Come and regenerate in the unspoiled nature of the Livornese mountains

If you want to leave behind the frenzy of everyday life, the Natural Reserve of the Livornese Mountains is for you: an authentic oasis of tranquility to reconnect with nature.

Nestled in the Livornese hinterland, the reserve extends for 1,300 hectares in the municipalities of Livorno, Collesalvetti, and Rosignano Marittimo, offering an incredible variety of landscapes and experiences perfect for “slow” tourism. With plains and gentle hilly slopes, trails and watercourses winding through rich vegetation, outdoor enthusiasts have access to a network of panoramic trails, ranging from easy to challenging, suitable for exciting hikes, mountain biking adventures, and relaxing horseback rides.

Venturing into the reserve, you will also have the pleasure of encountering various species of wild animals: wild boars, wolves, foxes, stoats, and deer, freely roaming the lush Mediterranean scrubland of broom, holm oak, and cork oak. But there’s more. The forest between Livorno and Collesalvetti also preserves a precious historical and architectural heritage. Following some of the marked trails, you will discover the remains of ancient sanctuaries, windmills, and icehouses, and you can walk through the grand structures of the Monumental Aqueduct of Colognole, created by the Grand Dukes of Tuscany to provide water to the city of Livorno.

The Countess Oasis, ornithological paradise

Observing animals in their natural habitat is an incredible experience, especially when experienced within a historic ecosystem. Located in the municipality of Collesalvetti, The Countess Oasis is a small wetland, an ancient testimony of the larger system of coastal marshes that once dominated the plain between Pisa and Livorno.

Here, if you are a lover of birdwatching, you will have at your disposal 22 hectares of pristine nature where, among ponds and reeds, you can observe closely various species of birds: the red heron, the marsh harrier, the kingfisher and the rare purple swamphen. Through guided tours and excursions, you will also have the opportunity to dedicate yourself to wildlife photography, capturing, in addition to the bird fauna, the numerous species of marsh vegetation that grow in the Oasis: reed, white willow, tamarisk, white poplar and, for experts, greater periploca, a rare protected liana species.

Not far from the Oasis there is also the Bellavista-Insuese estate, another chapter of authentic natural beauty just a stone’s throw from Livorno and Collesalvetti. With its 700 hectares of beautiful Mediterranean scrubland, including organic crops, forests, and lakes, the Estate is indeed an example of territorial regeneration that, not by chance, received a Special Mention at the national level in 2017, proposed by the UNESCO Club of Livorno.

For further information and contacts:
State Forestry Corps, Territorial Office for Biodiversity, Via Roma 3, Cecina (LI)

• Tel: 0586.684220
• Fax: 0586.630987
• utb.cecina@corpoforestale.it