Abetone

Nature, sport and tradition

With around 50 km of downhill and nursery slopes, Abetone, 45 km from Pistoia, is the most famous ski complex in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, on the ridge between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. You can reach this destination in just over an hour by car from Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Livorno, Modena or Bologna.

Summer is also brimming with attractions, when locals and tourists alike flock to the area to enjoy walking, mountain biking and trekking through the mountains and along popular trails, like Libro Aperto, Gomito, Tre Potenze and Foce di Campolino.

Not far from Abetone, if you travel along Via Francesca della Sambuca you find yourself on the historic Via Francigena, an ancient link between Rome and Santiago de Compostela travelled by millions of pilgrims over the centuries. Many were welcomed at the Church of San Leopoldo, a splendid example of rural religious architecture, surrounded by many other picturesque churches immersed in greenery.

Before leaving the complex, be sure to photograph the Abetone Pyramids, monumental works of marble and stone dating back to the late 18th century. The name “Abetone” derives from the huge fir tree that was felled to make space for this project.