Top 10 National Parks in Italy

Italy is one of the most popular holiday and camping destinations in the world, which allows you to choose any type of holiday: cities of art, historical sites, sea, lakes, mountains, plains, etc. But, if you are a true nature lover, you must visit Italy's national parks. Did you know that there are 25 Italian national parks registered on the Official List of Protected Natural Areas? Well, there are lots to choose from, and this list of the top 10 national parks in Italy (plus recommended campsites) will help you to plan your next camping holiday.

The Gran Paradiso national park covers an area of 70,000 hectares in a high mountainous area, between the 800 m at the bottom of the valley and the 4,061 m of Mount Gran Paradiso. It is the first national park in Italy and is located in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and the Piedmont region. Here you can admire the classic alpine scenery, including meadows, woods, and glaciers. The park is rich in flora and fauna, you can see steinbocks, ibexes, marmots, golden eagles, and vultures. Among the rare flowers there is the Potentilla Pennsylvania, in the arid pastures above 1,300 m, the Astragalus Alopecurus, only found in the Aosta Valley, and many others.

Stay at Camping Arvier.

The park covers an area of 12 square miles. Although this national park only covers the southernmost reaches of the famed Italian mountain range, these are the quieter, more secluded areas. If you are looking for not so easy hiking paths that are not overrun with tourists, Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park could be ideal. In addition to the majestic mountains, the national park's landscape includes springs, swamps, rivers, and canyons. The Sofia Waterfalls and the Cadini del Brenton, a cascade of rock pools that flow from one to the next, make the Monti del Sole Alps the most picturesque area in the park.

Stay at hu Venezia Camping in Town.

The park, which is spread across the Apulia region's Gargano Promontory, includes both coastal and inland attractions. The magnificent white cliffs and numerous sea caves of Gargano National Park are best appreciated on a boat cruise. The park also includes the Tremiti Islands' marine reserve, where visitors can swim or dive in the Adriatic or hike up to the islands' coves and grottoes. Away from the lake, there is Umbra Forest's luxuriant greenery that invites you to take a rest.

Stay at Villaggio Camping Spiaggia Lunga.

The National Park of the Archipelago of La Maddalena is a marine park off the coast of Sardinia. It spans about 12,000 hectares of land and sea, with 180 kilometres of coastline. All of the islands and islets within the Municipality of La Maddalena are included in this region. The National Park's territory will also be a significant portion of the Bocche di Bonifacio international marine park, which will be established soon. The Archipelago of La Maddalena is a group of islands and islets found in northern Sardinia. The seven most famous islands are Maddalena, Caprera, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, and Razzoli. The park offers a pristine coast with shallow waters and plenty of activities for its visitors. Visitors often refer to this area as a "paradise", praising the crystal clear waters.

Stay at Camping Centro Vacanze Isuledda.

Deep valleys, towering mountains, and crystal clear lakes can be found as it reaches down from the Alps in northern Italy. The park features a variety of hiking trails for hikers of different abilities. Beginners can enjoy wandering through the valley, while experienced hikers can take on the park's highest peaks. The Stelvio National Park, one of Europe's largest nature reserves, stretches from South Tyrol's Ortler Cevedale Mountains to the Italian-speaking provinces of Trentino-Alto Adige and Lombardy. To the northwest, it shares a boundary with the National Park of Switzerland, while to the south, it shares a border with the Parco dell'Adamello. The park, which covers more than 530 km2, is home to a diverse range of indigenous plants and animals. The meadows and woodlands in the lower levels of the mountains give way to a stark and rocky environment that rises up to 3,900 m in the pristine mountain valleys at 600 m.

Stay at Area di Sosta Al Plan.

It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Italy's most beautiful national parks. The park is set around the five beautiful tiny villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore on the west coast of northern Italy. A short train journey and beach walks connect each of these. It is the smallest national park in Italy at 1,740 hectares, but it is also the densest, with 5,000 permanent residents among the five towns. It is located in the province of La Spezia, in northern Italy. The Cinque Terre National Park includes parts of the communes of Levanto (Punta Mesco) and La Spezia, in addition to the land of the Cinque Terre towns (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare). 

Stay at Camping Acqua Dolce. 

The Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park is one of Italy's largest national parks and one of Europe's largest protected areas. This makes it an unforgettable destination on your Italian vacation (especially in the summer months). Once you have arrived, make a point of seeing Castelvecchio Calvisio, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and the old centre of Barisciano. Head from Carapelle Calvisio to San Pancrazio Sanctuary if you are seeking a beautiful hike. It is a beautiful hiking trail that is not too difficult, so it is perfect for beginners. Thus, a cable car goes to Campo Imperatore plateau, with ski slopes and an observatory. The park is known for its biodiversity and is home to wolves and chamois. Head to the Campo Imperatore plateau for some of the best views of the Gran Sasso summit.

Stay at Stork Camping Village - Club del Sole.

Calabria's second-largest park rises abruptly inland behind the port town of Reggio. The summit of Montalto (1955m), the highest point on the island, is dominated by a massive bronze statue of Christ and affords magnificent views across the lake to Sicily. Aspromonte's mountains, which are prone to mudslides and cut up by torrential rivers, are breathtakingly magnificent. The peaks are clothed in evergreen woods and ablaze with flowers in the spring thanks to underground rivers. It is a wonderful natural area, with multi-coloured paths running through it. Gambarie is the major town and the park's most accessible entrance.

Stay at Camping Villaggio Santa Maria. 

The Pollino National Park, which borders Basilicate and Calabria and measures 1960 square kilometres, is Italy's largest national park. Its river canyons and alpine meadows are home to unique species of roe deer, wild cats, wolves, birds of prey (including the golden eagle and Egyptian vulture) and endangered otters, and it serves as a rocky curtain dividing the region from the rest of Italy. Monte Pollino (2248m), Monti di Orsomarso (1987m), and the Gole del Raganello gorge are among the park's most spectacular areas. Forests of oak, alder, maple, beech, pine and fir cover the snow-covered mountains and it creates wonderful panoramic views. 

Stay at International Camping Village. 

The Isola dell'Asinara, named after the island's resident ‘asini bianchi’ (albino donkeys), is 51 square kilometres of Mediterranean scrub, rocky shoreline, and secluded sandy beaches. Although the island is now a national park, it was once home to one of Italy's most notorious maximum-security prisons. Only a qualified boat operator from Stintino or Porto Torres can get you there. You can explore on your own after you arrive, but there is no public transportation and access to certain locations is limited. The island is a wildlife paradise, with an estimated 50 to 70 donkeys and 80 other animal species, including mouflons (silky-haired wild sheep) and peregrine falcons, living there. 

Stay at Camping Village Torre del Porticci.