Western movie scenarios, narrow valleys and high cliffs crossed by streams. The Monterufoli-Caselli Natural Park extends over a total area of 4130 hectares in the municipality of Pomarance, inside the province of Pisa.
The landscape and biodiversity of the Monterufoli Tuscan Park
This small natural “wild" Tuscan oasis is characterized by an high naturalistic value and it is of great landscape importance due to the excellent state of conservation of the nature and the presence of biodiversity. Green woods cover entire hills while, all around, the Mediterranean scrub and a constellation of small villages appear in the distance.
The particularly varied habitat is home to numerous plants and animals. This is where an equine breed takes its name: the pony of Monterufoli, smaller in size than a normal horse and with a particularly thick mane. The Park is also characterized by an endemic flora and by interesting mineralizations and geological formations that attract geology enthusiasts.
The architectural beauties of the Val di Cecina
A simple walk is not enough to discover the beauties of the area. It is worthwhile to venture out on an excursion by bicycle, on horseback or on foot for those who want to tackle the most challenging gradients. Taking advantage of the network of paths, you can discover the forests crossed by streams such as the Sterza and the Trossa, explore areas rich in Turkey oaks and holm oaks, spot fallow deer or roe deer, visit ancient buildings and abandoned remains of excavations for the extraction of copper, chalcedony and lignite.
The Monterufoli-Caselli Natural Park is home to human settlements and important architectural remains: the Libbiano village, the Villa of Monterufoli, the ruins of the Castello dei Vescovi di Volterra and the former medieval mint where the “Grosso volterrano" coin was minted in the Middle Ages.
The Monterufoli Estate, an historic diamond in the Natural Park
Monterufoli Estate is nestled Inside the Park, in a strategic position for guests. The Etsate is twenty kilometers far from the sea and covers an area of 1030 hectares of uncontaminated nature inside the Monterufoli-Caselli Natural Park.
Monterufoli estate consists of three distinct buildings: the main house called “Miniera", the “Scuderie" and the “Casa delle Guardie". Starting from here it is possible to follow an itinerary to discover the “ghost bridges" that connected the railway to the ancient mines. With the off-road vehicles you can go up the centuries-old wood of corks tree to visit the Sangiovese vineyards and reach the heights of the old chalcedony quarry of 1500.
