Viaggio in Italia - 9070km Through Italy

It might seem obvious, or at least not particularly exciting, to plan a trip through a country where one is from or live. Exotic locations far away always sound more interesting and feel more like a proper expedition or vacation. But it was exactly during a trip far from home in 2024 that we realized there is one country that, even though it lies geographically very close to both of us, we did not know very well.

I'm Moritz, an architecture student and passionate photographer from Italy. After studying abroad and traveling to many far-off places, I realized how little I actually knew about my own country. I increasingly felt the need to stay closer to my family, and I saw this as a chance to truly understand where I'm from.

I'm Katha, an ardent architecture student who, growing up, rarely travelled to the southern regions, as my family usually preferred the cooler north. I was therefore excited to get to know a country I had heard and read a lot about.

In 2026, we decided to stay close but still travel far. We took the entire university semester break, from early July until mid-September, to explore, study, and try to truly make sense of ITALY. We ended up crossing all 18 mainland regions of the country, covering more than 9000km over around 65 days.

The Planning 

A two-and-a-half-month trip needs a lot of planning. So in early January this year, we started to brainstorm how this journey could work. Since one of our main goals as architecture students was to study specific buildings scattered across Italy, it was clear that we needed a car. Travelling by bike would have taken too long to get from one interesting building in an isolated village to the next. Luckily, a few years earlier, I (Moritz) had managed to buy an old Fiat Panda from the '80s for a reasonable price and it seemed to us like the perfect vehicle for the trip: slowly moving through Italy in one of the most iconic and commonly used everyday cars.

We set ourselves the rule not to take any highways, but to travel only via small roads, making it safer on the one hand and slowing the pace down on the other, allowing us to see more through the windows. It was important for us to have enough time not to have to rush and to leave space for improvisation. We then roughly planned a route, quickly deciding against the classic coastal road in favour of a route that crossed Italy in a zigzag, allowing us to see more of the inland and alternate between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts.

Next, we divided the tasks. I was mainly responsible for: 1. contacting family and friends all over Italy and asking for hospitality, 2. trying to find sponsors to help fund the trip, 3. researching food specialties for each region and 4. getting the car fixed and the gear ready. Katha took on the huge task of architectural research, pinning all the interesting, hidden, and spectacular buildings and cities that Italy has to offer. Based on her research, we would later adapt and refine the general route. It took us a few months to finalize the preparations, all in the midst of a intense semester at university, but we managed to finish everything in time and after our exams we were ready to head off.

Part 1 - From North to South

On July 4th, we finally left Milan heading northwest towards Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, two wonderful mountain lakes at the foot of the Swiss Alps. On the way, we visited the Monte Amiata Residential Complex designed in the late 1960s by architects Carlo Aymonino and Aldo Rossi as an influential experiment in postmodern social housing - an interesting start to the journey. That night we camped on a mountain between the two lakes, with a wide view over the latter, watching the sun set while cooking spaghetti with tuna and onions on my trusty camping stove.

Over the next few days we skirted the Alps, bathing in crystal-clear mountain lakes and passing Ivrea with its interesting industrial experiments from the postwar period, until we reached the Aosta Valley, Italy's smallest region. There we entered a wonderful mountain landscape, passing through ancient pine forests and admiring vernacular timber huts scattered across the hillsides. We passed through common places like Champoluc, Cervinia and Courmayeur and hiked to a plateau with a view of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps. The air was still fresh up there. 

But we knew what was coming, since our Fiat Panda had no air conditioning and the summer heat wave was already making headlines. Heading towards Liguria, we immediately felt the temperatures rise. Luckily, Liguria has some of the most beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean Sea, so as we drove the small roads carved into the high cliffs, we often stopped to swim and cool off. 

Port cities like Genoa, Savona and La Spezia offered a fascinating patchwork of industry, wealth, decay and the traces of many cultures, while the smaller seaside villages were either peaceful or overrun by out-of-control tourism. We were fortunate to be hosted by friends along the coast for a few nights; on other nights we drove up into the steep mountains bordering the coast to find a quiet camp spot.

After Liguria, we began our zigzag route: crossing from Forte dei Marmi, where for the first time we were overrun by a herd of wild boars, to Fano on the Adriatic coast, passing through Tuscany and the Marche. Here we saw historical architecture in famous cities like Pisa, Lucca, Florence, and Urbino and remained completely fascinated by the sheer scale of the cathedrals, towers and palazzi built from heavy stone masonry. Our nights were spent under the stars, lulled by the soft golden hills of the Tuscan countryside among olive trees and cypresses. Everything went smoothly, aside from the nearly 40°C daytime heat. The heat limited our movement: unable to drive between noon and 4 PM, we had to find shade to avoid heatstroke, as the car turned into an oven even with the windows down.

In the Marche, we rested for a few days, hosted by my grandparents. While resting, we planned our route in more detail to the next milestone: the South of Puglia, where an uncle of mine would be waiting for us. Recharged, we headed from Fano into Umbria, a small region right in the heart of Italy with no access to the sea. We passed through Perugia and Assisi on our way to Rome. Before reaching the eternal city, we slept in the crater of an extinct volcano that had turned into a lake over thousands of years; the area is dotted with several such lakes, since Lazio was a region of heavy volcanic activity in prehistoric times.

After a few days in the restless chaos of a huge metropolis like Rome, we headed back towards the coast. Following the ancient Via Appia for many kilometers through the reclaimed fields of the Agro Pontino, we reached Monte Circeo, the promontory where, according to legend, Odysseus landed on his way back to Ithaca and met the sorceress Circe, who turned his men into pigs. Maybe because of this saying, maybe because of the darkness that one of us cannot stand, or maybe because we just arrived too late, we ended up staying at a campground that night.

Over the next few days we crossed the country again, aiming for the Gargano in northern Puglia. Crossing the Apennines, we spent one night in a field belonging to a mountain refuge, where the air was cooler, and we fell asleep to the peaceful sound of cow and goat bells. Just before arriving, we saw that a wildfire was burning nearby, but luckily we crossed paths with returning firefighters, who reassured us it was fully extinguished. Sadly, due to the extreme heat that summer and some truly unforgivable people, there were many fires along our route, but we managed to avoid the dangerous ones using a fire-alert website.

To arrive at the eastern coast, we crossed Molise, a region little developed for tourism and therefore not very well known. When we arrived in the capital, people jokingly asked if we had gotten lost. Molise won us over anyway: it has beautiful national parks like the Matese, and dreamy coastal towns such as Termoli, that are not packed with tourists. Then we finally reached Puglia, where part of my family is from. We were warmly welcomed and offered to stay close to Gallipoli for a few days. We had reached the south of Italy, and it was time to plan our way back north.

Part 2 - The Long Way Back North

Before heading north, we had to go west - since Italy is shaped like a boot with Puglia at the heel, Calabria at the toe, and Basilicata in between. Basilicata is a very dry, almost desert-like region, having suffered from centuries of deforestation dating back to Roman times. Between Basilicata and Calabria lies a wonderful National park, the Parco Nazionale del Pollino, where the temperatures dropped again, and rain was more frequent. We also learned that Puglia is a region that cannot sustain its own water supply and has to import water for agriculture and households from other regions.

Exploring these southern regions was fascinating, especially since we didn't know them well - and we were happy to see how many northern prejudices simply aren't true. The road conditions were no worse than in Lombardy, and the people were incredibly kind and welcoming. We managed to camp for free at a few agriturismi and aziende agricole, sometimes in exchange for some homemade products, which we were more than happy to buy. In Calabria we enjoyed the nature and let our architectural spirit rest; between the national parks, the wonderful beaches, and the unbelievably good food, it offers more than enough on its own.

After Calabria, we started heading north. We passed the Cilento coast, a less touristy and therefore especially beautiful coastline, and spent a few nights as guests at a beautiful newly renovated hotel on the Amalfi coast named "il Tipografo di Amalfi“, whose owner is a good friend of my grandfather. 

Naples is a unique city. The streets were never in worse condition than they were on our trip, but that's also part of what gives the city its strong character. It's a port city, dirty, but incredibly diverse and rich in human spirit which makes it truly inspiring and never boring.

By this point of the trip, we were getting a little tired. We had been on the road for more than 40 days, driving almost every day, camping roughly half the nights. It had been extremely exciting and interesting so far, but the high temperatures, the daily movement, and all the sightseeing and building-studying were taking a toll on us. With the last of our energy, we drove from Naples to a small village on the Tuscan coast facing the island of Elba, where my other grandparents stay. On our way, we stayed high up in the Apennines, enjoying the great national parks of Abruzzo. In the territory of Marsican bears and wolves, we camped through nights when temperatures dropped to nearly freezing. Before reaching Tuscany, we spent one more night camping in the garden of a friendly agriturismo in the Umbrian countryside, then passed through towns like Montepulciano and Sorano before arriving on the coast. My grandparents had left by then, and we were finally able to fully rest for a few days. From there we planned the last leg of our expedition to discover Italy: the northeast, with important stops like Verona, Venice, and the Dolomites. The days of rest were very necessary and we spent them relaxing, grilling fish on the beach and sleeping a lot. After four days, we were ready to explore again.

On our way to Verona, where a friend of ours from university was expecting us, we drove through the main cities of Emilia-Romagna. These are famous worldwide for their food: Modena for balsamic vinegar, Reggio Emilia for Parmigiano Reggiano, Bologna for ragù alla bolognese, Parma for prosciutto di Parma. Food aside, they are all beautiful cities, hiding architectural treasures spanning from the Middle Ages to postwar modernism. In Veneto, we were especially excited for the architecture, as Palladio, one of the great Renaissance masters, was from there and built many villas and palazzi across the region. In Bassano del Grappa, we even visited the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge Palladio ever built. In Venice, he designed multiple churches, and while we were there, we had fun swapping the Panda for a vaporetto (water bus) to explore the lagoon.

The trip was slowly coming to an end now and so was our energy. Thanks to a cousin of mine, we managed to get a few days of rest in Grado in the Friuli region and gather our strength for the last stretch. After a day visiting Trieste, the former Austro-Hungarian port city, we headed to the mountains, towards Trentino-Alto Adige and the wonderful Dolomites, which I had never properly visited before. There the temperatures dropped again. On our first night, right above the Vajont Dam, the site of a disastrous tragedy in the 1960s, we were caught in a heavy storm high up in the mountains and had to leave the tent to take shelter from the lightning in the car. The winds picked up speed, but luckily our titanium tent stakes held the tent firmly to the ground. After about thirty intense minutes of hail and lightning in complete darkness, the storm cleared as the wind carried it south. Inside, the tent was still dry, and we were glad nothing else had broken apart from one tent pole.

Over the following days, we went hiking in the Dolomites, scenic rock formations made of dolomite, a carbonate rock similar to but more resistant than limestone, which is what gives these giant formations their bright color and majestic size. Sadly, the Dolomites have also suffered somewhat from overtourism: extensive infrastructure investment, like cable cars, has made the mountains accessible to everyone, and many people aren't really educated on how to behave properly in the mountains.

Finally, after passing through Bolzano, we arrived back in Lombardy, sightseeing in cities like Brescia and Cremona and spending a final night at the Po River, before finally reaching home in Milan after 65 days. Over the whole 9070km, the Fiat Panda, with its more than 25 years of age, didn't have a single problem.

Gear

For a road trip like this, packing the right gear matters. The Fiat Panda isn't a big car, so in a way similar to hiking, it's best to stay compact and light: the heavier the car, the more fuel it consumes, even if only slightly. Since we camped for almost half the nights along the way, high-quality gear that you trust and know well is essential.

For camping, we had a two-person tent with SilverAnt tent stakes, which turned out to be extremely functional and resistant during the storm high up in the mountains, keeping the empty tent firmly on the ground even with high winds. We also had two basic but compact inflatable sleeping mats with very low thermal insulation, since it was mostly warm at night, and then shared one open sleeping bag that kept us warm down to around 10°C.

Throughout the trip, we also prepared our own meals. A little more than half of what we ate was self-prepared, with the rest being either a quick sandwich for lunch or a proper dinner at a good traditional Italian restaurant. When cooking for ourselves, the SilverAnt titanium pot and pan, combined with the camping gas stove, were trusted companions the whole way. Cooking in a titanium pan is extremely satisfying: it heats up fast, doesn't retain any trace of flavor, and cleans up easily. The pans are robust and good looking, good luck trying to bend them. After more than 60 meals, the pan-and-pot combo still looks almost as good as new. The SilverAnt cutlery was equally robust and handy, especially the 3-in-1 fork-knife-spoon tool.

Lastly, and most importantly, was water. As mentioned earlier, temperatures during the Italian summer of 2026 were very high, so staying hydrated was essential. That's why we carried two SilverAnt 1.2L water bottles, one 1.5L ti bottle, and two SilverAnt thermal flasks of 0.4L each. I've been using the two 1.2L flasks for years now, and they've accompanied me on trips all over the world, from bikepacking 4250km across the US and the Canadian Rockies to desert drives in the Egyptian Sahara. They are genuinely durable products, built to last. What's great is their size too, since a 1.5L titanium water bottle is hard to find anywhere else. Beyond its light weight, titanium is also appealing because its micro-surface makes it harder for bacteria to stick to, keeping the flasks easy to clean and largely odor-free even after days of use.

Conclusion

After traveling over 9000 km through a country that is only 1200km long, we developed a general understanding of Italy. Even though it only scratches the surface of what this country has to offer, we learned and experienced so much that it will probably take us some years to elaborate on it all. 

We learned that one doesn’t need to travel to the other side of the world to experience a true expedition - often the most interesting things are close to you, right on your doorstep.

What's next… maybe Germany, as it is Katha's home country.

By Katha and Moritz

To read more about Moritz's bikepacking adventure across North America you can click here.