Italy

Italy · Aosta Valley

Bucce d'Arancia

This is the most-climbed route on the Paretone. It gives sustained, varied slab and crack climbing on good gneiss, and the hardest moves are a fine crack on P2, a slanting corner and a punchy wall. Queues are common on good days. The Mani Nude guidebook grades it stiffly; camptocamp's Italian page calls it sustained at 5b–5c+ with a single 6a.

6a10 pitches290 m★★★

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Italy · Aosta Valley

Diretta al Banano

Along with Bucce d'Arancia this is the Paretone's other great classic (first ascent 1977, later retro-bolted). It climbs big, juggy, non-athletic slabs on beautiful rock up the centre of the wall to near the summit. Expect a few metres above the last bolt in places.

5c+9 pitches250 m★★★

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Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Rita

This is the archetypal long, easy Arco slab, first climbed in 1971. It wanders up the lower bands and then improves into a superb water-worn chimney system in the upper half. It is very polished and very busy, so start early. Original grade 6- UIAA per bergsteigen.com; gulliver gives 5c max.

5c16 pitches400 m★★★

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Italy · Sardinia

Marinaio di Foresta

An airy, mostly left-rising traverse that spirals round the Pedra Longa sea stack to its summit, on water-runnelled grey walls and pocketed white rock right above the sea. It has become one of the most popular routes in Sardinia, so expect queues.

6a+7 pitches190 m★★★

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Italy · Gaeta & Sperlonga

Via dello Spigolo

This was the second route on Montagna Spaccata and is the cliff's classic moderate. It's never hard but never trivial, with continuous exposure above the sea: a horizontal crack traverse, an athletic juggy chimney and corners. Gulliver gives UIAA grades V–V+ / IV+–V / V+ / V / V–IV+ (5c max), converted here.

5c5 pitches125 m★★★

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Italy · Val d'Ossola

Il Cammino del Sole

Twelve long pitches of sunny gneiss slab above Oira, mostly 4c to 5b+ with two 6a pitches: a thin slab at the start and an athletic corner on pitch 10. Pitches are up to 55 m. A winter-sun route with a summit book and plaques at both ends.

6a12 pitches530 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

Cromosomi Corsari

A sea-level start reached by abseil, then seven short pitches up the seaward face of Pedra Longa. The third pitch is a wildly exposed traverse above a line of roofs; two easy pitches on rock that needs care lead to a technical 6b and 6b+ finish on grey slab.

6b+7 pitches175 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

Alfredo Alfredo

Two pitches of bridging up a 60 m corner hung with tufas and stalactites (6c+, 6c), then grey water-drop walls and a short roof at 7a that goes in three moves of aid. Seven pitches of varied climbing on perfect, unpolished rock.

7a7 pitches220 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

L'Ombra della Mia Mano

A 300 m pillar on the 'Dolomite of Sardinia': a hard, smooth first pitch in a north-facing gully, long grey slabs and walls, a demanding technical crux on pitch 6, then exposed climbing on the crest of the pillar on big sculpted holds. Mountain atmosphere with sport protection.

6c9 pitches300 m★★★

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Italy · Sardinia

Sole Incantatore

The harder classic on the Goloritzè spire: compact grey walls and smooth water-drop slabs at 6b to 6b+, then a 6c scoop and an airy finish to a tiny summit above the turquoise bay. Shaded, technical and on the feet.

6c4 pitches135 m★★★

Italy · Gaeta & Sperlonga

La Croce del Sud

The showpiece of the Montagna Spaccata: four steep, exposed pitches up a knife-edge spur that drops straight into the sea, reached by abseil. Sustained around 6a+ on good holds, with an overhang at 6b to finish.

6b4 pitches120 m★★★

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Italy · Sardinia

Easy Gymnopédie

This is the easiest way to the top of Sardinia's iconic 140 m pinnacle above Cala Goloritzè. Short technical bulges and walls lead to a fine slab finish, and the harder overhangs can be aided. Gulliver splits it into 4 pitches; camptocamp gives 5. Check seasonal access rules for Cala Goloritzè before going.

6b5 pitches150 m★★★

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Italy · Aosta Valley

Lo Dzerby

A long, easy-angled outing up the full height of the Paretone. A steeper lower half with an exposed pillar on P5 leads to sculpted slabs and broken steps higher up. It's a good first big multipitch.

5c13 pitches400 m★★★

Italy · Aosta Valley

Il Gatto e la Volpe

Rated 'great' on camptocamp: a wild setting with a short, easy approach from Lavachey. It climbs edgy granite slabs and a pillar crest, with a three-star exposed slab on P9.

6a+11 pitches350 m★★★

Italy · Val d'Ossola

Il Solitaire

A long, sunny friction-slab route of about 35 m pitches on excellent rock, ideal for learning footwork. The hardest move is a short crack-and-chimney finish on the last pitch. Allow about 3 h up and 1 h down.

5b13 pitches430 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Orizzonti Dolomitici

A succession of short walls and slabs separated by ledges, with the first two pitches shared with Amazzonia. The crux is a single 5c/6a move just below the P5 belay. It's a relaxed, well-protected outing above the Sarche gorge.

5c10 pitches250 m★★★

Italy · Valle dell'Orco

Via per Giorgio

A rare fully bolted slab line on the Sergent, the home of Orco trad. It's mostly easy-angled granite slabs with a vertical corner on P3 and an overhanging start to the final 6a+ pitch (5c obligatory, A0 possible).

6a+12 pitches350 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

L'Italia Liberata

A short but superb sea-cliff route on beautifully sculpted limestone in an incredible setting near Pan di Zucchero. Corners and an airy pillar lead to a steep, rounded 6a wall. Camptocamp rates it 'great'.

6a4 pitches120 m★★★

Italy · Aosta Valley

Barabba

A pretty plaisir route on edgy, quartz-studded granite slabs beneath the Mont Blanc massif. The crux is a short bulge and steep juggy wall on P4. Camptocamp rates it 'great'.

6a7 pitches180 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Via Roberto

Eight sustained pitches up the wall opposite the Laterna restaurant, rarely easier than 6a. The crux is a short overhanging wall on pitch 5 that can be pulled through on the bolts. Less cleaned than its neighbours, with some broken rock on pitch 6.

6c+8 pitches220 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Via Pantarei

Six pitches of steep wall and corner climbing up a pillar, almost never below 6a. Closely bolted and on good rock, so it works as a first 6b+ multipitch. The slightly overhanging slab on the last pitch catches out tired arms.

6b+6 pitches170 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Nataraj

Steep, athletic corner climbing on the Mandrea wall above Arco, with pocketed slabs where the corner turns loose. Mostly 6a to 6b with a harder move on pitch 5 and the crux in the last pitch; both go at A0. The long layback corner near the top is the pitch people remember.

6c10 pitches275 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Moon Bears

A popular plaisir line up the lower south-west wall of Piccolo Dain, starting at the gate of the weir in Sarche. Cracks and small corners lead to a fine 6a slab on water drops, then a long corner pitch. Expect queues: three routes share the opening traverse.

6a8 pitches235 m★★★

Italy · Bolzano & South Tyrol

Sonntagsspaziergang

The easy classic of the Noafer Bichl: slabs, a neat corner and two pitches up a pocketed pillar edge, with Bolzano below and the Dolomites on the horizon. Grade 4 climbing throughout, but with some long gaps between bolts on the easy ground.

4c7 pitches280 m★★★

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Italy · Bolzano & South Tyrol

Il Cielo sopra Bolzano

Steep crack, corner and chimney climbing on porphyry, fully bolted in the middle of a trad crag. Sustained at 6a to 6b with a technical 6b+ first pitch. It stays in the shade until mid-afternoon, which makes it a summer option.

6b+7 pitches190 m★★★

Italy · Aosta Valley

Sputnik

The hard route at the far left of the Paretone: two ordinary pitches, then steep walls on pitches 4 and 5 that are less slabby than the neighbours. Pitch 6 follows the arete at 7a, or 6a+ with a strenuous few metres of aid. Harder than the board at the car park suggests.

7a10 pitches250 m★★★

Italy · Aosta Valley

Spigolo Verde

A six-pitch arete of well-featured gneiss that is steeper than the grade suggests, with two short bolted traverses. Recent parties recommend it as a first multipitch: good rock, close bolts and a quick path down.

4c6 pitches225 m★★★

Italy · Aosta Valley

Lockdown

Technical granite slabs and short steep walls in two tiers, in a quiet corner of the Val Ferret below the Mont Blanc range. The 6b+ pitch builds through three hard moves, the last very thin. Obligatory climbing and some spaced bolts make it more serious than its neighbour Il Gatto e la Volpe.

6b+9 pitches250 m★★★

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Italy · Lecco & Valsassina

Condorpass

The first route opened on the Zucco dell'Angelone, following the natural line of the fourth spur by corners, cracks, a chimney and friction slabs. Eight varied pitches at 5a to 5b with an easy crest to finish. Never hard but never trivial either.

5b8 pitches220 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

Powaqqatsi

The easiest line on the Capo Caccia sea cliff: six pitches of 4b to 4c on pocketed, sharply sculpted limestone above the open sea. You abseil in from the top and climb out. The first two pitches are vegetated; the climbing proper starts on the pitch 3 slab.

4c6 pitches145 m★★★

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Italy · Sardinia

Lilith

An easy and popular line on the big amphitheatre above Cala Gonone: three 4c pitches of juggy steps and easy-angled slabs, a short walk left through bushes, then a 35 m wall of heavily sculpted rock at 5a. Expect queues.

5a4 pitches120 m★★★

Italy · Sardinia

Signorina Fantasia

The easy way up the Pedra Longa sea stack: four short pitches starting almost at the water, with one steep and airy 5c+ pitch between friendlier 5b and 4c ground. Shorter and much easier than its neighbour Marinaio di Foresta, in the same setting.

5c+4 pitches90 m★★★

Italy · Monte Argentario

Spigolo Bonatti

A long arête that seems to drop straight into the sea: a sustained 6a first pitch, then corners, slabs and short walls at 5a to 5b+ separated by easy scrambling, with an exposed traverse out on the open face near the top. The 6a can be aided.

6a7 pitches240 m★★★

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Italy · Sardinia

Oceano Mare

Five steep, sustained pitches at 6b to 6b+ straight out of the sea on new titanium bolts, on abrasive, pocketed limestone. Bulges, a smooth roof, a corner and a thin finishing crack, with a cave belay after pitch 1.

6b+5 pitches160 m★★★

Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca

Man-Ilia

An easy, relaxing sport route on low-angle Zebrate slabs, trending left to right to join Cane Trippa at the fifth belay. It's an excellent first multipitch. Gulliver gives UIAA III / II–III / IV / IV–IV+ for the first four pitches, converted here.

5b6 pitches240 m★★★