Review
This graceful and useful guide to one of the most interesting and beautiful hiking and climbing areas of Europe should accompany any active person to Italy.
Not only is Mr. Greco is an avid hiker, a well organized and experienced trip leader, but he is also a man of civilized interests. His book provides a guide to the food and wine of the region as well as to the trails of the Apuane Alps. This reliable and comprehensive hiking and climbing guide includes detailed trip descriptions, as well as sections on driving in Italy, the flora and fauna of the region, local specialties in food and drink, and a discussion of the refugio system of huts.
The heart of the book contains trip descriptions with associated logistical information designed to aid the foreign traveler. The descriptions are clear, accurate and detailed. Mr. Greco's eye for the offbeat features of the terrain, its human use, and the beauty of the countryside enhance the visitor's enjoyment. (For example: one sees the difficulty today in removing blocks of Carrara marble from steep hillside quarries. Such a task would seem nearly impossible in Michelangelo's time.) Readers can get where they want to go and will arrived equipped to appreciate the hikes, huts and restaurants along the way. Maps and illustrations prepared by Francesco Greco's son, Giuseppe, accompany the trip descriptions. The graphics are extremely helpful, and they convey enough information that the hiker can choose among alternate routes based on difficulty and objectives.
A special advantage of the book is that it is written by an Italian. The author's intimacy with the Tuscany and Liguria shines through in the way that he draws attention to regional dining specialties available in refugios accessible during the hikes. He also outlines historical and architectural aspects of interest.
One test of a guidebook's utility is to read it after returning from a trip to the region. We hiked in the Apuane Alps and Cinque Terre with our son, Colin, July, 1998. If Mr.Greco's book had been available then, we would have had less trouble finding our way, understood more of what we saw, and eaten with distinction.
The marble trails of the Tuscan Alps and the hikes along the fairy tale Ligurian coast are among the most compelling trips in Europe. This excellent guide will enhance their exploration and enjoyment by the English-speaking visitor. -- Sean Sheehan for The Mountaineer, June 1999
About the Author
Francesco Greco is a member of the Pisa Section of the Club Alpino Italiano (the Italian Alpine Club) and the Mountaineers in Washington state. An avid worldwide traveler, he has hiked in the Apuane Alps for more than thirty years. His interests in natural history and local culture complement his enthusiasm for the outdoors. Mr. Greco divides his time between Milan and Seattle.
Guiseppe Greco, a graduate of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, drew all the maps and illustrations. The younger Mr. Greco lives in Pisa.
