Nature & Eco-tourism

Combine your holiday with the discovery of an incontaminate nature.

The first itinerary we suggest you starts from the Tenuta di San Rossore, part of the patrimony of the Presidency of the Republic up to a few years ago and property of Regione Toscana nowadays.

The Park in San Rossore is huge and worth to visit: huge pinewoods, ash-trees, elm-trees and alder-trees, fallow-deer, wild boars, bee-eaters that nest in the sand from may to july, little egrets, ditches and canals, historical buildings in typical Piedmontese style so loved by the Savoia family, the dunes. Vast wild beaches, absolutely incontaminate.
The Park is open to the public on sunday and non-working days. Horseback-touring of the park is available upon request. Bikes and electric cars are for rent, if you want to mae the best of your visit, we suggest you the little private train that tours most areas of the park for about 30 kms. Info: www.parcosanrossore.it, or best http://www.sanrossore.it.
Lago di Massaciuccoli is amongst the most important italian placet for birdwatching since 1800. After 120 years of reaserches and studies, over 300 species of birds have been counted. The lake is situated on the migratory route of many birds, hence it is often visited by many species all year through. Driving from Massarosa towards Massaciuccoli you may find a well organized LIPU reserve with projection room, wooden walkways through the reed beds and two observation hides. Canoas are also available for touring the lake. Info www.oasilipumassaciuccoli.org.
If you are not a trekker, don’t panic, you may always take guided boat trips that are very suggestive. Info www.laversilia.it/eco-idea.
Surrounding the gay beach « La Lecciona » in Torre del Lago, ithe heart of the gay movida, s the Macchia Lucchese and its pine-wood. About 580 hectares with umbrella pine trees, cluster-pine trees and holm-oaks. In the most humid areas of the Macchia one may easily spot ash-trees and huge pedunculate oaks. The beach « Lecciona » itself is considered a natural reserve and therefore protected. It is in fact the only stretch of land on the coast of Tuscany that has remained at its original status with the typical dunes covered by pioneer vegetation that allow the dunes consolidation against erosion.

The equilibrium of this environment is very precarious and it may easily be alterated if basic rules are not followed.

Basic rules

DO NOT WALK ON THE DUNES
follow existing paths. Each new path is a dangerous wound to the ecosystem that will with time, rain and wind enlarge and overburden the situation beyond endurance.
DO NOT PICK UP FLOWERS AND PLANTS
the flora is protected! Some of the plants that grow here are in fact endemic: they grow here and nowhere else on the globe!
PLEASE COLLECT YOU LITTER
and use the appropriate litter boxes in the parking area.

If you are a sea-lover, we suggest you to visit Centrocetus in Viareggio. It organizes boat trips to the discovery of dolphins and whales. Visit their site at www.centrocetus.it.
Worth a visit is also the Parco delle Apuane where Michelangelo obtained his marble.
Info www.parcapuane.toscana.it/turismo