Places to discover
The best way to discover all the wonderful places that the Pisan hills hide is to come and see them with your own eyes and fall in love with all the unique features that make our area one of the most beautiful and rich in history, smells and flavors of Tuscany. and our farm could only arise in the center of the Pisan hills ….
Here are some suggestions of places to visit around our farm …
Volterra
Volterra is a city of 11,042 inhabitants in the province of Pisa located on a hill at about 540 meters. above sea level, from which it dominates the whole valley of the Alta Val di Cecina, surrounded by walls that enclose 3000 years of history. On sunny days you can also see the sea.
Few cities in the world are able to tell their past through its buildings, streets, squares, etc., in fact the terrain is well distinguished by the overlapping of all the geological eras that make up the millennial history of the city, dividing into 4 main periods: Etruscan-Roman, Middle Ages, Renaissance, 19th and 20th centuries.
Interesting sites:
- Medici Fortress
- Etruscan Acropolis and “E. Fiumi” Archaeological Park
- Etruscan Museum “Guarnacci”
- Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art
- Torture Museum
- Piazza and Palazzo dei Priori
- Cathedral and Baptistery
- S. Maria Maddalenaù Exhibition Center
- Door to the Arch
- Alabaster Art Gallery and Ecomuseum
- Palazzo Incontri Viti
- Roman theatre
- Church of San Francesco and Chapel of the Cross
- Etruscan walls
- the doors and sources
- the Balze
For tourist info:
For more information visit the website of the Municipality of Volterra
Montecatini Val di Cecina
Small town in the Alta Val di Cecina with about 1,900 inhabitants located at an altitude of about 416 meters. above sea level with a story that starts from afar …. very far … To intrigue you here are some small historical notes:
“… before the 11th century the village was called Monte Leone (Castrum Montis Leonis), with this name it appears on a bull of Pietro, Bishop of Volterra in 1099 …”
“… In 1943-44 during the Nazi occupation, due to the particular geographical configuration of its territory, very uneven and almost entirely wooded, the town of Montecatini Val di Cecina was the scene of significant episodes of the partisan struggle …”
“… During the nineteenth century the activity of copper extraction, practiced since the Etruscan era, experienced a strong expansion, that of Montecatini Val di Cecina became the largest copper mine in Europe. The mining activity ceased however in 1907. In 1911 the exploitation of rock salt deposits began …”
To know more:
Interesting sites:
Historical milestone in the field of copper extraction. The Etruscans were the first to exploit the abundant natural resources of this area, using the precious mineral to forge tools and ornamental furnishings
Possibility: visit to the documentation center, guided tour of the mining area, in the summer period visit to the mine by candlelight, etc …
Saline di Volterra - Distance: 6 Km
It is located at the foot of the hill where ancient Volterra stands, there are some of the largest rock salt deposits in Italy, at the intersection of the regional road 68, which connects Cecina to Poggibonsi passing through Volterra, with the regional road 439, which connects Pietrasanta with Follonica.
The importance of the territory of Saline derives from the presence of salt water sources, called moie, for the production of salt. Probably the springs were exploited since the Etruscan era.
During the Second World War the salt pans were destroyed, but production resumed immediately after the war. However, over time, production underwent a rapid decline: in 1970 the salt mines had 524 employees for an annual production of over one million quintals of salt; in the early nineties the employees amounted to 180 units, with a production of about 800,000 quintals.
Interesting sites:
- The factories of the Salina di Stato, with the Palazzo dell’Orologio, constitute the heart of the eighteenth-century factory. In particular, the Palazzo dell’Orologio is worthy of attention, which was built in 1790 to house the homes of employees and underwent further enlargements in the early decades of the nineteenth century.
- The church of Santi Pietro e Leopoldo, which was enlarged and equipped with a modern bell tower in reinforced concrete around 1968.
Pomarance - Distance: 18 Km
The Municipality rises on the metalliferous hills, on a hill at an altitude of about 370 meters. above sea level, historically important for the development and exploitation of geothermal energy in the hamlet of Larderello, named in honor of the 19th century French engineer François Jacques de Larderel who promoted its exploitation. The toponym may derive from the ancient Italian pomarancia, with the meaning of “melarancia”.
Libbiano is one of the smallest hamlets of the municipality of Pomarance, together with Micciano and Serrazzano it shares one of the most important nature reserves in the province of Pisa: The Monterufoli forest.
Within a few kilometers we can find the characteristic medieval villages of Lustignano, San Dalmazio and Monte Castelli Pisano and the important Rocca Sillana, accessible with guided tours in the summer months.
For more information visit the website of Municipality of Pomarance.
Interesting sites:
- Rocca Sillana;
- Theater of the brave;
- Bicocchi House and Warriors and Artisans Museum
Larderello - Distance: 29 Km
Larderello is a fraction of the municipality of Pomarance, at 390 meters above sea level. The town has 850 inhabitants and is partly owned by ENEL. Larderello produces 10% of the world’s geothermal energy.
It is located in the center of the so-called “Devil’s Valley”, so called because of its landscape characterized by the presence of boraciferous fumaroles with the characteristic columns of white vapors (already known at the time of Dante Alighieri and inspiring him of the landscapes of “l ‘ Inferno “), gigantic evaporation towers (now no longer in use) and a network of external ducts for geothermal steam from the various wells.
The town takes its name from François Jacques de Larderel, an industrialist of French origin who around 1827 perfected the extraction of boric acid from the mud of the so-called “lagoons”, which had already begun with inefficient methods in 1818. located the meteorological station of Pomarance Larderello.
Larderello is the first experience in the world of exploiting geothermal energy for the production of electricity. In 1905, thanks to Prince Piero Ginori-Conti, the energy of the shower heads began to be used to generate electricity.
Interesting sites:
Castello Ginori of Querceto
In the heart of the Val di Cecina, between Volterra and the Etruscan coast, is the Castello Ginori di Querceto, an enchanting medieval village, whose rich and long history has been intertwined for over three centuries with the equally intense history of the Marquis family. Ginori Lisci known throughout the world for its precious porcelain.
The village is surrounded by the family estate with 1,300 hectares of pristine woods, 700 hectares of arable land and 16 hectares of vineyards.
This magical place, ideal for nature lovers and for a truly relaxing holiday, with its particular and unique atmosphere offers rest, tranquility, walks in the countryside, mountain biking and, on beautiful sunny days, the sea – which is about 25 minutes.
Its location is also perfect for those interested in visiting the well-known and lesser-known art sites of Tuscany, such as Pisa, Florence, Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano, Massa Marittima, Bolgheri and other enchanting towns in the Val di Cecina.
Biolago Sasso Pisano
The Biolago del Sasso Pisano is a bathing complex, intended for the relaxation and well-being of the person.
It consists of a calidarium with water at 36 degrees and hydromassage, a tepidarium, a phyto lake purified at room temperature.
The bathing complex is powered by the hot springs of the surrounding area and by cold waters heated with the geothermal district heating system.
It recovers and enhances the natural side of geothermal energy and its ancient use in bathing and thermalism.
It resides in a place where natural geothermal manifestations are still visible, near the paths of the fumaroles, the biancane and the archaeological excavations of the Etruscan-Roman baths of Bagnone.
Inside the bathing area you can visit a putizza with its jet of boiling water and mud.
For info:
The Boulder of the Maidens
Near Volterra, more precisely between Saline di Volterra and Pomarance, there is a beautiful nature reserve, the Berignone Forest, which encloses a wild and idyllic landscape.
Here the Cecina river offers a sort of natural swimming pool with many small waterfalls. A true paradise with numerous beaches and a small lake nestled between the two stacks of stone: the Masso delle Fanciulle.
The Masso delle Fanciulle is therefore part of a natural area that has been a popular destination for centuries, first by nearby inhabitants and then by tourists: it is an enchanted and picturesque place that boasts a beautiful landscape.
Over the years it has become increasingly popular among students on a school trip and among people looking for direct contact with nature.
Legend has it that some girls, trying to escape the excessive and unsolicited attention of a local squire, came up here and thought they could save themselves by diving into the water. Unfortunately, the story does not have a happy ending.