Dolomites, Italy
The Dolomites in Italy, or Le Dolomiti in Italia, are some of the most jagged peaks on Earth. This region is truly an alpine paradise. Supposedly these mountains were formed from ancient reefs, and therefore they pop up in clusters, or groups, instead of traditional straight ranges. Between these jagged, towering groups of mountains are gentle grassy meadows filled with wildflowers and Bavarian alpine towns. Hikers can travel from town to town using the towns as basecamp for day hikes, or for longer hikes they can sleep in the numerous alpine huts situated high up in the mountains.
The Dolomites are also famous for their "via ferrata" climbing routes. Via ferrata means "iron way", and these routes have fixed cables that climbers can clip into for safety. This makes it possible for hikers and novice climbers to safely climb large, steep routes that normally would only be the domain of experienced climbers. The via ferrate have a fascinating history; they were initially installed by Italian and Austrian troops who fought a ferocious battle against each other in the Dolomites during the First World War. Tunnels, bunkers, and other relics of the war are found throughout the peaks of this region. More info about via ferrate here.
You can see a few more via ferrata photos here.
