Three Peaks challenges in Italy

The landscapes of Italy

Italy's mountains extend from the Alpine arc in the north through the Apennines along the peninsula. The surrounding plains, valleys and coastlines give those ranges very different settings, from northern alpine basins to mountains close to the Mediterranean.

The Dolomites rise east of the main northern Alpine valleys, while the western Alps frame Italy's boundaries with France and Switzerland. The Apennines continue down the peninsula, with major uplands in the central region. Sicily adds a separate volcanic landscape around Etna, across the sea from the mainland mountain systems.