Monte Amiata - Paradise for hikers and mountain bikers
Half way between Florence and Roma is the extinct volcano Monte Amiata, the highest Tuscan mountain at 1739 metres. Its area covers 11 villages as well as the mountains Labbro (1193), Buceto (1152), Civitella (1107) and Paggio Zoccolino (1035). Numerous springs, geysers, dense chestnut-, beech-, spruce- and oak forests, meadows, rivers and thermal springs shape this amazing landscape. A network of approximately 19 main routes and many side paths are spread over 200 kilometres of unique discovery tours.
This beautiful and diverse environment is perfect for hiking and cycling. Separate routes wind through the sparsely populated highlands nestling between canyons and valleys and vary from routes that lead through labyrinth like forests to medieval sites (such as Abbadia San Salvatore, Segiano and Arcidosso) and also to other mountains, fortresses, castles and spectacular small villages.
All routes are well marked and offer hiking trails of different lengths and difficulty levels for everyone corresponding to their own stamina and endurance abilities. Excellent maps are available at the ATP-Bureaus in the Amiata-Cities, including the “Alchiemie dell’ Amiata” in which the hiking duration of every single trail and mountain bike course is mentioned. To plan a route, the indicated tourist sights, castles, mountain cabins, thermal springs and nature parks are also of great help.
You can reach the almost 30 km long route “Anello dell’ Amiata” which leads you around the circumference of the volcano cone, to an altitude of 1,000 to 1,3000 metres, from every location in the valley by using hiking trails. Touring this special route, averages about 10 hours. Its difficulty level is low and along the route there are several resting places and cabins. Shelters are only available at certain periods of the year. Of course, you can choose separate parts of the route around the cone if you wish to make an individual hiking tour.
Various paths lead to the summit. You can take a break on the wide grassland of Contessa and delle Macinaie, before reaching the last stop on the summit “Vetta Amiata “ where the iron cross was placed in 1910 at the volcano peak. Fast food stores and souvenir shops have unfortunately sprung up and are in operation there now. In winter many people enjoy skiing here. Of course, the summit can be reached by a seat-lift, for example from the 1380 metres high Prato delle Macinaie. On bright days, you get an incomparable view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Apennines, the lakes Trasimeno and Bolsena, and of course the regions Umbria and Latium.
There are many hiking trails on the Amiata which lead from the Orcia valley to Castel del Piano and Arcidosso then to Rocallbegna, Semproniano and Catabbio or from Colle sul Rigo via Radicofani to Abbadia San Salvatore, Castell’ Azzara and at last to Santa Fiora. Along these paths the hiker can, for example, test the healing power of thermal springs in Bagnore near by Castiglione d’ Orria, see the astonishing Castell’ d’Azzara, the sculpture park of Daniel Spoerri in Seggiano or you can visit the Buddhist monastery Dzog Chen, the most important centre of religion for Tibetan monks in Europe.
For hiking and cycling tourists another superb advantage is that the Monte Amiata covers 13 nature reserves, including Monte Labbro, Pescinello, the forest of Rocconi, the great chestnut forest Castel del Piano and Monterufeno. Regional animals, like porcupines, wolves, fallow deer, muffling, foxes, buzzards, falcons, beech martens, short-toed eagles inhabit the park Faustico del Monte Amiata in the village Arcidesso and can be spotted from numerous hiking paths, while observing wonderful mountain panoramas. If you ascend the 1193 metres Monte Labbro to the top of the park, you can celebrate your hiking tour and the native animals with a wonderful view of the Monte Amiata and the indescribable range of the Maremma lowlands.
Besides the already discussed maps of the ATP-Bureaus (we recommend the Tourist Head-Office in Abbadia San Salvatore), very detailed area maps are also on sale at specific bookselling stores. Mountain bike rentals are available in many locations and many hotels offer the same service. In winter, skiing equipment is also available to rent.
Titel dieser Seite: Monte Amiata - Tuscany - Paradise for hikers and mountain bikers - Ferienhaus Toskana Zusammenfassung dieser Seite: Half way between Florence and Roma is the extinct volcano Monte Amiata, the highest Tuscan mountain at 1739 metres. Its area covers 11 villages as well as the mountains Labbro (1193), Buceto (1152), Civitella (1107) and Paggio Zoccolino (1035). Numerous springs, geysers, dense chestnut-, beech-, spruce- and oak forests, meadows, rivers and thermal springs shape this amazing landscape.
