The Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park
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THE TUSCAN-EMILIAN APENNINES NATIONAL PARK A Park connecting Europe and the Mediterranean AlterEco Photo: www.parcoappennino.it Between Europe and the Mediterranean A kaleidoscope of landscapes and emotions Photo: AlterEco Between the Po river Valley and the slopes and in the valleys, there are sea of Liguria and Tuscany, for a long ancient and deeply rooted human section the Apennines mountains settlements. Old agricultural villa- rises over 6500 feet. This border, ges survive alongside other new if crossed, offers a great variety of centres of activity and services. It natural and historical sites. You can was both a border and a cultural sightsee several habitats and dif- frontier and, in some ways, it still ferent landscapes trough ancient is. It is a natural and administrative Spring flowering of trade paths and immigration trails. boundary; a boundary of climate narcissuses in the mea- The Tuscan-Emilian Apennines Na- and of ethnic group; a boundary dows of Camporaghena tional Park extends either side of a of war and of trade; of the transhu- (Photo: AlterEco) mountain ridge, rugged and rocky mance of livestock and the migra- The Pietra di Bismantova towers over the Triassic at the highest points, covered with tion of men. gypsum in the Secchia pastures and woods lower down. The marks of this past cannot be valley (Photo: Bragazzi) From the ridge on clear days you withdrawn. The signs of such a can see the sea on one side and the deep history have never comple- Snow in the Val Secchia Alps on the other. The colours are tely prevailed over the wild nature (Photo: Bianchini) Lake Calamone in autumn the green of summer and the white of mountains. colours (Photo: Ferretti) of winter. In spring and in autumn, the colours change under your very eyes, passing through shifting nuances and strong shades. Here the colours mark out the cycle of seasons, like a magic clock of Mother Nature. Halfway up the The Cinque Terre and the Apennines The Italy of qualities Ro Marcenaro In the heart of Italy, the Ligurian both “lesser known” and the Italy Sea and Apennines touch each of qualities, where nature and cul- other, creating a unique land. From ture meet each other. Different and the Cinque Terre see, you climb up special lands, characterised by pro- through Lunigiana area and cross ducts and recipes which look to the the Apennine ridge, then you drop sea, the mountains, or the plains down again through the land of depending on the particular villa- Garfagnana and the Apuan Alps. ge. Every time man modifed the Napoleonic boundary Manarola village in Cin- You can sightsee all this driving only scenery in the past. The result was stone on the Cirone que Terre National Park 70 miles. Three national parks (the a specific product of extraordinary Pass in the Parma Apen- (Photo: AlterEco) Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National value. Typical examples are Sciac- nines (Photo: AlterEco) Park, the Cinque Terre National Park chetrà wine from the Cinque Terre, and the Foreste Casentinesi Natio- Colonnata lardo, pecorino cheese, Pizzo d’Uccello in Apuan Alps Regional Park nal Park) and five regional parks of Parma prosciutto, Parmigiano Reg- (Photo: AlterEco) great environmental and cultural giano cheese, erbazzone reggiano value preside over an extraordina- and bread from Vinca... When you’ll rily various system, surrounded by enjoy all these products, they’ll Monte Marcello Magra Regional Park view historical cities such as Lucca, Pisa, bring you back to the scenery and (Photo: AlterEco) Florence and Parma. colours of the land aro- Exchange and contact between ge- und you. And to the hi- ographic areas with different sce- story life of the people nery, traditions, dialects, customs, who created, in the cen- cuisine and products is what con- turies, such unique and tradistinguish this area. This area different favours and is the symbol of an Italy which is landscape. The paths of history Tastefully at table Villages, castles and ancient roads A journey through the flavours of Italy Photo: AlterEco The first prehistoric nomadic po- The Tuscan-Emilian Apennines re- pulations, just like the Resistance present an interface between the and every other important histo- Po river Valley, the Italian peninsu- rical event, left their mark on the la and the sea of Luni, a meeting land and the scenery, from traces point of strong and very diffe- of Roman times to the remains of rent flavours. As well as Parmigia- Matilda’s fortresses or the rich pa- no Reggiano cheese from the laces of the Malaspina, Este and mountains, typical of the cuisine P.D.O. Parma prosciutto Vallisneri families. of this area are the flavours of the The Romanesque church produced in the Park area (Photo: Ricci) of Filattiera on the Via The Park area is crossed by a num- chestnut present throughout the Francigena (Photo: AlterEco) ber of historic roads you can still Park and the culture of the “testo”, follow today: the “Salt Road” (consi- a flat disk used to cook over the sting of the routes, paths and mule fire characteristic of the cuisine of tracks involved in the salt trade the high Tuscan Apennines. The across the Tuscan-Emilian Apen- extraordinary wealth of top quality The Piazza Medicea in nines) and the “Via Francigena” food products typical of this land is Fivizzano in the Lunigiana (the ancient pilgrim road connec- represented by Parma prosciutto, (Photo: Carfagna) ting Canterbury Lunigiana honey, Garfagnana spelt, and Rome in the chestnut flour, caciotta and pecori- Middle Ages and no cheese, bread, mushrooms, wild attracting thou- berries, salame fiorettino, pancetta sands of faithful canusina, zucco and culatello di Ca- along the route). nossa. Winnowing dried che- stnuts in the village of Sassalbo (Photo: AlterEco) Parmigiano Reggiano An open air gym A product in symbiosis with the land Sport in contact with nature Photo: Vanicelli The most famous cheese in Italy and Our Park is perfect for all fans of in the world was born at the foot of trekking, free climbing, horse riding the Reggio and Parma Apennines; and road, mountain and downhill and well represents the landscape biking. As well as traditional skiing, where meadows, alfalfa pastures, cross country skiing and ski touring, and forests alternate. Parmigiano lovers of winter sports can also en- Reggiano (produced with a certi- joy contact with the snow covered Fields of Parmigiano fied DOP, Protected Designation Apennines on snowshoes. Reggiano cheese fodder crops under the Origin) has a long history: first spe- Ever more prominent among he- Pietra di Bismantova cifications can be found in Roman althy activities are Nordic walking (Photo: Bragazzi) documents, but it was in the Middle and mountain running. There are Ages that production, with the same also specific routes for heart pa- Sport climbing on the The Parmigiano Reggia- techniques still used today, began tients where the “comfortable” pa- Pietra di Bismantova no cheese (Photo: Bianchini) among Benedictine and Cistercian ths and gentle slopes provide wal- (Photo: Bragazzi) monks. The ingredients are still the king which is both undemanding traditional ones: raw milk, curds (a and of great psychophysical value natural enzyme) and salt. It is not for everyone. Mountain bike trails on the possible to understand the landsca- Sparavalle (Photo: Bianchini) pe of the Apennines without visi- ting one of the local dairies: it will be an occasion to understand how the cheese is made and to directly buy mountain Parmigiano Reggiano, wi- thout forgetting butter and ricotta, which are its natural corollary. Eagles and primroses VISITOR CENTRES Rare and wonderful plants and animals Information and hospitality Photo: Pasquali The Park boasts an extraordinarily The park’s visitor centres are infor- rich biodiversity made up of natu- mation and reception points placed ral habitats and plant and animal inside structures that offer hospitali- species. The Park is part of the Eu- ty (eating and sleeping) all year long, ropean “Nature 2000” network of tourist information and sell typical areas dedicated to the conserva- products from all areas of the Park. tion of biological diversity and mi- “Agriturismo Montagna Verde” (MS) Grazing red deer, one of gratory species. Via per Apella, 1 The Visitor Centres in the ungulates present in (Photo: Vago) Standing out among the fauna are 54016 Apella di Licciana Nardi (MS) Succiso the Park (Photo: Branchi) (+39) 0187/421203 the golden eagle and wolf (once mobile (+39) 392/9963407 again a stable presence in these [email protected] www.montagnaverde.it Crocuses emerging from mountains attracted by the abun- the snow in the Spring dance of ungulates), large mam- “Agriturismo Valle dei Cavalieri” (RE) Infopoint at Visitor Center (Photo: Branchi) Via Caduti XXV Novembre, 46 “Il Castagno” (Photo: Viappiani) mals such as red deer, wild boar 42030 Succiso di Ramiseto (RE) and roe deer and numerous typi- (+39) 0522/892346 cally alpine birds and amphibians. [email protected] www.valledeicavalieri.it The extraordinary variety of plants “Locanda Il Castagno” (LU) in the Park includes endemic spe- Via Pascoli, 17 cies and relicts from the ice age. 55030 Ponteccio di Giuncugnano (LU) For the wealth of species present, a (+39) 0583/615025 [email protected] number of upland areas are consi- www.locandailcastagno.it dered as genuine natural botanical “Rifugio Lagdei” (PR) gardens. Loc. Lagdei - 43021 Bosco di Corniglio (PR) (+39) 0521 889353 mobile (+39) 333/2443053 [email protected] www.rifugiolagdei.it THE TUSCAN-EMILIAN APENNINES National PARK LOCATION & DIRECTION The Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park is located in the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, in the provinces of Massa Carrara, Luc- ca, Parma and Reggio Emilia. Photo: AlterEco Sassalbo (MS) Office Via Comunale, 23 - 54010 Sassalbo di Fivizzano +39 0585 947200 [email protected] skype: parcoappennino.it Temporary office of Cervarezza Terme (RE) Piazza I Maggio, 3 42032 Cervarezza Terme di Busana + 39 0522 890111 Website: www.parcoappennino.it Facebook: www.facebook.com/parcoappenninotoscoemiliano www.facebook.com/apenninenationalpark Studio Planorbis www.parcoappennino.it.