Monte Forato

Summit: 4,035ft (1230 meters)

Hike Stats: 4.4m 2,235ft

Monte Forato is an iconic Tuscan Peak known for its beautiful naturally occurring arch connecting its two summits. You can see the massive arch and its perfectly circular hole from both sides of the mountain in the towns of Versilia and Garfagnana. On some days in either town you can watch the sun rise and set through the arch. These mountains are a part of the Alpi Apuane which sits near the coast of the Ligurian Sea. It’s about an hour north from Pisa/Lucca and 2 hours west of Florence. If you need to get a mountain hike in while visiting these Italian cities this is the spot! Tack on Pania Della Croce for a perfect day.

First trip: 8/6/2022

A great friend Pierre was getting married in Italy so naturally while in Rome Florence I found a mountain to hike. I had a night flight from Portland, OR to Dublin then Florence arriving midafternoon on the 5th. That night they threw a bachelor/bachelorette party and we were out until 4am.

Determined to get a hike in on my one free morning I woke up around 6am and drove 2 hours to the small village of Fornovolasco. The speed detectors on the highways and the windy mountain roads kept me awake. I did find a speeding ticket in the mail months later.

Parking was slim but so was my car. The area was gorgeous with two streams joining in the center of town and just about everything was made of stone. There was a little shop that sold slices of pizza and salami sandwiches for $2, and it may have been the best bites of the trip. That helped keep me alive as I started my hike in the Italian summer heat.

The trail follows the Turrite di Gallicano stream through town and past some old mountain homes before a short but steep climb through an old lush forest.

I was pouring sweat and had to lay down on the trail a few times. That helped me notice the little things haha.

Once above the treeline some energy returned or maybe it was just adrenaline from the excitement. A brief rain shower really felt great.

There were a bunch of interesting old structures.

The final push to the arch was grueling because of the heat, hangover and lack of sleep. I was trying to speak in Italian to people passing by but was failing terribly and had to admit I was a tourist.

The arch is massive with towering views over the towns to the east and west.

Above the arch at the summit of Monte Forato Nord looking at Forato Sud and the surrounding Alpi Apuane!

If it were any other day, I wouldn’t hesitate to add 5 miles and 2k ft of elevation gain to bag the impressive Pania della Croce but I was zapped of energy, and the looming clouds and scattered showers had me worried I’d actually get zapped.

This is one beautiful Italian gem and I’m grateful for making the effort to see it!

We had one more night in Florence before spending 2 nights at an amazing old Tuscan castle turned hotel/wedding venue near Siena called Certosa di Pontignano.

The wedding festivities were no fun…

Just kidding, it was extremely fun!!

The venue was gorgeous and the parties were on another level! I could not be more grateful for being apart this power couple’s incredible celebration! Everything was amazing but it was the people from all over the world that made this trip unforgettable!

The rehearsal party lasted until 4am and the wedding party until 6am. The epic wedding night finally ended with a gorgeous sunrise (pictured below)! Both soles of my shoes had fallen off, and my body felt like I had just completed back-to-back marathons but it was all smiles!

Bravo to the Eid’s and thanks again!! Also shoutout to the Shirley’s! It was nice to share these new and wild experiences with longtime friends! I really wish Ellie was here with us!

Excited to get back to Italy with Ellie for the Alps and more food! Now time to sleep, Ciao!