Events, food, experiences for an unforgettable trip to Italy

Tuscany – Territory

Tuscany boasts lots of charming and different places: spacing from the seaside to the countryside.
The coast is famous for its golden sandy beaches like those in Versilia, in particular: Marina di Carrara, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore and Viareggio (famous Carnival). Heading south, Castiglioncello, Cecina, Castagneto Carducci, Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia and Marina di Grosseto.

In the Tuscan Archipelago there are many islands: Elba, the largest, Giglio, Giannutri, Capraia, Pianosa, Gorgona and Montecristo, where Alexandre Dumas set his novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”.

For a relaxing break: Saturnia, Montecatini and Monsummano Terme, famous for skin treatments, and Bagno Vignoni

For sports addicted, there are very picturesque routes for mountain biking, horseback riding or hiking in Chianti hill, Maremma and Garfagnana.

Others “must-see”: the Apuan Alps with the white marble quarries dear to Michelangelo, and of course Chianti Valley, also called “Chiantishire” for the large number of British citizens who have settled there.
Above all, Chianti is famous for its wine, perhaps the most famous in the world, even is it is less precious than the noble Brunello di Montalcino.

 

NATIONAL PARKS IN TUSCANY
The National Parks of Italy are natural areas of land, sea, river, or lake whose value is a well-preserved ecosystem. Thus their nature, together with their cultural, educational, or recreational values ​​are protected by the Italian Government in order to be preserved for the future.  Currently, in Italy there are 25 National Parks, covering an area of ​​over 1,500,000 hectares (15,000 km²), about 6% of the Italian territory.

Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park
Tuscan Archipelago National Park
Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park


REGIONAL PARKS IN TUSCANY
The Italian Regional Parks are land, river, lake, and sea areas facing the coast. Their value is being like a system including the nature of the places, art, ​​and cultural traditions of the local inhabitants. The Italian Regional Parks are more than 150 and cover an area of ​​approximately 1million and 500,000 hectares.

Maremma Regional Park
Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli Regional Park
Apuan Alps Regional Park
Montioni Regional Park
Monti Livornesi Regional Park


NATURE RESERVES IN TUSCANY
Nature Reserves, also called Protected Natural Areas or Natural Oasis, their mission is to maintain their “equilibrium” by conserving and increasing biodiversity. These areas are characterized by heterogeneous landscapes and they are home to different species of animals and plants. They are the animal’s shelter for reproduction. Hunting is prohibited. Actually Protected Natural Areas in Italy are more than 145.

In the Province of Arezzo:
Badia Prataglia Nature Reserve Nature Reserve
Camaldoli Nature Reserve
Formole Nature Reserve
Fungaia Nature Reserve
Poggio Rosso Nature Reserve
Scodella Nature Reserve
Zuccaia Nature Reserve

In the Province of Florence:
Vallombrosa Nature Reserve

In the Province of Forlì-Cesena:
Badia Prataglia Nature Reserve

In the Province of Grosseto:
Belagaio Nature Reserve
Duna Feniglia Nature Reserve
Lake Burano Nature Reserve
Laguna di Orbetello di Ponente Nature Reserve
Marsiliana Nature Reserve
Poggio Tre Cancelli Nature Reserve
Scarlino Nature Reserve
Tomboli di Follonica Nature Reserve

In the Province of Livorno:
Bibbona Nature Reserve
Calafuria Nature Reserve
Isola di Montecristo Nature Reserve
Tombolo di Cecina Nature Reserve

In the Province of Lucca:
Lamarossa Nature Reserve
Orecchiella Nature Reserve
Orrido di Botri Nature Reserve
Pania di Corfino Nature Reserve
Poggio Adorno Nature Reserve

In the Province of Pisa:
Caselli Nature Reserve
Montefalcone Nature Reserve
Poggio Adorno Nature Reserve

In the Province of Pistoia:
Abetone Nature Reserve
Acquerino Nature Reserve
Campolino Nature Reserve
Piano degli Ontani Nature Reserve

In the Province of Siena:
Cornocchia Nature Reserve
Montecellesi Nature Reserve
Palazzo Nature Reserve
Tocchi Nature Reserve


MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN TUSCANY
Marine Protected Areas or Marine Reserves are stretches of the sea where sport fishing, professional fishing, scuba diving, the entry with motorboats, motorcycles, cars are prohibited or limited. And the abandonment of waste on the beaches is severely punished. The typology of these areas varies according to the protection constraints. There are more than 25 Italian Marine Protected Areas, covering an area of ​​approximately 222,442 hectares of sea.

Secche della Meloria
Santuario per i Mammiferi Marini


UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN TUSCANY
The Unesco Biosphere Reserves are areas representing important land, sea, coast ecosystems in which the conservation of its biodiversity is associated with the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local communities. The worldwide network of Biosphere Reserves includes 669 reserves in 120 countries on five continents, of which 16 Biosphere Reserves in Italy.

Tuscan Archipelago
Selva Pisana
Tuscan-Emilian Apennines


UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARKS IN TUSCANY
The Unesco Global Geoparks are natural areas of particular geo-mining interest representing the 4,600 million-year history of Planet Earth and the geological events that have shaped it. Geoparks’ mission is to increase knowledge about the value of geo-diversity and to promote the conservation, tourism, and the popularization of the geological heritage. More than 100 Geoparks (Global Geoparks) are recognized worldwide in 33 countries, of which 69 in Europe. In Italy, there are 10 Unesco Geoparks.

Tuscan Mining Park
Apuan Alps


WWF NATURE RESERVES IN TUSCANY
The WWF Oases are the first Italian network of protected areas managed by a private association. WWF activities in the Oases range from ecotourism to nature holidays, education, training, and environmental information programs. There are more than 100 WWF Oases in Italy, covering more than 30,000 hectares of land in 18 regions. They are visited by more than 500,000 people a year.

In the Province of Grosseto:
Bosco Rocconi
Capra Matilda
Lake Burano
Laguna di Orbetello
San Felice

In the Province of Florence:
Gabbianello
Stagni di Focognano
Rose Valley

In the Province of Livorno:
Padule Orti-Bottagone
Padule di Bolgheri

In the Province of Lucca:
Bosco del Botaccio
Dune di Forte dei Marmi

In the Province of Pisa:
Bosco della Cornacchiaia
Dune di Tirrenia

In other Provinces:
Lake Chiusi (Siena)
Oasi Dynamo (Pistoia)
Parco Didattico di Ronchi (Massa-Carrara)


BLUE FLAGS IN TUSCANY
Blue Flag is an International recognition reserved for lakes or seaside tourist resorts that comply with sustainable land management criteria. The Blue Flag is awarded annually by the non-governmental and non-profit organization “Foundation for Environmental Education” (FEE). Only the localities whose waters have been excellent in the previous season can apply. In 2020, more than 195 municipalities and over 407 Italian beaches have been awarded as “Blue Flag”.

In the Province of Grosseto:
Castiglione della Pescaia – Roccamare Casamora/Riva del Sole/ Rocchette/ Capezzolo/ Ponente – Punta Ala/ Casetta Civinini/ Piastrone/ Pian dell’Alma, Levante and Tombolo
Grosseto – Marina di Grosseto, le Marze, Fiumara, Principina a mare
Monte Argentario – Cala Piccola, Feniglia, Porto S. Stefano: la Caletta, il Moletto, la Soda e Pozzarello, Cantoniera, Porto Ercole

In the Province of Livorno:
Bibbona – Marina
Castagneto Carducci – Marina
Cecina – Marina di Cecina, Le Gorette
Livorno – Cala Quercianella (Bagni Paolieri and Cala Bianca/Rogiolo/Cala del Miramare), Antignano,
Tre Ponti/Del Sale Roma/Rex)
Marciana Marina – La Fenicia
Piombino – Sterpaia Park
Rosignano Marittimo – Castiglioncello, Vada
San Vincenzo – Principessa Centro, Rimigliano, Principessa Sud, Spiaggia La Conchiglia

In the Province of Lucca:
Camaiore – Lido Arlecchino
Forte dei Marmi – Litorale
Pietrasanta – Focette, Tonfano
Viareggio – Marina di Torre del Lago Puccini, Marina di Levante, Marina di Ponente Marco Polo

In the Province of Massa Carrara:
Carrara – Marina di Carrara centro
Massa – Campeggi/Ricortola/Marina Ponente/Brugiano, Marina Centro, Frigido, Ronchi Levante and Ponente

In the Province of Pisa:
Pisa – Marina di Pisa, Tirrenia/Calambrone


ORANGE FLAGS IN TUSCANY
Orange Flag is a tourism-environmental quality mark awarded by the Italian Touring Club to small towns in the Italian inland (maximum 15,000 inhabitants) which stand out for their quality hospitality. The Orange Flag has been awarded to over 200 Italian municipalities.

In the Province of Arezzo:
Anghiari
Castiglion Fiorentino
Lucignano

In the Province of Florence:
Barberino Val d’Elsa
Certaldo
Cetona
Vinci

In the Province of Grosseto:
Massa Marittima
Pitigliano
Santa Fiora
Sorano

In the Province of Lucca:
Barga
Montecarlo

In the Province of Pisa:
Casale Marittimo
Casciana Terme Lari
Castel nuovo di Val Cecina
Peccioli
Pomarance
Volterra

In the Province of Pistoia:
Collodi
Cutigliano

In the Province of Siena:
Casole d’Elsa
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Chiusi
Montalcino
Montefollonico
Montepulciano
Monteriggioni
Murlo
Pienza
Radda in Chianti
Radicofani
San Casciano dei Bagni
San Gimignano
Sarteano
Trequanda

In other Provinces:
Fosdinovo (MS)
Suvereto (LI)

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