Italy.

Italy

Last time we were overlanding in Italy we hit your Rome, Venice, and the ever popular Pompeii, etc. as we traveled roughly north to south to exit through the heel of the boot to Greece. In 2016 I am told it was!

This time we entered through the heel at roughly the same place in the Calabria (Mafia) region and headed north. Most of the aforementioned sights that we visited in 2016 are on the coast. This time we headed up the spine through the mountains. 

Well we couldn't have been happier with our decision. The Italian alps are stunning. Forget your piles of archeological rubble on the coast when you are overlanding here and head for the alps.

The villages, the scenery, the wild camping options, continue to improve until you reach the absolutely stunning DOLOMITES. And the northern Italians even know how to use rubbish bins! 

The Dolomites must even eclipse (just) the mountains of Torres del Paine in Sth America. Do yourself a favour, as they say, and get off the tourist trail in Italy and enjoy the drive through the alps.

Well everything was going peachy as we drove up this elevated road until we heard a loud bang from under the bonnet.

We managed to pull into a small spot at the entry to Longobucco a hilltop village that conveniently was only a few hundred meters up the road. Rob discovered that our pressure tank that holds coolant had blown and we were going nowhere.

With it's steep stairways linking narrow alleyways Longobucco wasn't an easy place to find a level parking space that had sun all day for our solar panels.  

Fortunately we managed to limp down to this spot way down beside a creek, because our replacement part ended up taking a week to be delivered from the UK. 

We got to know the village pretty well over our weeks stay. And after finding out that it was in the heart of Calabrian  Mafia country we tried to keep our heads down. But the whole village knew who and where we were so we just smiled a lot and tried to blend in.

This is the local Piazza where the old men take up their regular seats and watch the other men of the town gather and do business out in the square. There were a couple of small bars up the other end where groups of men congregated and played cards. I felt very intimidated having to pass them every day to reach the small shops. It was a real men's domain, women mainly stayed indoors.

The old 1200AD church had wonderfully embossed brass doors. 

And the inside was beautiful.

Back on the road again we travelled along mountain ranges towards the north which was wonderful. Just up the hills from here while looking for a peaceful camp site in the forests, we heard bears growling in the mountains around us. It must have been mating season because there were three calling across the valley.  

Driving high in the mountains in central Italy we came across buildings that had been damaged in the 2016 earthquake which still had not been repaired. This was a ski lodge.

This village on a small hill high in a mountain valley was still in ruin after two years. Many roads were also still closed in the area due to the earthquake.

This camp was just above the damaged village which early in the morning was covered by fog filling the valleys below.

Our route through the mountains were peppered with villages like this one dotted over the hilltops.

Exploring these villages became our daily exercise regime.

Camping high in the mountains became our preferred sites, not only because they were cooler, but the scenery was spectacular. This spot had wild boar diggings in the field around us.

Our long drive north was all heading towards this. The Dolomites.

And what a stunning place it was.

Camped in this beautiful spot just below the famed Dolomite towers we once again heard bears growling in the forest around us.

Early morning sun on the mountains above us.

Incredible scenery around every corner. Swiss style buildings add to the magic. 

Taking a little rest on a hike at a Refugio.

Castles built on rocky outcrops guarding valley passes are almost common place in Italy.

We even camped in this quiet spot below an ancient tower, as we drove west towards Barcelona to catch a ferry to Morocco. Goodbye beautiful Italy. It's been a great trip this year. No pressure to visit the busy tourist sights which we had done on our previous trip in 2016.