Author Archives: vtadmin

Motorbike Tourism through the hills in Valdera

You can spend extraordinary days of touring following the state highway Sarzanese that runs through the Valdera from Massa Marittima to Pontedera . From the beautiful old town of Massa Marittima you take the state highway 439 , called “Sarzanese” towards the North to Monterotondo Marittimo.

In Monterotondo Marittimo there is the very charming Park Biancane in which the force of nature shows itself in the form of steam emissions from the ground, fumaroles and geothermal wells. Again on the Sarzanese, you can reach the medieval town of Castelnuovo Val di Cecina where you must walk in the old town centre and pass the Chiassino the alley which, with its 50 cm. width, is the narrowest street in the world.

Just beyond Castelnuovo Val di Cecina, on the right there is the town of Larderello where you can really get surprised watching the giant geysers . Back on the main road 439, we go up towards Pomarance where you can enjoy beautiful views over the Cecina Valley. A bit forward the town of Saline manages to offer some beautiful views of the nearby Volterra .

With gentle bends and ups and downs, the Sarzanese leads us first to Capannoli, then to Ponsacco and eventually in Pontedera.

Start: Massa Marittima
Finish: Pontedera

Download file: Mototurismo1.gpx

The Valdera of Bikers

The tour aims to select a portion of precious kilometers of the long and sometimes monotonous SS / SR439 Sarzanese Valdera. The official route would start from Pietrasanta, this is only a summary, which starts the engine in La Sterza and brakes in Massa Marittima. Consider it as a Best Of.

Choosing a starting point, for the sympathy we light the engine in La Sterza: although after a turn on the right, the following kilometers run virtually with straight handlebars. To warm up the tires we have fun in the ups and downs with pit-stop at the village of Lajatico , birthplace of the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli . The relaxing stop is at the Theatre of Silence : a natural amphitheater with a rich musical and cultural program.

start/end: from La Sterza to Massa Marittima
lenght: 70km
durata: 1 giorno
type of road: mix, hills, mountains
provinces: Pisa, Grosseto

Download file: Mototurismoelevation.gpx

 

Temple of Minerva – Palaia

The Temple of Minerva Medica is a historic building located on a hill in a small grove of oaks near the village of Montefoscoli.

It was built around 1822 by Andrea Vaccà Berlinghieri, doctor and luminary of the University of Pisa. The intention was to dedicate a monument to his father Francesco, also a doctor, celebrating the profession with a dedication to the medicine goddess Minerva.

Download file: Montefoscoli-partino.gpx

Pasta

PASTIFICIO CAPONI

The pasta factory CAPONI was born in Pontedera in 1953, as a small workshop of fresh egg pasta. In the 60s there was the first transformation; the small workshop moved to larger premises and become a workshop of fresh egg pasta, dried and fresh, with retail and wholesale. Then fresh and dried products were for sale in the province of Pisa and in a few other provinces of Tuscany.

In the early ’80s, the production of fresh egg pasta and stuffed pasta stopped, some products were improved and some new ones were created, maintaining the quality and the typical organoleptic characteristics of all the products, which derived from an almost completely manual processing, which was realized at room temperature in the production stage and at a lower temperature in the drying step.
The Pastificio Caponi so has grown and reached a national and international level.

http://www.pastacaponi.it/

PASTA MARTELLI

 

olio

Olive Oil

The Olive tree is an integral component of Tuscan rural landscape. Olive cultivation had been the main economic resource of the hilly territories of the Pisa province for centuries. Nowadays the olive-growing is still an important part of the agricultural sector, thanks to the wide olive planted area and its role in environment protection and landscape conservation.

OLIVE OIL FROM “MONTI PISANI” (MOUNTAINS OF PISA).

Tuscan Olive oil IGP area “Monti Pisani”. The oil obtained from olives of the 3 different types Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo, hand-picked and cold pressed, has been certified as extra virgin “IGP Toscano – sottozona Monti Pisani”. The oil freshly pressed is green of varying intensity depending on the olives maturity level. It has a spicy flavor, with a little bit of bitterness; after some months, it tends to yellow, while maintaining the same fruity taste and smell. You can buy it directly from the olive farms, the oil mills and and some stores, and you can taste it in all the restaurants associated with the Road of Monti Pisani (Strada dell’Olio, Monti Pisani).

PRODUCERS

OLIVE OIL FROM “COLLINE PISANE” (PISA HILLS)

Produced in 9 towns (Casciana Terme Lari, Chianni, Crespina Lorenzana, Terricciola, Fauglia, Santa Luce, Orciano, Palaia, Lajatico), It is one of the main symbols of our landscapes and one of Tuscany’s most prized treasures.

PRODUCERS

VALDERA OLIVE OIL

PRODUCERS

Cicloturistica delle Colline della Valdera

Cycle Tourism of Valdera Hills

cicloturisticavaldera percorso

There are 2 different routes: the first one is 75 km long, the second one, shorter, is 42 km.

The route is entirely asphalted, apart from a little stretch of 100mt that leads up to the medieval village Villa Saletta, which is worth a short visit. Traffic is regulated, but not banned, so all participants are kindly asked to pay due attention and respect the rules of the road.                The uphills are all quite challenging, particularly those from Chiecinella to Palaia and the ones in Villa Saletta. There are two very steep descents, from Marti towards Chiecinella and Montefoscoli towards the county road, to be addressed with due prudence.                                On the way there are two check points, arranged with food and drinks: one at the 25 km mark, towars Montefoscoli, and the other one at the 55 km mark, in the city center of Palaia.            The route is suitable for racing bikes, but can also be completed with city bikes and MBT.           It is strictly required to wear a bicycle helmet.

AWARDS

All participants who will complete the course of 75 km will receive a medal, specially minted for the event. All participants who will complete the course of 42 km will receive a souvenir medal. There is another checkpoint at the 55th km, near the food and drink one, which will control your position.

INFO AND PRE-APPLICATIONS: the start is from 7.30am to 9.45am Pre-application: at the Bar “La Cubana”, via R.Gotti, 6, Pontedera. Application fee: donation.

Info: +39 0587 62 21 20-342 35 93 248

Mail: dino.dringoli@tiscalinet.it fb-logo type: Cicloturistica delle Colline della Valdera

ripassaia

Ripassaia Mill Route – Molino della Ripassaia

Leaving from the suburb of “Fabbrica”, after few hundred meters we leave the paved road and get into a beautiful landscape, multicolored during springtime by the many different crops: oat, lucerne etc..

On the clay hills, we descend to the plain “Ripassaia”, which was created by the “Era” river, and we walk along for around 2 kilometers; in summer is full of brooms and wheat fields. At the farm “Tonaca” we go uphill again, and we find the fishy “Gattero” lake on the right.

From the hills of “Diacceroni”, we go up again to the resort “Montecuccheri”, shortening the path, or we can decide to continue towards “Poggio Rosso”, walking through stretches of dense vegetation, until we find the road “La Bonifica”. After about 3 kilometers, we take the road to “Montelopio-Fabbrica”, ending up the route here.

Percorso del Molino di Ripassaia

Ripassaia Mill Route

morelli's liqueur

Morelli’s Liqueur

The Liqueur Factory “Morelli” was born in 1911 in Forcoli (Palaia), from an idea of Lord Leonello Morelli, whom was very keen on turning a passion into a real work. Leonello, then owner of a small bar, used to enjoy mixing extracts and essences to create infused liqueurs, which then he used to offer to the customers. That is how he had the idea of ​​creating a liqueur factory, which was founded in 1911. It was an instant success, in a few years Morelli products spread to most of Italy, becoming synonymous with quality and authenticity. From 1911 to our times several Leonellos have taken the lead of the factory: Leonello’s son, Dante, and his nephew Piero, until 2009, when Piero’s sons are firmly working as the 4th generation of Morelli: Luca, Paolo, Marco. They are continuing the family tradition, creating (with their parents) in less than twenty years a company that has, among his customers, very important restaurants, lots of italian wineries, wholesale distributors of prestige and a network of direct representatives well branched throughout Italy.

Aviosuperficie Valdera

Valdera Airfield

It is one of the best-known airfields in Italy, home of the Aero Club of Pisa. Located near the village of Capannoli, the airfield is an excellent gateway to one of the most beautiful areas of the Tuscan countryside.

Alta Valdera Park

The “Parco Alta Valdera” (Alta Valdera Park) is a homogeneous territory in the south-east of the Province of Pisa, near Volterra and clote to the provinces of Florence and Siena, therefore strategically placed in a particular artistic context. valdera
Thermal baths (Cascina, Uliveto and Montecatini), and coastal towns are easily reachable from here. The landscape is varied and unspoiled: pleasant from plains to hills, rich in woods, chestnut woods and vegetation typical of Tuscany, which, with the changing seasons, characterize the landscape with suggestive effects. At the bottom of these hills it flows the meandering river Era. The towns of Capannoli Chianni Lajatico, Palaia, Peccioli, Terricciola, each with its own traditions and cultural peculiarities (enriched by some small hamlets, full of human arts), are important pieces of a mosaic that offers enjoyable opportunities to demanding visitors.
There are several itineraries to follow: the artistic one in particular is characterized by the ancient Romanesque churches whose territory is rich, and works of art by contemporary national and foreign artists.
In addition to this, you can enjoy to stay at the farms holiday and agritourismin the area, which complement the characteristic Tuscan cuisine with high quality wine and oil. In certain times of the year are guaranteed to the tourist the possibility to visit the winery of local Chianti (with tasting) DOGG and S. Torpè and the opportunity to chianni-valdera attend the events related to the traditions and typical products of the land, which change with the flux of seasons.
For those who love sports in contact with nature, there are different paths you can walk, run, ride by bike and horse, proceeding through the territory of Valdera.
Lots of mansion houses enhance the countryside, home to noble families of Pisa and Florence, yet some of their properties. Moments of leisure and cultural studies are possible by visiting the prehistoric park, the Zoological Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the astronomical observatory, the museum of icons, the “mofeta”, museums of civilization and of rural work. These are some of the characteristic aspects of the Parco Alta Valdera, in the context of a beautiful and serene landscape that ensures a memorable stay.