Easy hikes and walks in Riserva Naturale Monte Penna

In this via cava, more than in others, it is still possible to note the system for regulating and containing rainwater. In the central part of the via cava, where the tuff has been excavated by the erosive action of rainwater, at regular intervals, there are basalt stones inserted transversely into the tuff bank, which had the task of slowing down the water flow and thus limiting the erosion of the road. The name of the via is given by the presence, in the upper part of the cava, of a small chapel recently restored by a group of volunteers led by the local Avis group.

The Via Cava di San Rocco is one of the most impressive Etruscan paths in the area. The trail is entirely dug into the tuff, with vertical walls reaching up to 20 meters high, hosting lush vegetation of ferns and mosses. The route connects the Lente river valley with the plateau above. Along the ascent, you will encounter ancient water channeling systems and stairs carved into the rock. Once you reach the upper end, you arrive at the panoramic area of San Rocco, from which you can enjoy the most iconic view of the settlement of Sorano and the Orsini Fortress. The ground can be damp and slippery due to the cool microclimate of the walls.

Sorano is an ancient medieval village carved into the tuff, located in the heart of the hilly Maremma. The inhabited center is dominated by the imposing Fortezza Orsini, an example of Renaissance military architecture, and by the Masso Leopoldino, a natural fortified terrace offering a panoramic view of the entire Lente river valley. The village is characterized by a dense network of narrow alleys, stairways, and passages carved directly into the rock. Outside the inhabited area lies the archaeological park of the Vie Cave, a network of deep Etruscan paths carved into the tuff that connect the center with the surrounding necropolises.

Beautiful view of this village dug into the tuff!

With its imposing mass, the Orsini Fortress dominates the medieval village of Sorano and represents one of the greatest examples of medieval architecture of the Renaissance. Built by the Aldobrandeschi in the 13th century, it was later expanded and renovated by the Orsini, according to the needs imposed by the advent of firearms. The aim was to make Sorano a powerful military bulwark in the centuries-old dispute between this turbulent family and the Republic of Siena. The oldest structures, identifiable with the surviving portions of the Rocca degli Aldobrandeschi, are located in the northern area of the fortification. The complex must have been divided into two main alignments that delimited an open space facing the town below (now Piazza Cairoli) to the east and south. In the mid-16th century, other structural interventions completely modified the original layout of the ancient keep, which was adapted to the use of a count's residence. Today some of these rooms house the Civic Archaeological Museum which preserves finds from the territory of Sorano, Sovana and Castell’Ottieri. The entrance to the keep was protected by a drawbridge, now disappeared, and by a deep moat which delimited, descending into the valley, also the two gates of access to the village. The large square in front, supported on two sides by walls, was the nodal point of all the daily activities of the garrison. The sixteenth-century complex consists of a central keep where the headquarters was located and which housed the armory, the gunpowder and saltpetre warehouse, the foundry and the prisons. At the base of the building was located the guardhouse to control the main entrance to the Fortress. Above the portal stands the coat of arms with the rampant lions of the Aldobrandeschi, the rosette and the bars of the Orsini, surmounted by the crest on which rests the heraldic bear. The Mastio is connected to the two corner bastions, also decorated with a coat of arms and by embankments that delimit a second moat that was filled in during the Lorraine period. The various buildings, which make up the Renaissance complex, are connected to each other by a series of underground walkways that allowed the rapid movement of troops along the entire perimeter of the walls. The paths are dug on multiple levels and are equipped with "wolf mouth" slits suitable for defense with arquebuses and culverins. The two bastions also constituted the main deposits for food and water reserves and were used as milling rooms for the processing of grain and gunpowder. The water supply was via a system of canals connected by some cisterns dug into the tuff. In the second half of the 16th century, the political situation of the County changed radically when it became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. From this moment on, the large military complex, which had withstood many battles, lost its strategic function and was gradually abandoned. Today, thanks to numerous restoration interventions, it is possible to visit the entire bastion complex of the Fortress by going to the Museum located in the fourteenth-century part.

You have to have been there at least once.

Was first mentioned in documents in 1276 and was extensively renovated in subsequent eras.

Especially from the Masso Leipoldine you have magnificent views over the city and surroundings.