Pania della Croce and Altopiano della Vetricia

Pania della Croce (1,858 m elevation) is also known as the Queen of the Apuan Alps. From its summit, in addition to a sweeping view of surrounding peaks, you can see the sea, and on particularly clear days, even the island of Corsica.

The hike begins in Piglionico, where anthropologist Fosco Maraini spent his final years, immersed in nature with a view of the Panie range. The trail climbs through a beautiful beech forest before reaching Rifugio Rossi (Rossi Hut), set in wide grassy meadows. It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there.

From the hut, the route continues for about an hour, ascending the rocky Inferno gully. The final stretch follows an easy ridge leading to the summit cross.

From the top, the view stretches across the southern Apuan Alps, Monte Sumbra, Mount Corchia, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the south, and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the north.

The summit is said to form the chest of the "Omo Morto"—the silhouette of a reclining man clearly visible from the Garfagnana Valley.

After a lunch break at the summit, we’ll begin our descent along the same trail, enjoying further views of Pania Secca and Pizzo delle Saette. If conditions permit, the guide may lead the group back via the Vetricia karst plateau, an extraordinary area where surface water disappears into deep underground cavities. Along this route, you’ll encounter striking rock formations and the dramatic entrance of the Revel Abyss, which—thanks to a single 316-meter vertical shaft—once held the world record for the deepest uninterrupted drop.

The trail then reconnects with the main route and winds through the beech forest back to the parking area.

• Tour duration: a whole day (about 6 hours, of which 4 hours are on foot)
• Difference in height and difficulty: medium
• Clothing required: Hiking boots, Small backpack (25/30 litres), 2/3 litres of water, Jacket/fleece, Sportswear

Price: 79,00€ per person (minimum 2 people)