Hotel  Albergo
Ristorante
Pizzeria Piscina
La Gozzetta

Via delle Colline, 8
 Pieve di S. Luce ( Pisa)
Toscana Tuscany  Italy
Tel 050- 685814 - 685861
Fax 050- 685827

TOSCANA
INDEX

 Mountains of Tuscany 

The Apuan Alps

They extend from the river Magra to the river Serchio and are separated from the northern Appennines by the Foce Carpinelli.

It is a mountain chain parallel to the coastline and to the Apennines, with peaks no higher than 1900 meters, that are made of needles and sharp crest, with steep lope: for this reason they are called Alps.

The vegetation is extremely different, due to the climate and to the geographical position: from the Mediterranean bush to meadows.

As years go by, the landscape has been changed by the quarrying and the manufacture of marble of which the Apuan Alps are rich, as well as of other mostly metamorphic rocks.

A characteristic of the Apuan Alps is the existence, inside of them, of subterranean hollows of unimaginable extension (about 60 km under the m. Corchia), depth (such as the abyss Olivifer of about 1215 meters) and beauty.

The Grotta del Vento is a beautiful cave where you can discover the subterranean world without being a speleologist.

The cave is equipped by paths of cement and lights which permit you to admire a wonderful spectacle of the nature: stalactites, stalagmites and small submerged lakes.

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Mountains of Pisa

It is a small mountain chain toward the north-east of Pisa, situated between the valleys of the Arno and of the Serchio and the river bed of the ex-lake of Bientina.

Some researchers think it is one of the most ancient mountain chain.

The territory is characterized by: vineyards, in the lower part of it, olive-groves, chestnut woods, oak-woods, beech-woods, alternated by pine-woods.

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Appennino Lucchese

It is an important mountain chain of sandstone rocks, situated from the valleys of Serchio and of Lima to the Emilian region.

Its slopes are covered with chestnut woods and beech-woods, alternated by green pastures and ancient villages, that give the name Garfagnana or rather "big big woodland" to this vast area.

Things worth seeing: the park of Orecchiella, rich in its naturalistic aspects, has different environments such as slopes, covered with woods and pastures, and rock-faces.

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The mountain chain of Monte Cetona

It is an Apennine formation where hiking, landscape and nature are merged in a perfect balance.

It skirts the boundary of Umbria and Lazio, and it looks like an island between two great plains: toward east the valleys of Chiana and Chiusi, toward west the valley of Orcia.

Thanks to its strange form "of an island" you can enjoy a panoramical view of central Italy: from the top of Cetona the view goes from Amiata to the lake of Bolsena, to the rock of Orvieto till the mountains of central Apennines; then from the lakes of Chiusi and Montepulciano till the hills of Siena.

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The Amiata mount

With its 1738 meters it is the higher top of the southern Tuscany: its slopes, covered with a forest mantle, offer a panoramical view comparable with Alpine landscape.

The snow, that often remains till spring, give a Nordic aspect at this zone.

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