Tour Volterra Montecatini Val di Cecina

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A large ring that connects Volterra, a city of art and culture with 3000 years of history, to Montecatini Val di Cecina, one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Tuscany and featuring the most famous and richest copper mine in 19th century Europe. Between them sprawls an extraordinary landscape where gentle hills contrast with wild and rugged gullies, crags and, as Montecatini draws closer, steep rocky reliefs that resemble mountain landscapes.

The itinerary begins at the edge of the chasm of the Balze di Volterra, with finely preserved remnants of the Etruscan city walls and at your back the massive Badia (a Camaldolese monastery of medieval origin), hanging between earth and sky over the abyss of the Balze that advance inexorably; from then you descend towards the Val d’Era. You will then take the panoramic dirt road called “Itinerario delle Balze e dei calanchi” from which you can take some detours to easily reach the environmental sculptures of the artist Mauro Staccioli, extraordinary expressions of “land art” that interpret the essence of the artist’s “places of experience”.

After about 600 metres on the flat SR 439 road, you can take another scenic dirt road again, the Vicinale di Cavallino from which you can move upwards and return to a proper, paved road.

The final climb towards Montecatini features hairpin bends, breathtaking bird’s eye views and increasingly rocky and harsh terrain and makes you feel as if you were just moving towards a mountain village overlooked by the mighty bulk of the Belforti tower that, like a lighthouse, heralds the coming of the nearby ancient castle.

The history of the medieval village of Montecatini Val di Cecina is linked to its copper mine, which gave its name to one of the largest industries of the 20th century, which later became known as Montedison; the material evidence and the tales told by the elderly tell the story of the economic and social splendour of the early years of the Kingdom of Italy linked to the flourishing mining activities.

A little more than 1 km from the town the Caporciano Mine with the Pozzo Alfredo shaft, the workshops, the laverie and the 19th-century mining village are part of an Industrial Archaeology Park with various visiting itineraries.

After passing the entrance to the mine access tunnel, you can take the road back downhill to Bacchettona, following the Ligia branch and there you can take the paved road SR 439 from which you can then take the Monte Volterrano provincial road, which has little traffic and a gradual climb that takes you back to Volterra, offering even more extraordinary views of the gentle countryside of the Volterran clay hills.

Hiking difficulty scale

T - Tourist

Itineraries on small roads, mule tracks or easy paths, with clearly evident routes that do not pose uncertainties or problems of orientation. They generally take place below 2000 m and usually constitute access to mountain pastures or refuges. They require some knowledge of the mountain environment and physical preparation for walking.

E - Hiking

Routes that almost always turn on paths, or on traces of passage in various terrain (pastures, debris, stony ground), usually with signs. They require a certain sense of orientation, as well as a certain experience and knowledge of the mountainous territory, walking training, as well as appropriate footwear and equipment. Normally the difference in altitude is between 500 and 1000m.

EE - Expert hikers

Routes not always marked and which require a good ability to move on various mountain terrains. They can be paths or even faint traces that wind over rough or steep terrain, with steep and slippery slopes, scree and short snowfields that can be overcome without the use of climbing equipment. They need a good mountain experience, firm footing and good physical preparation. It is also necessary to have adequate equipment and equipment, as well as a good sense of direction. Normally the difference in height is greater than 1000m.

EEA - Expert hikers with mountaineering equipment

Routes that require the use of via ferrata equipment (lanyards, harness, heat sink, helmet, etc.). They can be equipped paths or real via ferratas. It is necessary to know how to use the technical equipment safely and have a certain habit of exposure and mountaineering terrain.

MTB difficulty scale

TC - Tourist

Route on dirt roads with a compact and smooth surface, suitable for vehicles.

BC - For cyclists with good technical skills

Route on very bumpy dirt roads or on mule tracks and paths with a rather bumpy but fairly smooth surface or compact but irregular, with some natural obstacles (eg rock steps or roots).

OC - For cyclists with excellent technical skills

As above but on very bumpy and / or very irregular paths, with significant presence of obstacles.

EC - Maximum level for the cycle excursionist

Path on very irregular paths, characterized by steps and obstacles in continuous succession, which require trial-type techniques.