How long does it take to reach the summit?
Ci vuole: chee VWOH-leh. Don't rush 'vuole' — two syllables, stress on the first.
Ask this before starting a climb to plan your timing and check if you can summit before dark. Also useful at rifugi when staff know current conditions.
Ci vuole literally means 'it takes' (it wants/needs). In cima means 'at the top' or 'to the summit'. This construction is very common for expressing time required for a task.
Quanto ci mette a piedi?
How long does it take on foot?
Casual version, common among hikers.
Ci vogliono molte ore?
Does it take many hours?
Use when you want a rough yes/no estimate.
È una camminata lunga?
Is it a long walk?
Very simple, useful at A1 level.
Italian trail time estimates (tempi di percorrenza) assume a fit adult walking at moderate pace. The CAI uses 300m of elevation gain per hour as the standard. Budget extra time if you're not acclimatised to altitude.