Mount Amiata: villages and nature
Mount Amiata is the highest peak in the Maremma, clearly visible from all over the area. It reaches 1,738 m above sea level and towers over the surrounding valleys like a silent giant.
On the mountain are the sources of the Fiora, Vivo, Albegna and Paglia rivers. Perhaps the name Amiata derives precisely from its abundance of waters: from the Latin word “meata” or “at the springs”.
The slopes of Monte Amiata have never been very populated, but they have been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the rock graffiti found in the “Grotta dell’Arciere”. The Etruscans, on the other hand, considered the mountain to be the home of their most important goddess: Tinia.
The villages of Monte Amiata
In the Middle Ages, small inhabited centres, fortified and equipped with high watchtowers, developed in the Amiata area. These are the villages of Arcidosso, Piancastagnaio, Abbadia San Salvatore, Santa Fiora, Castel del Piano, Castell’Azzara, Semproniano, Seggiano, Rocchette di Fazio and Pieve di Lamula.
They are small realities where artisans, blacksmiths and carpenters of ancient tradition still work today. The techniques used have been handed down for generations, are secret and jealously guarded by local families. The same goes for gastronomy: the typical cuisine is based on recipes from the past, hand-made with patience and dedication. The difference is felt in the aromas and flavors.
The nature of Monte Amiata
Being almost the only mountain in the Maremma, high and isolated, from its top you can admire a marvelous panorama that stretches for hundreds of kilometres.
The most important peaks of the Apennines are clearly distinguishable: Gran Sasso, Monte Cimone, Monti Sibillini, Monte Falterona. Looking in the direction of the Tyrrhenian Sea you can see several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago up to Corsica.
The view also embraces the cities of Grosseto, Siena, Arezzo and Viterbo as well as Lake Bolsena and Lake Trasimeno.
Monte Amiata is an uncontaminated territory ideal for walks and excursions. These activities are perfect for picking chestnuts and mushrooms that the mountain offers in abundance.
Precisely to preserve the local nature and the species that inhabit it, many areas of the mountain are protected.
The WWF Oasis of Bosco Rocconi, the Amiata Wildlife Park, the Pigelletto Nature Reserve, the Monte Penna Nature Reserve are all worth a visit.