A1b – San Rabano short

We start from Alberese crossing a large olive grove in the agricultural area of ​​the Park between the plain and the woods. After a gate, the small road continues between two "walls" of dense and disorderly vegetation, in an area that was agricultural in the past and is now being renaturalised. Soon you arrive at an ancient stone wall, now partly ruined, beyond which there is a much higher green wall: these are the oaks that here, on the cooler and more humid northern slope, find the best growing conditions. The small road begins to climb along the wall, and shortly after the town of Piscina del Prete enters the ancient hunting reserve.

This is a dense, dark forest, perhaps the most beautiful forest in the Park. From here, with a minimum of imagination, it is easy to imagine oneself in the Middle Ages, as wayfarers traveling from the post station along the Aurelia to the monastery of San Rabano, from where one descended to Cala di Forno to embark for Civitavecchia or Livorno .

After an initial part of a more decisive climb, the route becomes gentler. The higher you go in altitude, the lower the height of the trees becomes, and on the sides of the road the scrub shrubs appear: heather, juniper, cistus, some broom and strawberry tree. Every now and then the forest opens up and allows you to glimpse great panoramas towards the interior.

A final climb, and you arrive on a wide saddle between the hills where the ruins of the monastery, its church and the Uccellina tower are located, surrounded by a crown of very large holm oaks.

For the final surprise of the excursion, however, you must continue along a short flat path that leads to two terraces, one looking north and one looking south, from which you can enjoy spectacular views over the entire coast of this part of Tuscany.