Abetone Cutigliano

The soul of Abetone Cutigliano is split in two: Abetone is located in the mountains, surrounded-as its name implies-by a large forest of fir trees, while Cutigliano is a village perched on a spur close to Mount Cuccola, which bears many fascinating traces of its medieval past. For example, the Palazzo Pretorio, located in the Town Hall Square, built in 1377 to house the Capitani della Montagna, that is, the ministers in charge of visiting the castles in the area and checking on the smooth running of the government. On the facade, there are terracotta or stone coats of arms of each of them until 1742.

The parish church, on the other hand, is that of St. Bartholomew, and is also medieval in layout. Its present form, however, dates from the late 18th century, although inside it still houses some works from the 17th century. To conclude with the religious buildings in the municipality, there is the Church of the Doganaccia, which has a typical mountain appearance, with a very sloping pitched roof that almost forms a triangle and a structure made entirely of wood.

Also involving the municipality of Abetone Cutigliano is theEcomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese, a set of museums and itineraries that allows visitors to learn about this particular Apennine environment through the signs that man has left there over time. Specifically in the municipality are theForest Botanical Garden and the Museum of the People of the Pistoian Apennines, in Rovereta. While the latter is a museum that collects objects from the past belonging to daily life from modernity to the present day, the former is a splendid high-altitude garden that houses plant species characteristic of the Upper Pistoian Apennines. Flanking this special collection is the Fontana Vaccaia Educational Complex, which allows visitors to learn more about each of the plant types.

For lovers of natural wonders, not far from Cutignano, on the border between Tuscany and Emilia, is Lake Scaffaiolo. Its peculiarity is that it has neither tributaries nor outfalls: it was generated thanks to rainwater retained by the impermeable rocks in this area. Not surprisingly, the name of the lake comes from "scaffa," which means basin.

It is the Abetone area that is the most popular in the municipality for hiking and outdoor activities in general. Here are some of the most recommended ones:

• theDoganaccia loop, starting and ending from the municipal hamlet, leading first to Lake Scaffaiolo and then, before returning, to Croce Arcana Pass;
• thehike from Abetone to Doganaccia, passing through the Libro Aperto depression, Cima Tauffi, Colle dell'Acquamarcia and Croce Arcana, on the ridge that divides Tuscany from Emilia Romagna;
• the trail from Cima del Diaccione to Abetone, an easy route through the dense forests of the Pistoia Apennines;
• the route from Fontana Vaccaia to Lago Nero, at the foot of Alpe Tre Potenze, along a trail that winds through the fir trees of the Abetone Nature Reserve;
• the same itinerary, but organized in a loop that leads from theAbetone Forest Botanical Garden to Lago Nero, and goes around Val Sestaione;
• theVal di Luce loop, a route of medium difficulty in the green valley that lies between Abetone and Alpe Tre Potenze.