Nordic walking is an easy, natural and highly effective way to improve your physical condition and tone your body's muscles. It can be practised on a variety of terrains, from the seaside to the mountains. Let's take a look at where.
If you've travelled abroad, you may well have come across it more often: people walking with a slightly unusual posture, perhaps a little rigid, and moving very quickly. Sometimes with the help of trekking poles. This is Nordic walking, a discipline that is becoming increasingly popular here in Italy too, but is practically a national sport in Scandinavia.
It seems to be practised mainly by women, perhaps won over by the benefits of this sport. Here are some of them:
It is usually practised in very scenic areas, not only in the mountains as the name might suggest. So you can choose to walk along the seafront or among high mountain peaks. And even in the city. Urban Nordic walking is spreading rapidly, and it is not uncommon to see office workers who drop everything during their lunch break to go for a walk.
But even walking — and doing it properly — requires some preparation. With the holidays in mind, we suggest some destinations where you can attend mini-courses. If you enjoy the mountains, in Livigno, in Valtellina, Province of Sondrio, you can learn everything you need to become self-sufficient in just 3 days. And the scenery is enchanting. You can find all the information here. You really need very little: suitable shoes, comfortable clothing and the famous poles.
If, on the other hand, you are a seaside person and are thinking of long walks on the beach, you can choose between Friuli Venezia Giulia or the beaches of Laigueglia, Senigallia or the Costa degli Etruschi in Tuscany and many more besides. Almost every region has its own Nordic walking association. There is also the Federazione Italiana Nordic Walking for when you discover it is truly your sport and want to know everything about it.