Snowshoeing in Tuscany: another way to experience the mountains in winter

On Mount Amiata, you can snowshoe both during the day and at night: just contact the local guides and decide which hike is right for you: there are trails of all types and difficulty - suitable for both adults and children - to delve into Europe’s largest beech forest.
Not to be missed, on New Year’s Eve, the night walk with torchlight processions and toasts with friends.
There are numerous refuges where you can enjoy a well-deserved break at the end of snow hiking: with a hot chocolate or steaming tea, it will be even nicer to admire the white landscape.

In the setting of the Tuscan-Ligurian Apennines and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, winter is tinged with white and transforms the landscape into an evocative setting muffled by snow.
For those seeking the silence of solo sport or simply the fun of a walk in fresh snow, there are four routes to try.

The Zum Zeri ski resort also offers possibilities for novice snowshoers: in fact, here you can rent equipment and try out easy routes.
The atmosphere is fairytale-like, and you can also easily reach the summit of Mount Spiaggi.

The Brattello Forest also offers easy trails for everyone: among conifers and centuries-old beech trees, it is possible to find several rest areas for half-day hikes.

From the Brattello Pass, it is possible to reach the summit of Mount Molinatico, a route, this one, a bit more challenging and suitable for those who are already experienced.

Another challenging route - lasting a full day - is the one that starts from the Lagastrello Pass towards the summit of Mount Acuto: among lakes and beech forests, the panorama is truly magical and the feeling of walking on the mountain ridge is truly priceless.

Moving toward the Ospedalaccio Pass, an ancient crossroads that connects Lunigiana to the Po Valley, it is possible to take a ring trail - lasting half a day - for the more experienced: you can reach the sources of the Secchia or descend in the direction of Paduli Lake or the Vallone dell’Inferno.

Rich in fascinating routes and itineraries, the Pistoia Mountains offer unique and exciting views.

In the centuries-old beech forest of the Sestaione Valley toward Nero Lake, a sheet of water of glacial origin that is totally frozen in winter, you can take a 10-kilometer trail that starts from the Abetone Forest Botanical Garden and arrives below one of the highest peaks in Tuscany, the Alpe delle Tre Potenze.

The ring of Mount Maiori, on the other hand, is perfect for those trying snowshoes for the first time, as is the Doganaccia ski resort, the starting point for reaching Scaffaiolo Lake and the Duca degli Abruzzi Refuge via a route of about 9 km.

Finally, the Teso Forest - an enchanting natural jewel - offers a route of about 13 km starting from Campo Tizzoro for a snowshoe through pristine forests and places rich in history.