Monte Amiata | Walking and trekking in Southern Tuscany | The surroundings of Casa Santa Pia, a holiday house in the south of Tuscany

Monte Amiata

Monte Amiata is 1738 metres high and extends into the provinces of Siena and Grosseto, comprising the towns of Abbadia San Salvatore, Piancastagnaio, Castiglion d’Orcia and Radicofani. The well organised tourist reception structures of Monte Amiata make this a popular destination all year round and a perfect base from which to explore the marvels of Tuscany and nearby Umbria and Lazio. From a naturalistic point of view, this region offers ever changing scenery and colours, from snow in the winter to fresh temperatures in the summer. Monte Amiata (with a summit elevation of 1738 m the highest mountain in the Tuscany region, and the second tallest volcano in Italy) is probably the least known of the major Italian central volcanoes and volcanic complexes. It lies in the southernmost part of Tuscany, close to the boundary with Latium, only a few tens of kilometers to the north of the Vulsini volcanic complex. The area is remote and not as touristically tormented as much of the rest of Tuscany. There are no large population centers within about 50 km from the volcano. The surrounding landscape is densely forested and consists of a series of roughly NW-SE trending ridges and valleys. Monte Amiata is known for its medieval towns, the gastronomy and for its ski-runs. On the north-east side it appears to the gentle landscape of Val d'Orcia, while on the east side it closes the landscape of Maremma. Bagni di San Filippo has a thermal waterfall whose 40 °C water is delightful year round, and especially invigorating in the winter. Links A walk in the woods of Mount Amiata I musei del Monte Amiata Il Monte Amiata, la montagna toscana, fra la Maremma e il Chianti Web Ufficiale del Comune di Arcidosso Monte Amiata - Amiata neve - Il portale ufficiale dell'Amiata invernale Mappa Mount Amiata museums There are some examples of figurative art of the 1300’s, ancient architecture like the medieval castles, the abbeys of the Roman period (Abbadia San Salvatore, and Sant’Antimo), the Sforzesca di Castell’Azzara , the mansion Bourbon del Monte a Piancastagnaio, the renaissance and baroque churches, and the Peschiera at Santa Fiora. They bear witness to the fusing of civilization and culture in the territory of the Amiata which is included in the amazing historical background of southern Tuscany. David Lazzaretti, a mystic and revolutionary and the prophet of Amiata, must be remembered in this story. He sacrificed himself in 1878 for religious reasons, and he was opposed to injustice in the world and the decline of the roman clerical order. Mount Amiata does not have large museums. Instead there is a network of small or very small exhibition places throughout the area. The Mountain Community "Amiata Grossetano", in order to resolve problems of management and at the same time enhance the value of these museums, has launched the Amiata Museum System, part of the Ecomuseum Project of the Amiata-Grosseto area, where the identity of the museums is formed by an appreciation for the environment and landscape together with artistic, historic-artistic and cultural expression. For the purpose of organisation, the museums are grouped into three types: historic and historic-artistic (the David Lazzaretti Study Centre at Arcidosso, the Art Collection at Palazzo Nerucci in Castel del Piano), demo-ethno-anthropological and nature (the House Museum at Monticello Amiata-Cinigiano, the Ethnographic Museum at Santa Caterina-Roccalbenga, Museum of the Mercury Mines of Mount Amiata in Santa Fiora, Museum of the Vine and Wine in Montenero d'Orcia-Castel del Piano) and environment sites (Visitors Centre of the Fauna Park at Arcidosso).
Bagni San Filippo is located between the volcanic cone of the Monte Amiata and Val d'Orcia. There has been evidence of people, including famous ones like Lorenzo the Magnificent, coming here to relax at the spa since the late 12th century. It is common belief that the name of this town derives from St Filippo Benizi, the prior of the Florentine order of the Servants of Mary, who took refuge here in 1296 to avoid being elected pope at the conclave of Viterbo. Archaeological remains unearthed at Bagni San Filippo indicate that this was appreciated as a thermal bath location already under the Romans, from between the 1st and 2nd century AD. The thermal baths were restored during the 16th century by order of Cosimo de’ Medici and acquired considerable renown, even earning a mention in Machiavelli’s play La Mandragola. Terme San Filippo is one of the most spectacular thermal resort in Tuscany, known for its beautiful calcareous sediments made by the thermal water. The thermal waterfall whose 40 °C water is delightful year round, and especially invigorating in the winter. The waters, rich in sulphur, calcium and magnesium, renowned and used since the Middle Ages and Renaissance, cured famous people like Lorenzo il Magnifico. The sulphur waters of Bagni San Filippo have shaped the surrounding landscape, which is white with calcium deposits. In some points the deposits have created structures similar to waterfalls, the best known of which is named Balena Bianca, which looks out onto the Fosso Bianco – a small river that runs at the feet of Monte Amiata in a series of warm, white pools. Fraz. Bagni San Filippo, 23 - Com. Castiglione d'Orcia (SI)		Bagni San Filippo, Balena Bianca

One of the loveliest small villages around San Quirico d’Orcia, Bagno Vignoni has been known for its waters since the Etruscans and later the Romans. The village of Bagno Vignoni has survived miraculously unaltered through the centuries. The pool with the fabled thermal waters is still in the main square of the village, closed in on three of its four sides by a 1.5 metre high perimeter wall. Some of the buildings that look onto the square, such as the loggia, were designed by the architect Bernardo Rossellino. Located on an area of flat ground that lies between Colle Vignoni and a meander of the river Orcia, the waters that feed the 16th century pool in Bagno Vignoni emerge from the soil at a temperature of over 50°C. In the past these waters also powered a series of mills further downriver. Known as the Parco dei Mulini, these mills have been carefully restored by the town of San Quirico d’Orcia and are today open to the public.		Bagno Vignoni

In winter the peak of Monte Amiata functions as one of the best equipped ski resorts in Tuscany and the whole of central Italy. Prato delle Macinaie at 1385 above sea level, Prato della Contessa at 1410 above sea level, the Rifugio Cantore at 1428 above sea level and Pian della Marsiliana all extend up towards the highest point of the mountain. There are 15 resorts for a total of about 15 kilometres worth of skiing – with two funiculars and 10 ski-lifts – and different level tracks.

[read more]

In spring and summer, between 1000 and 1300 metres above sea level, Monte Amiata is ideal for trekking and mountain biking and the tourist itineraries are provided with a number of picnic areas.

Among the most interesting excursions on the Monte Amiata are the Sentieri della Castagna – six itineraries for walkers and one for drivers. During the chestnut gathering season in autumn, from September 15th to November 15th, tourists are only allowed here accompanied by a guide. Some chestnut trees in this area are over 500 years old. Those who are fond of fine cooking will be able to enjoy the abundance of chestnuts in a variety of local dishes.

Those who are more interested in tougher excursions either on horseback, trekking or by mountain bike, should not miss the Anello della Montagna itinerary that runs for 28 kilometres around the circumference of the old volcano.

Arcidosso-Anello Amiata walk 10

Starting form the center of Arcidosso, the pedestrian pathway represents a short cut on the way to Casteldelpiano, going towards Case Grappolini and then to the localities of Le Cannucce and the Poggio alla Pescina, from which the Ring of the Amiata is reached.
The pathway climbs from about 600 m to 1200m on a length of almost 5 km. It can be covered on foot in about 2 hours.
The pathway can be entirely ridden on horseback and by mountain bike.
Map

Anello Amiata (Amiata's Ring) (AA and path 10 and 11 on the map)

The ring surrounds the mountain essentially along the level curve of the 1200 m altitude and can be reached through many roads coming from Vivo d'Orcia, Seggiano, Casteldelpiano, Arcidosso, Santa Fiora, Piancastagniaio and Abbadia San Salvatore.
Through the pathways it is possible to reach the ring from many different directions: following the pathway number 10, starting form Arcidosso, with the pathway 11 from Vivo D'Orcia, with the pathway number 12 from Santa Fiora, with the pathway number 14 from Piancastagnaio and the pathway 15 from Radicofani.

The road winds up, except for some stretches of asphalt road, in a wide pathway, about 27 km long, which allows the wanderer to reach the ring in about 7 hours and without difficulty.
Starting from Abbadia San Salvatore, which is the nearest village to the Ring, and walking anti-clockwise from the seat of the Mine Museum, one meets the church of the Ermeta, then the Spring of the Acquapassante, the Refuge of Capo Vetra, a central crossroads on the Siena's slope of the Mount Amiata, the hillock Sasso dei Falchi, the Locality Madonna del Camicione, the hillock Pescina, the Capanna di Mecopapa, the Spring of the Monache, the Podere Cipriana and then once again the villas of Abbadia San Salvatore.
The pathway can be walked down on foot, but also on horseback, by bike (mountain bike) and, in winter, it turns into a cross-country ski slope.
The pathway offers the possibility of enjoying enchanting panoramas of the peak and of the valleys of the Orcia, Paglia and Fiora rivers and crosses wonderful beech forests, intermingled with chestnut trees, oaks and pine and fir tree reforestations. In the areas between the chestnut trees and the beech trees there are many native maples, hazels and hawthorns.
The excursionist crosses therefore many different landscapes and can enjoy the majesty of the maples, almost creating a boulevard in locality Poggio Lombardo or he ort she can pass under the magic vaults created by the beech trees in locality Aia dei Venti or enjoy, in winter, the sight of fairy snowed landscapes in locality Madonna del Camicione among the fir tree forests.

Map Arcidosso to AA

A number of nature reserves have been instituted on Monte Amiata, such as the Parco Faunistico dell’Amiata, which is within the Riserva Naturale del Monte Labbro – not far from Arcidosso – and contains abundant fauna ranging from deer to wolves and a unique breed of wild donkey known as Amiatina.

The Pigelleto Nature Reserve

The Pigelleto Nature Reserve extends over a territory of 862 hectars between Siena and Grosseto. It is located in Piancastagnaio, a small town South-East from Monte Amiata in Tuscany. The Pigelleto Natural Reserve has been incorporated by the Regional Administration of Tuscany (Regione Toscana) in 1996. It used to host one of the most important quicksilver mines of Monte Amiata, today completely abandoned. The Environmental Education Centre La Direzione is inside the Reserve itself and includes the Visitors Centre, the Environmental Education Labs and facilities for visitors who wish to spend some time in peace and tranquillity.
The Pigelleto Nature Reserve takes its name from the ancient term Pigello, with which the locals of Monte Amianta used to call the silver fir, the most common tree of this part of Tuscany.

There are many excursion paths that run through the Nature Reserve of Pigelleto. Some paths are part of the marked trail n° 16 (Saragiolo - Miniera del Siele - Castell'Azzara) and n° 17 (Pod. La Roccaccia - Castell'Azzara) created by the Town of Monte Amiata.

The Sentiero Natura (the Nature Trial) begins at Podere La Roccaccia and ends at the Environmental Education Centre La Direzione for a 2.5 km long walk inside the Reserve. Along the way you will find many information sighs about the animals and palnts. At times it coincides with the trial n° 16 that connects Saragolo with the Siele Mines.
The Sentiero del Tasso (the Yew Trial) is part of Route n° 16 and is almost 2 km long. It takes you into the most beautiful and interesting part of the Reserve. This is why visitors must be accompanied by guides and rules are very stricted. During the trip you will see chstneut tress, beeches, silver firs and fern trees. There are also wet lands created by permant water sources.
The Sentiero del Ponte (Bridge Trial) has been traced by the community of Monte Amiata and is 4 km long. It is inside the Reserve creating an 8 whch then coincides with the Nature Trial. Along hte way there is a break area in an old ruin (podere s. Ignazio) surrounded by beeches.
The Sentiero Ciclabile (Cycling Trail) is part of the route n° 16 and n° 17 and is almost 6 km long. The asphalt roads are restricted to mountain bikes only. It runs through the woods of the Reserve and arrives at the cultivated lands that surround the Reserve. It goes up to Poggio Roccone and then down towards the Siele Mines.

Links

Map Generator