
That variety makes the region interesting for climbers spending several days here: start on the crags, progress toward longer routes, or head directly into the mountains if you already have the necessary experience.
5. Spend several days climbing around Camaiore
If one day isn't enough, Camaiore can also serve as a base for a short climbing holiday. A two- or three-day stay gives you time for several sessions on the area's limestone crags rather than treating climbing as a single-day activity.
The surrounding climbing areas offer routes across a broad range of difficulties. Beginners can spend their time learning on easier single-pitch routes and climbing on top rope, while existing climbers can work on their technique and take on progressively more challenging routes.
The goal doesn’t have to be simply to climb harder. Spending a few days with a guide gives you time to work on movement, technique, confidence, and the mental side of climbing.
It also makes the experience about more than just climbing: you can spend a few days in the Tuscan hills, climb during the day, then enjoy the local towns and food afterward.
If you’re already planning a longer trip through Tuscany, a two- or three-day climbing break can be a great way to mix outdoor adventure with more traditional sightseeing.
6. Discover a quieter side of Tuscany
Perhaps the biggest appeal of the Apuan Alps isn’t one particular activity. It’s the contrast.
What makes the area stand out is how unexpected it feels: rugged mountains just a short distance from some of Italy’s best-known destinations, views reaching all the way to the sea, mountain huts serving local food, and quiet places that feel worlds away from the crowds below.
That contrast is especially noticeable in summer.
The guides explained that climbing on the Ligurian coast can get very hot and exposed during the warmer months. For beginners in particular, they often prefer heading into the mountains, where conditions can be more comfortable than spending the day on sun-baked coastal rock.
Coastal climbing around Portovenere and Liguria becomes especially attractive again during the cooler parts of the year, making it possible to choose the climbing area according to the season.
So if you’re visiting Cinque Terre, La Spezia, or the Tuscan coast in summer, don’t automatically assume the coast is the best choice for an outdoor day. Heading into the mountains can often be a cooler and more enjoyable option.
Which activity should you choose?
For complete beginners, a day of single-pitch rock climbing is one of the easiest ways to get a first taste of the Apuan Alps.
For families with children, climbing can work from around age 6. Canyoning is another great option: Rio Serra is suitable for beginners and children from about 6, while Rio Selvano is better for slightly older kids, from around 10.
If you enjoy hiking but want something a bit more adventurous, Monte Procinto is a good introduction to via ferrata and makes for a rewarding mountain day of around six hours.
During the hot summer months, canyoning can be an especially refreshing alternative to spending the day on the coast.
And for climbers and mountaineers, the Apuan Alps offer plenty of options for multi-pitch routes, exposed ridges, and longer days in the mountains.
Add an outdoor day to your Tuscany itinerary
You don’t have to choose between a cultural trip to Tuscany and a mountain adventure.
A holiday that includes Florence, Pisa, Lucca, or Cinque Terre can easily include a day on the rock, a via ferrata in the Apuan Alps, a canyoning adventure, or a classic mountain route with a local guide.
And you don't necessarily need previous experience or your own technical equipment.
That's perhaps the most interesting thing we learned from speaking with the guides: most of the international visitors they take into the mountains during summer are beginners. They're often couples and families already traveling through the region who want to experience something different for a day.
The Apuan Alps give them exactly that, another side of Tuscany, only this time in a helmet and harness.
