Pisa and surrounding area
The province of Pisa offers a large variety of countryside from fertile hills, parks and the coast to wonderful Versilia.
Would you like to get to know this area better? Take a trip to the Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Regional Park which spreads over an area belonging to the council districts of Pisa, San Giuliano Terme, Vecchiano, Massarosa and Viareggio.
Visiting the park is the perfect way to get to know the flat coastal area of central north Tuscany, and why not stop at the spa in San Giuliano, or the Versilia coast which has maintained most of its natural features, and has a considerable stretch of coastline, from Viareggio to Livorno, which has not been over developed.
Still within the park, head inland and you will find the gentle, rolling Pisan hills, typical of the Tuscan landscape, and the ‘Wine Road’ (‘Strada del Vino’). Vines laden with grapes, woods, ilex groves and mediterranean scrub as far as the eye can see. The heart of the Regional Park is the Tenuta di San Rossore Estate and visitor centre. This green oasis can be visited on foot, by bike, on horseback or even by horse and carriage and is home to a wide variety of wildlife especially deer, wild boar, foxes, squirrels, herons and cormorants and an interesting vegetation including the domestic pine which was introduced to the area in the 1800’s.
The Park has recently opened a new visitor centre ‘la Sterpaia’, an old farming estate, which offers environmental awareness workshops and events as well as an exhibition area. Here too you can taste and buy typical organic produce from the Park such as beach honey and pinenuts. For all bird-watching enthusiasts a boat trip on the Massaciuccoli lake is a must. La Sterpaia also organizes excellent horse riding lessons on the estate: learning to ride in the shade of the age-old pine woods, along the peaceful coastal tracks or immersed in the cool of the park is a truly unique experience.
The Santa Luce Reserve is another interesting Park in the province of Pisa. Created in the 1960’s by the company Solvay as an artificial reservoir, the Lake has over the years seen rapid colonization by marsh vegetation and by numerous species of aquatic fauna. Made up of hills and fields, woods of willows, acacias and elms, the reserve covers 278 hectares. Deer and wild boar head to the water to drink and the foxes hover near the banks on the look out for food. The position of the lake just a few kilometers from the coast and the surrounding hills makes this reserve an important stop for birds during their migration. In the winter ducks, pochards, teals, mallards and whistle ducks amongst others make their home here whilst cormorants settle for the night on the branches of the poplar trees. In the summer the reeds are home to reed warblers, river nightingales, red herons and bitterns and kingfishers can often be spotted leaving their underground homes. In the spring the whole area bursts into flower and the lilies, anemonies, and various types of orchids make the fields a stunning kaleidoscope of colour.
The unspoilt nature of the Parks of the province of Pisa together with the beauty of the Pisan hills and the climate, mild even in winter, make this area a great holiday destination. Discover the area along the horse trails or by bike or follow the Wine Road - ‘Strada del Vino’ – and visit the many medieval villages in the province and taste the local wine and delicacies on offer.
|
|
