Archive for 'Hiking'

The beautiful Maremma region of Tuscany is a great, somewhat lesser-known holiday destination in the region. It is a coastal area of Italy that boasts a diverse and incredibly picturesque landscape full of natural beauties. For those interested in a variety of beaches, hiking, flora, fauna, and escaping into a new, impossibly lovely destination, a vacation rental in the Maremma or a holiday rental on the Tuscan Coast is a perfect option.

While exploring this region, one should definitely set aside some time for adventures in the Maremma Regional Park, or Regional Park of the Uccellina. Spread across the chain of hills of the Uccellina and parallel to the coast, stretching 25km from Principina a Mare to Talamone, across almost 10,000 hectares, the park boasts romantic ruins of old watchtowers and a Cistercian abbey, sandy beaches, rocky beaches, dramatic cliffs, marshes, pine forests, cultivated fields and pastures, wildflowers, aromatic herbs, berries, deer, foxes, wild boars, over 270 species of birds, and much more besides. There is a wide variety of things to see as you explore the park and a variety of modes in which to so.

One of the most readily identifiable and iconic peaks in all of Tuscany has to be the incredible Monte Forato and her two summits, which are connected by a large, open, naturally-occurring arch. This picturesque peak and its incredible and suggestive characteristic arch is located along an excellent ring route in the Garfagnana mountains that makes for an ideal place to go hiking if you have found a vacation rental in Lucca and are looking for somewhere to go take in pretty views of Tuscany, to get some fresh air, to blow out the cobwebs, and to stretch your legs.

The trail along Monte Forato begins at the pretty little Tuscan mountain town of Fornovolasco, which is surrounded by lush greenery, is famous for the river that splits it into two parts, and is dominated by the arch at the top of the peak above. Follow the signs to Grotta del Vento from town, head over the bridge over the Turrite River, up towards the Foce di Petrociana pass, and then take the number six path for a kilometre to a small cave called the Tana che Urla (Screaming Den) or Vallisneri Cave. If you put your ear to the cave’s mouth you can hear an odd noise that sounds like a man shouting, who is, according to local legend, a miner that fell in love with a fairy and followed her deep into the cave, never to be seen again.

A few years ago, we wrote about a particular hill, located in a charming little town called Fiesole, just outside Florence. A long-time favourite holiday destination of noble families looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, including the Medici family, the town of Fiesole has continued to be a destination that attracts the rich and famous and normal folk alike who are looking to pop out of Florence and into the peaceful natural surroundings of this area for a while. The hill in Fiesole with which we were concerned, however, drew an incredibly famous visitor not for leisure but, instead, for experiments. Said visitor being Da Vinci, who, long before the Wright brothers, came to test out a flying machine on the hill of Monte Ceceri. This momentous and fascinating event in history is reason enough to draw Da Vinci fans and history buffs alike but there is actually plenty of reason for anyone to stop by if they have found a holiday rental in Fiesole.

As well as being the site of Da Vinci's would-be airport, Monte Ceceri is popular among hikers and those who like to admire scenery as it offers great panoramic views of the surrounding landscape of Tuscany and right over the city of Florence in the distance. In fact, it’s a perfect spot to spend some time out in nature and stretching your legs if you have found a vacation rental in Florence and are looking for some day trip ideas to explore some parts of Tuscany around the city.

Tuscany isn’t short on beautiful scenery or incredible views and ways to take them in. So many of her towns are built on hilltops, affording the most amazing sweeping vistas over the surrounding landscapes. There are also plenty of buildings all over that you can visit to admire the view from up on top of them. However, if you really want to admire a good view, the best combo is a nice hike to work up a little bit of a sweat, some fresh air and natural surroundings to admire along the way, and then a great view from the top of the trail as a reward for all of your efforts. Like hilltop towns and pretty vantage points, there is not a shortage of great hiking trails to choose from in Tuscany, however, if we were to recommend one today, it would be the Passo di Dante on Monte Pisano. If you have found a vacation rental in Pisa and you’re looking for somewhere to go for a pleasant and not overly challenging hike that boasts history and truly excellent views, then this is just the spot for you!

Monte Pisano has quite a few different routes to choose from and these routes are of various levels of difficulty, meaning that there is probably something to suit everyone, no matter their kind of previous experience with hiking or fitness level. All boast excellent views – with panoramas over the Tuscan Coast to one side of the mountain and across to the Lucca and Apuan Alps on the other side – and traverse through a stunning landscape made up of forestry dotted by ruins of ancient monasteries, pretty little churches, and old farmhouses.

Museums, galleries, palaces, restaurants, wineries: these are probably the locations that first come to mind when picturing spending time in Tuscany. However, that beautiful and iconic landscape that Tuscany is famous for needs to be ventured out into and explored. Driving around or heading to outdoor activities like kayaking, zip lining, horse riding, and more are one way to experience it but an excellent way to see the landscape at its most beautiful is by going hiking. One particularly lovely place to go hiking is Pania della Croce.

This mountain in the Apuan Alps is the highest peak in the Panie Group, located not far from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and boasts views over Monviso, Monte Amiata, Corsica and the coastline on very clear days. For those who have found a holiday rental in Lucca or a villa rental on the Tuscan Coast, and who are looking to take in the majestic natural beauty of Tuscany, it is the perfect spot for a hike.