The crags
After landing at Pisa airport, get to Camaiore village. For your first climbing day, if you want a warm-up, go to the beautiful crag of Sant’Anna di Stazzena, secluded among the hills with sea view. Here you can find lots of easy grades, from 3+ to some 6b-6c range. You can reach it with a nice 20’ walk from Camaiore.
If instead, you feel like starting with a bang, hike up 40’ to the beautiful natural area of Procinto, with its majestic tower. You are roughly 1000m above the sea: even in summer, the temperature allows some nice climbs. Here you should not miss the beautiful multi-pitch routes up the tower, with grades starting from VI. The most classic one is the Dolfi/Melucci route, opened back in 1955, now completely re-bolted in sport-style (4 pitches). The best way to discover the tower is to go with a local mountain guide: you may even learn a couple of new knots and anchors on some of the more old-school routes! If you don’t feel like a multi-pitch, you can reach the top of the tower climbing up Italy’s oldest via ferrata or explore the single-pitches in the crags nearby. You definitely should stop at the cozy hut Forte dei Marmi for a snack/lunch after climbing; you won’t regret it!
For strong climbers, of course, the crown jewel of Camaiore is San Rocchino crag. Here routes range from 7a (5.12a) to 9a+ (5.15a). The wall is heavily overhanging, starting from 30°, and the harder lines also have small crimps, requiring interesting pinches and shoulder movements. Needless to say: the climbing is gorgeous and unforgiving: Adam Ondra had to come back twice to close the 9a+ Naturalmente.
Yet another unmissable area is the Candalla crags (divided into Candella Alta and Candalla Bassa), with more than 100 routes and an incredible scenery. The key jaw-dropping features of Candalla are the steep, long, black-and-white-tufa infused limestone walls. Routes range from 5+ (5.10b) to 8c (5.13d), but are mainly in the 7th (5.12+) range. We recommend Alaigro hombre (6c), the technical Và lentino (7a+), to be flashed, the intense and continuous dihedral of La ribadita (7b). Hiking there is also amazingly beautiful. The trail begins at an ancient water mill, fed by a stunning and rugged mountain river where people fill giant water jugs for their homes. Right next to the mill is a neat little waterfall lapping into a pool, where locals go on hot summer days - rope swing is testimony to that.
If you like the style, don’t miss the overhanging tufas in Cannelot: strength, technique, and endurance are all needed for these 20-25mt lines, mostly in the 7b (5.12c) to 8a (5.13b) range. The main bolter of these and most other crags in Camaiore is Roberto Vigiani, the host of the Ostello Camaiore B&B (together with his wife, Grazia). Stay there for first-hand advice on how to get ready for your next days’ projects and to fully enjoy the natural, rustic vibe of Camaiore.
Since Camaiore has seen continuous route-development, no guidebooks offer a truly comprehensive overview, and we recommend, at least for the first days there, to join one of the pro-rock alpine guides. They all climb above 8th (5.13) grade and used to compete: it is your chance to learn some tricks from the pros and bridge to the next level. Why do that in the gym if you can train on some breathtaking tufas with sea-view?
Last but not least, if the alpinist in you wants to have a saying in your holiday plan, then a trip to the Apuan Alps is not complete without the climb of Pizzo d’Uccello, defined as the Matterhorn of the Apuan Alps. Its sheer 700m north face makes it an impressive big-wall climb in alpine style. There are multiple routes climbing up the 1781 summit, mostly trad, and it is typically possible to do the climb in one day, even if you have to be always ready for a last-minute bivouac. The beauty, grace and the strict alpine aurea of the peak makes it one of the greatest goals for all local climbers.
