DURATA DEL SOGGIORNO: 4 giorni / 3 notti

1^st Day Arrival

In Montecatini Terme with their own car or on request we can book a transfer from Florence or Pisa Airport to Montecatini Terme. Arrangement in the room and dinner and overnight stay in Hotel

2^st  Day Montecarlo and Pinocchio

The tour starts from the old flower market in Pescia, 5 minutes far from the railway station. From the very beginning of the tour we can take the cycle lane along the Pescia left river bank heading to “Padule di Fucecchio”, which we leave crossing the bridge in the residential area of Chiesanuova. From Chiesanuova, riding on a paved road with low trafic, we pass through St Salvatore and we reach Marginone. From here, we start to climb up the road to the town of Montecarlo. We leave Montecarlo behind to follow up north towards St Martino in Colle. From St Martino in Colle we take the dirt road that climbs down to “Quercia delle Streghe” and then follows towards Lappato, which we reach riding through single track in the woods, olive groves and wineyards. From the residential area of Lappato, we take the road to San Gennaro, located up on the hill between olive groves facing the Appennines. The itinerary, in this way, takes on some roads that are usually used to reach the villas and farms and it requires some effort to climb because of the road gradient. Once we reach San Gennaro, we ride across the main paved road until we arrive to the last houses on the uphill. Let’s continue, leaving the village eastwards, taking a dirt road that leads back to the Valle towards the Collodi residential area. From the village center it starts the “Via delle Fiabe”, this flagging path leads us back to the start.

Full itinerary 29 km, medium difficulty (some of the roads have to be crossed by foot if you are not trained)

3^rd  Day From Montecatini to the Marsh Land of Fucecchio

The Marsh Land of Fucecchio is the widest marsh land in Italy. With its 1800 hectares, the land covers an area that goes from Pistoia to Florence.  A real natural jewel: a large area rich of local flora and fauna of great interest, from the royal fern to various types of water lilies, from the Hydrocaris morsus-ranae, to the Utricularia (a carnivorous plant), from the herons (among which the wonderful squacco herons) that nest in colonies, to cranes and black storks for a total number of more than 200 types of birds. A downright paradise for those who love nature and birdwatching. In addition to its natural beauties, the marsh land is also important because of the historical testimonies that connect is to the Medici Family and Lorena Family, who reclaimed the area and made the agricultural area larger. At the same time fishing and hunting activities developed as well as the processing of marsh plants. So the marsh land became a fundamental point for the carriage of goods that used to take place along the canals and for the access to Valdinievole and Florence thanks to the building of new roads around the marsh land.  There are still ports, canals, the bridge built by the Medici family in Cappiano along the Francigena road, and the tobacco drying kilns. The most recent historical event, a nazi massacre, connected to the marsh land dates back to August 23rd 1944. Thanks to a few artisans there are still some traditional activities connected with the processing of marsh plants to produce baskets, cane chairs and wicker wine bottles.

4^rd  Day  Back Home

Return trip, everyone according to their specific schedules

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