An authentic green heart to discover, starting from our Podere Salicotto farmhouse
Lovers of foliage? Or more simply do you love walking in the woods, perhaps looking for some mushrooms or chestnuts? Is your ideal Sunday to go trekking at high altitude?
Here we want to show you a place that will satisfy all your passions: Monte Amiata.
Monte Amiata is an ancient extinct volcano of 1738 m. This mountain is the highest mountain not only in the Val d’Orcia but in all of Tuscany! Reachable in about 1 hour from our Podere Salicotto farmhouse, Monte Amiata offers activities for all seasons: if you love to spend your days in close contact with nature, this area will leave you pleasantly satisfied!
Find out with us what to do on Monte Amiata!
1) A beautiful excursion on Monte Amiata
Here you will find the vast centuries-old beech forest on the slopes of the Amiata where you can take a lovely walk in search of mushrooms and chestnuts and regenerate in the greenery. In this period you can admire the phenomenon of foliage, or the spectacle of colored leaves in autumn that gives breathtaking shades to the foliage of the forest. These trees can reach 40 meters in height and live for even four centuries! You can walk easily even with children because the terrain is flat. Arriving at the top of Monte Amiata, you can admire the colors of the whole valley. A show worth seeing! From the Prato delle Macinaie it is possible to take a series of paths that allow you to circle the volcanic cone: you can do it on foot, by bike or on horseback, the choice is yours!
2) Get creative with sport
Whether it’s for trekking, climbing or whizzing down from the summit on two wheels, here you can indulge yourself with sport! Furthermore, it is possible to rent mountain bikes for downhill or ride the equipped bike park. Obviously at the base of the mountain, you can also rent e-bikes. The Parco Vivo cooperative coordinates all the activities and services created to enhance Monte Amiata and the surrounding areas (such as Vivo d’Orcia, the town on the slopes of Monte Amiata). For more information, visit the site here.
And if you are already looking forward to your holidays in the snow …
For those who do not have the time or the ability to reach the Alps, Monte Amiata is an excellent solution for a picnic in the snow with friends or family. The winter resort of Monte Amiata offers over 10 km of alpine ski slopes with 8 ski lifts and over 10 km of Nordic ski slopes. For lovers of the snowboard there is also an equipped snow park. Excursions with snowshoes can be made both during the day and at night. For more information on the AmiataNeve area click here.
3) Visit to the springs and Mining Museum Park
Explorations and places to visit on the mountain ok…But what if I said to you inside the mountain?
Here you can visit the fountains and springs found inside the ancient volcano, walking through the long tunnels and listening to the roar of the purest water around you. Thanks to the guided tours you can get to the heart of the mountain up to the springs or visit the Amiata Mining Museum Park. Discover the history of the mercury mines in the Monte Amiata area, traveling back in time and visiting places once populated by miners. There are many routes and sites that can be visited. You can choose the one that interests you the most. Click here for more information.
Foto dal sito Facebook di Parco Museominerario.it
4) A Mountain for the family
During the summer, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Indiana Park Amiata adventure park, a spectacular adventure park designed for families. Among lianas, Tibetan bridges, cables, nets and walkways you can test your ability as tree climbers, with routes for all levels and ages. Click here for more information.
If, on the other hand, you want to test your orientation, dive into an orienteering competition: a running competition during which the participants will have to orient themselves in the woods, trying to find points marked on a map. Followed by the guides you can launch yourself among the trees in search of the arrival point … And prove what you are capable of! The mountain air always stimulates the appetite: you can take advantage of the various restaurants in the area. If, on the other hand, you love picnics in nature, take advantage of the refreshment areas in the beech forest and enjoy your salami sandwich in the forest!
Children will have a lot of fun and will be able to try their hand at all the activities that Monte Amiata offers, including personalized tours in the forest where they will learn to know and respect the forest.
Foto dal sito Facebook di Amiata.indianapark.it
After such an intense day you will need some well-deserved rest and relaxation: once you return to our Podere Salicotto farmhouse you can relax in the heart of the hills between the Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi, where we will be happy to pamper you. If you want to combine the extraordinary beauty of this corner of Tuscany with a stimulating experience on Mount Amiata, we are waiting for you at our Podere Salicotto farmhouse!
