The Poggio Neri Forest Park
The Poggio Neri Forest Park
is located in the municipality of Sassetta is a small cluster of houses perched on a rocky outcrop, but its territory covers more than 26 square kilometers and is 85 percent forest.
Within the Poggio Neri Forest Park there are more than 37 km of trails equipped for walking, trekking, horseback riding and biking. Along the trails are picnic spots, drying houses, shelters, ruins, charcoal squares, bivouac stalls and breathtaking viewpoints. Among the most beautiful trails is one that walks around Mount Bufalaio: a loop that crosses the Botanical Trail, the disused marble quarries, a point that opens the view of Sassetta’s ancient village, an ascent dotted with native red marble sculptures.
Not far away, another path allows visitors to relive the life of the old Sassetan charcoal burners through the Museo del Bosco: a small garrison that reconstructs the past of the area and its people, with the tools of the trade, the hut, the chicken coop, the chestnut dryer, and the wood-burning oven. Memories of a civilization that is disappearing. Some routes are well connected to the trekking trails of San Vincenzo, Castagneto Carducci, Monteverdi Marittimo and Suvereto. But that’s not all: the Park is also traversed by the Cammino dei Tirreni, which runs from Livorno to Campiglia Marittima, and by the Percorso In Etruria, on the trail of the Etruscans from Volterra to Piombino.
The Sassetta forest is rich in plant and animal life. Among holm oaks, ash trees, turkey oaks and chestnut trees, it is not uncommon to encounter wild animals: foxes, badgers, weasels, porcupines and wild boars. And then the fascinating diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey: buzzards, hawks, tawny owls, barn owls. The wolf also lives here, but meeting it is almost impossible because it is a very shy animal.
The Poggio Neri Park holds some surprises: within it are many of the area’s most prestigious agritourisms, as well as the striking Sassetta Thermal Baths. Completely immersed in the woods, these spas were built on the model of the Roman and Etruscan baths. The water gushes out at 50 degrees and is a panacea for the skin and respiratory system. The facility is set within a biodynamic farm that carries on local agricultural excellence, such as vines and ancient grains, with crops developed in harmony with nature. A paradise in the heart of the forest only 30 minutes from the Guest House La vecchia Fonte in Campiglia Marittima .
