The Vallombrosa Forest

The experience

The Vallombrosa Forest is one of the most famous green areas in Italy. When the monks settled here in the eleventh century, there were already forests of silver firs and beeches. The care of the forests was one of the concerns of the abbots who, from timber and sheep breeding, drew much of the resources necessary for the life of the Abbey. The long fir trunks were an important commodity, and were used for centuries in the construction and restoration of the palaces of Florence, so the monks did everything to extend and take care of the development of the fir trees.

After the creation of the Kingdom of Italy, the forest passed to the State and, in 1977, became a Biogenetic Nature Reserve. Here you can admire the two tallest trees in Italy: the first classified is a Douglas fir 62.45 meters high, slightly shorter also the second classified. Both are within walking distance via a path.

The forest is spread over an area of 1,279 hectares, between 450 and 1450 meters above sea level. The most common species are, in addition to the silver fir, the beech (prevalent in the higher areas), the larch pine and the Douglas fir. At lower altitudes chestnut, oak, maple and hornbeam trees grow.

The Reserve is also home to one of the most famous Experimental Arboretums in Europe, in which more than 3000 specimens of over 1000 botanical entities coexist, belonging to 85 genera from different parts of the world. The Arboretums can be visited in the summer months thanks to the Carabinieri Biodiversity Department of Vallombrosa.

Photo credit: Filippomasoni