Thursday
First encounter with the Mountains …
Arrival
Presentation of the local area by the national forest rangers and folklore group.
Friday
Traditions and crafts of the mountains: visit to the Ecomuseo of the Pistoiese mountain area
9:30am Departure for the trip to the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese.
Guided tour of one of the ancient ice-houses to learn about the stages of ice production from the late 18th to the mid-20th century.
This is followed by a visit to the ironworks to see iron production, made possible by abundant water and coal.
1:00pm Lunch in restaurant with typical local products.
3:00pm Departure to discover other stages of the processes on which the mountain economy and culture were once based, at Orsigna: after a relaxing walk, a visit to a metato for chestnut drying, a mill for sweet flour production, a charcoal pile for charcoal production and a hostel where charcoal burners would spend the night.
Saturday
Conquering Monte Libro Aperto.
10:00am Departure for Abetone for an exciting walk to the Libro Aperto mountain – a fascinating 1937m peak with the unusual shape of an open book. The peak offers a breathtaking view of the Florentine plain, Pianura Padana and (with luck and good clear weather) the Alps and Corsica.
The route begins by entering a beautiful wood and opens out into large green fields.
The descent is even more astonishing, since it follows the ridge part of the way and then returns down steep slopes into the wood.
Packed lunch.
6:30 Return to hotel.
8:00 Dinner in hotel.
Alternatively:
Trekking e natura: boschi, prati e laghi…
Trekking and nature: woods, meadows and lakes…
8:00am Departure for a day of trekking and discovering nature among the woods, meadows and lakes, starting with a visit to the Botanical Gardens at the Abetone Nature Reserve.
After the visit, departure on a trekking route to the Lago Nero lake.
On arrival, lunch on the banks of the lake with a packed lunch provided by the hotel.
After lunch, the route continues on foot to the Val di Luce.
5.00pm Meet the bus at Val di Luce.
5.30pm Visit to manufacturer’s of typical products of the Pistoia mountains at Abetone.
6.30pm Return to hotel.
8.00pm Dinner in hotel.
Sunday
Culture, relaxation and adventure…
9:30am Leave for a visit to the Museo della Gente dell’Appennino Pistoiese, in the town of Rivoreta, clinging to the slopes of Monte Libro Aperto. This unusual museum reveals the old traditions of the mountain population, their lifestyle, habits and crafts. The museum also offers the opportunity to verify through physical and tactile experiences how our perceptive habits have changed in the age of Internet compared to the simpler, more physical experience of our grandparents.
11:00am Continue to Cutigliano to visit this picturesque Medieval village with its exquisite little streets clinging to the mountainside and its old buildings. The Town Hall square is of particular interest, with the Palazzo dei Capitani, decorated with countless coats-of-arms, both in stone and polychrome terracotta, belonging to the captains who were on occasion called to hold the coveted magistrateship.
1:00pm Lunch at a typical local restaurant.
3:00pm Leave for the Parco Avventura at Doganaccia.
An afternoon of fun and relaxation with the activities offered by the park: hanging routes through the trees, of varying difficulty, the longest cableway in Italy (200m), the intoxicating Downhill experience, or – if you’re feeling lazy, sunbathing near the hostel.
6:30pm Return to hotel.
7:30pm Dinner in hotel.
9:00 Visit to the Observatory at Pian dei Termini, one of the leading astronomical observatories for studying minor planets and asteroids.
The visit includes an introductory explanation to enable visitors to observe the sky with more preparation, observation of the stars with the naked eye and from one of the largest telescopes present.
The experience will astonish you.
Monday
Departure
Half-Board treatment in 3 Stars Hotel.
Lunches all included.
All services are included, except the Adventure Park (10 € per person)
Bus not included
€ 239
Bus included
Possibile local transfers not included.
€ 285 (groups with 40 pax)
€ 279 (groups with 50 pax) |
