Via degli Dei, Hiking trail in Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, Italy

The Via degli Dei is a hiking trail across the Apennines between Bologna and Florence, marked by the CAI since the 1990s. It runs about 130 km past Monte Adone (654 m), Monte Venere (940 m), Monte dei Cucchi (1140 m) and the Futa Pass (900 m), mostly at around 1000 m elevation. In places the path lies on Roman road paving that has survived 2000 years.

The route, marked by the CAI since the 1990s, follows paths used in the Middle Ages between Bologna and Florence. Some identify it with the Via Flaminia Militare, built in 187 BCE under consul Gaius Flaminius; in places the trail runs over ancient road paving that has survived 2000 years. The Etruscans also used it to link Bologna and Fiesole.

The trail takes its name from places along the route that reference Roman gods, including Monte Adone, Monzuno derived from Monte di Giove, and Monte Venere. Today, hikers pass through these villages and experience a living tradition of hospitality, where local hosts often serve homemade dishes drawing from both Emilian and Tuscan kitchens.

The route can be walked or ridden by mountain bike, with stages between Bologna (54 m) and Florence (50 m) passing over Monte dei Cucchi (1140 m) and Cima delle Banditacce (1204 m). The CAI-marked path is waymarked by posts such as the white sign reading "CAI Bologna" and "Proprieta' la Natura". Hikers should expect uneven dirt and stone surfaces with exposed roots.

Hikers receive an official passport that collects stamps from different stages of the journey, culminating in a commemorative poster upon completion in Florence. Some sections pass through abandoned quarries, where you can still see traces of old tools and rail tracks once used to transport marble.