What you can see shinning brightly in the gullies on the steep slopes of the Apuan Alps is not necessarily snow, but probably the ravaneti, the screes of marble debris at the foot of the quarries that were already being worked in Roman times and were frequented by the great scupltors and architects who found the quality marble they needed for their works. One of the largest limestone massifs in the world, they are clearly distinct from neighbouring Apennines because of their geological origin amd the appearance of the landscape, which has justifiably earned them the title of the Alps.

The peaks, once belived to be inaccessible, were only conquered after the First World War and still today put expert mountaineers to the test. Those coming from the coast up the steep roads fullhairpin bends will see the vegetation change from the olive groves and macchia, the Mediterranean scrub, to mixed woods, including chestnut trees. Beyond the beeches are open meadows dotted with rare species of flowers and, reminiscent of the Dolomites, the rocky peaks reaching a height of almost 2000 metres (the highest mountain is Monte Pisanino, 1947 m).

It is afairly occurance to see the Golden Eagle whichs nests on the remote rock faces of the Pizzo d’Uccello, and the red-billed chough, the symbol of the Parco Regionale delle Alpi Apuane. It’s sufficient to take one of the roads that climb up from Carrara or Massa to the lower slopes of the mountains to enjoy an outstanding view: the sea sparkles beyond the coastline, which is visible from Livorno to Portovenere and the gulf of La Spezia. Further inland there are glimpses of the Apennines extending as far the Passo dell’Abetone, while even the summit of Monviso, on the French border, may be visible. On clear winter days it’s also possible to see Corsica and its highest peak, Monte Cinto, which is often snow-capped. Scattered in the blue Tyrrhenian Sea the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago – Elba, Gorgona and Capraia.

Originally posted 2008-11-07 15:31:33.