Abbadia San Salvatore

Abbey of Sant'Antimo

Albarese

Acquapendente


anghiari

Archipelago Toscano


Arcidosso


Arezzo


Asciano


Badia di Coltibuono


Bagni San Filippo

Bagno Vignoni

Barberino Val d'Elsa

Beaches

Bolsena Lake


Bomarzo

Brunello di Montalcino

Buonconvento

Campagnatico


Capalbio


Castel del Piano


Castelfiorentino

Castell'Azzara

Castellina in Chianti


Castelmuzio


Castelnuovo Bererdenga


Castiglioncello Bandini


Castiglione della Pescaia


Castiglione d'Orcia


Castiglion Fiorentino


Celleno


Certaldo


Chinaciano Terme


Chianti


Chiusi


Cinigiano


Città di Castello

CivitÀ di Bagnoregio


Colle Val d'Elsa


Cortona


Crete Senesi


Diaccia Botrona

Isola d'Elba

Firenze


Follonica


Gaiole in Chianti


Gavorrano

Gerfalco


Greve in Chianti


Grosseto


Lago Trasimeno


La Foce


Manciano


Maremma


Massa Marittima


Montagnola Senese


Montalcino


Monte Amiata


Monte Argentario

montecalvello

Montefalco


Montemassi


Montemerano


Monte Oliveto Maggiore


Montepulciano


Monteriggioni


Monticchiello


Monticiano


Orbetello


Orvieto


Paganico


Parco Naturale della Maremma


Perugia


Piancastagnaio


Pienza


Pisa


Pitigliano

Prato

Radda in Chianti


Roccalbegna


Roccastrada


San Bruzio


San Casciano dei Bagni


San Galgano


San Gimignano


San Giovanni d'Asso


San Quirico d'Orcia


Sansepolcro


Santa Fiora


Sant'Antimo


Sarteano


Saturnia


Scansano


Scarlino


Seggiano


Siena


Sinalunga


Sorano


Sovana


Sovicille

Talamone

Tarquinia


Tavernelle Val di Pesa


Torrita di Siena


Trequanda


Tuscania


Umbria


Val d'Elsa


Val di Merse


Val d'Orcia


Valle d'Ombrone


Vetulonia


Viterbo

Volterra




 
Walking in Tuscany
             
 
Monte Amiata
Monte Amiata [1]
album Surroundings
       
   

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).

 

Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center | The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth | Enlarge view ISS018-E-35032.JPG



The Olivastra Seggianese

   

The Olivastra Seggianese is a particularly hardy and wild cultivar, which grows on the slopes of Monte Amiata in secular olive groves ranging up to 600 meters over the sea level. The plant comes from a particularly robust rootstock: a mountain variety which is well able to resist the low winter temperatures, and this cazracteristic also acts as a natural deterrent to parasitic infestations.

The flora and fauna present particular ecotypes which combine to make the territory unique: the mountain's slopes are wreathed with beech, chestnuts and pine forests, home to rare species, such as the short-toe eagle, the Egyptian vulture, the Lanner falcon and the wolf, as well as many other more common mammals and birds of pray. Various protected areas of the local environment have been created, which operate hand in hand with institutions for study and development to research and communicate information about the natural beauty of the territory.
The Olivastra di Seggiano is an indigenous botanical species found throughout the area of Monte Amiata. This cultivar is above all found in the Province of Grosseto growing between 200 and 650 meters above sea level and concentrated particularly around Seggiano. This indigenous variety of olive tree was presumably introduced by monks from the nearby monastery San Salvatore in the early Middle Ages. Already in the 10th century, the abbot of this monastery mentioned Seggiano as a production region of fine olive oil. The Olivastra Seggianese is largely climate-resistant and thus perfectly adapted for the altitude, which is unusually high for olive trees.
There are probably hundreds of majestic and magnificent trees in Monte Amiata area. Some of the most impressive trees are to be found near Podere Santa Margerita and Podere Santa Pia in Castiglioncello Bandini. The ancient trees grow in wondrous, tangled ways, with trunks resembling characters in fairy tales. Tucked away in the hills above Cinigiano, 9 olive trees have witnessed thousands of years of political unrest, plagues, diseases, varying climatic conditions and changing civilizations.

These ancient trees have had a huge impact on all the important civilizations of the Mediterranean for at least 4000 years - providing food, medicinal potions, and the most nourishing of oils. Today there are 500 different “cultivars” or varieties of olives. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of extra virgin olive oil, with 35 different geographical denominations recognized by the European Union.

The "Consorzio Olio di Seggiano" was founded in 2002 under the spur of a group of local entrepreneurs dedicated to the production of the extra-virgin olive oil from the processing of the local cultivar, the Olivastra di Seggiano. The association was formed in order to improve its quality and its characteristics, by promoting the adherence to a code of conduct for local producers.
 

UmbBeiSeggiano
Olivastra Seggianese

 

Galleria fotografica Monte Amiata

Galleria fotografica Monte Amiata

 

 

   
Amiata flickr01   Santa fiora, peschiera 02   Monte Labbro

Monte Amiata

 

 

La Peschiera di Santa Fiora

 

 

Monte Labbro

 

 

Abbazia di San Salvatore

 

       
Abbazia San Salvatore di Monte Amiata   Abbazia San Salvatore di Monte Amiata, La cripta longobarda   Abbazia di s.salvatore
Abbazia di San Salvatore  

Abbazia San Salvatore di Monte Amiata, La cripta longobarda

 

   
         
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)

Films set in Tuscany | Le Meraviglie

Le Meraviglie (Alice Rohrwachter, 2014) is a magical realist portrait of a family of beekeepers in rural Italy. The film, which stars Monica Bellucci, was shot in Sorano, Sovana and in Bagni San Filippo, in the province of Siena.

 

Bagni San Filippo - Toscana ITALY
Bagni San Filippo, Balena Bianca

 

BagniSanFilippoPanorama3
Bagni San Filippo

     

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.

Films set in Tuscany | Nostalghia

 

 

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.


Walking in Tuscany | 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.



From Vivo d’Orca to the hermitage and these spring of Vivo

From Vivo d’Orcia we start downhill on Via dell’Eremo toward the white-fir forest of Vivo d’Orcia, one of the last remaining in Tuscany of this kind.

Walking in Tuscany | Itineraries in Parco Faunistico en La Riserva naturale del Monte Labbro

Walking in Tuscany | Semproniano - Roccalbegna - Triana - Roccalbegna - Semproniano

Walking in La Riserva Naturale del Pigelleto | Saragiolo - Miniera del Siele - Castell'Azzara | Podere La Roccaccia - Castell'Azzara

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.

 

Cycling in tuscany | Cicloturismo nella Maremma in Toscana | 35 cycling trials (It)

La via del Montecucco

Cinigiano - MonteCucco - bivio Sasso d’Ombrone - Cinigiano

I tre passi

Arcidosso - Montelaterone - Bivio Monticello Amiata - località Alteta - bivio monte Aquilaia - Valico Buceto - Bivio Monte Labbro - Località Merigar - Località Aiole - Arcidosso

Verso le sorgenti dell’Albegna

Arcidosso - Le Macchie - Bivio Buceto - Roccalbegna - Riserva del Pescinello - Bivio Monte Labbro - Località Aiole - Arcidosso

Le falde dell’Amiata Grossetano

Roccalbegna - Triana - Località Aiole - Arcidosso - Monticello Amiata - Castiglioncello Bandini - Stribugliano - Santa Caterina - Roccalbegna

Dall’ Amiata alla pianura e ritorno

Castel del Piano - Arcidosso - Monticello Amiata - Cinigiano - Bivio Granaione - Baccinello - Cana - Santa Caterina - Roccalbegna - Triana - Località Aiole - Arcidosso - Castel del Piano

La riserva del Pigelleto e il Monte Penna

Riserva Natura le del Pigelleto - Castell’Azzara - Selvena - Riserva Natura le del Pigelletto

L’alta valle del Fiora

Santa Fiora - Torrente Scabbia - Torrente Rigo Secco - Selva

 


Enlarge map Monte Amiata

 

Holiday Accommodation Tuscany

Holiday homes in the Tuscan Maremma and Monte Amiata | Holiday home Podere Santa Pia

 


[1] Photo credits: riandreu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!