The Cammino Naturale dei Parchi is a long-distance itinerary that links Italy’s capital Rome to the city of L'Aquila, passing through parks and villages straddling the regions of Lazio and Abruzzo. The entire walk is about 429 kilometres (267 mi) long. In this Collection, I present the first part of the route from Rome to Livata in the Monti Simbruini Regional Natural Park.

You’ll begin these first 118 kilometres in the enchanting setting of the Circus Maximus, in Rome, and cross the majestic Appia Antica Regional Natural Park, walking in the shade of tall pines among ancient vestiges of the Roman Empire. Leaving the capital and passing the lake basins of Albano and Nemi, symbols of the Regional Park of the Castelli Romani, you’ll continue through an alternation of unspoilt nature and picturesque villages.

You’ll cross the Natural Monument of the Valle delle Cannuccette in Palestrina, home to centuries-old oak trees and extraordinary biodiversity in the Prenestini mountains. You'll admire the peace of places of worship of international importance such as the sanctuary of Mentorella, one of the oldest Marian shrines in Europe, or the famous sanctuary of St Scholastica. You'll pass villages whose architecture reveals the history of Italy from 3,000 years ago when these areas were inhabited by the ancient Latin people.

In this Collection, I’ve divided the stages in such a way as to make the walk pleasant and never exhausting. The final stage, where you reach Livata in the Simbruini mountains, has the most climbing with 1,000 metres (3,275 ft) of elevation gain. The others have a good balance between length and ascent, so are suitable for those with average fitness levels.

The stages always end in a village where you can easily find places to eat and sleep. An integral part of this walk is the food and drink, as it reveals much about the territory. Some unmissable food includes: the famous porchetta di Ariccia traditional pork dish, which you can taste in one of the many 'fraschette' in the Albano area; the ciambelline al vino wine doughnuts made with wine from the Castelli; and the giglietti di Palestrina, an ancient and particular sweet that you can try at the bakery in Castel San Pietro, a hamlet of Palestrina.

The highest elevation you'll reach is Livata at 1,340 metres (4,396 ft) so it’s possible to tackle this route almost all year round since the mountains it crosses do not have much snow. If you decide to tackle it in winter, however, always check the weather forecast before setting off, especially around Mount Guadagnolo and Livata. Spring and autumn are, in my opinion, the ideal seasons. Summer, on the other hand, can be hot, especially at low altitudes.

For information on the Cammino Naturale dei Parchi and places to eat and sleep, visit the official website: camminonaturaledeiparchi.it/en.