Abetone loop: sport and culture - Visit Pistoia
Photo credit: Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese
routes / In the mountains

Abetone loop: sport and culture

A journey through the history and culture of the Pistoia Mountains

Abetone Cutigliano

 

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routes
In the mountains
Abetone Cutigliano
length
21 Km
Difference in altitude
794 m
Means of transport
MTB

A medium-difficulty cycling route that takes you to the main museums of the Pistoia Mountains, starting and ending in Abetone.

The ride begins at the Abetone Pass, situated at an altitude of 1,388 meters. Starting from the parking area in front of the Town Hall, you take Viale Regina Margherita, an unpaved road that leads through the ski slopes of Selletta and Chierroni and a stunning forest of fir trees. After crossing SP20 near Lago Baccioli (an artificial lake used for programmed snowmaking), you proceed along the Sentiero delle Sentinelle.

This trail will take you to the Gothic Line Museum in Pianosinatico, a historic site that marked the German defensive line built during World War II to counter the Allied advance. This section of the route includes some technical challenges: the first part involves a climb, while the second descends. If you feel uncertain, it’s advisable to dismount and walk this stretch.

From here, continue toward Rivoreta via a paved road to reach the Museum of the People of the Pistoia Mountains. This museum provides an in-depth look at the life of mountain inhabitants, from their historical traditions to the present day. An initial descent brings you to a steep 500-meter climb leading to the museum. Here, a village fountain offers a refreshing stop and the chance to refill your water supply.

After visiting the museum, head back toward Abetone along an unpaved road that is almost entirely traffic-free. The first 300 meters offer a gentle descent to Rio Botre, where the road climbs for 2.5 kilometres with inclines reaching double digits. While the surface is generally in good condition, you might encounter some uneven patches, especially after periods of rain.

Once past the unpaved section, the ascent continues for another kilometre until you reach the small settlement of Secchia. Here, the landscape opens up, offering views of the surrounding fields and the Selletta peak overlooking Lago Verde.

Follow a wide and smooth road, although with some unfavourable inclines, to another unpaved section leading to Boscolungo. From there, rejoin the SS12 to return to the Abetone Pass. Just before reaching the summit, you’ll find the third museum: the Ski Museum. This museum tells the story of the region and its champions who brought fame to the sport on an international level.

The loop concludes here, but the route can be extended with additional options, such as the Maiori Loop or the 1.1 trail of the Selletta ski slope.

Itinerary curated by Leonardo Corsini

Photo credit: Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese

Stages Itinerary

 
Loggia dei Capitani, Cutigliano

Abetone Cutigliano

Abetone Cutigliano
stage 1

Abetone Cutigliano

Surrounded by a large fir forest, Abetone is located on the Abetone pass at the border between Tuscany and Emilia. It is the most important winter-sports resort in central Italy and recognized worldwide for its beauty and variety of its slopes. The area is divided into four valleys: the Scoltenna, Sestaione, and the Lima Valleys plus the Val di Luce. With its narrow streets lined by ancient palaces and monuments, Cutigliano still retains ample traces of its medieval past. A popular as winter holiday resort with the Doganaccia ski resort, while, in, Cutigliano offers summertime choices of nearby walks and excursions to Lake Scaffaiolo, Melo, Pianosinatico, Pian di Novello, and Val del Sestaione.
 

Gothic Line Museum

Abetone Cutigliano
stage 2

Gothic Line Museum

The museum preserves and hands down to the present, the memory of the events that marked out this territory during the Second World War.
 

Museum of Everyday Life in the Pistoia Apennines

Abetone Cutigliano
stage 3

Museum of Everyday Life in the Pistoia Apennines

The museum takes you on a journey through the lives of this area's inhabitants, from centuries past to modern times, by means of work tools and everyday objects, images, sounds, stories and interactive rooms, which invite visitors to lose themselves in the idea of "making it with your own hands". The principal themes are "to be born in the mountains" and to "collect and carry", in other words, ways of treating and facing the complexity of life in the Apennines. The space dedicated to the coalman demonstrates how he used to use complex technical skills, which contrast with the idea we have of pre-industrial ways of working with simple and rudimental techniques. Visitors are invited to take part in the toy laboratory where they can experiment by using creativity and dexterity.
 

Ski Museum

Abetone Cutigliano
stage 4

Ski Museum

Inaugurated in July 2019, the Abetone Ski Museum offers a fascinating journey through the history of skiing, retracing the key milestones of this iconic sport, the achievements of its greatest champions, and the evolution of an entire community that, through the innovation of its ski facilities and infrastructure, has managed to make skiing famous worldwide. This exhibition space serves not only as a tribute to the athletes who have marked legendary eras with their feats but also as an opportunity to discover how the local territory and traditions have intertwined with the birth and spread of this discipline.

Altri Itineraries: 
Abetone Cutigliano

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