The Village of Castelnuovo Val di Cecina and its surroundings

The hilltop village of Castelnuovo Val di Cecina is known for its characteristic "bunch of grapes" shape, with small villages and residential complexes that develop along the slopes of the valley. The buildings and monuments of Castelnuovo are surrounded by the shadow of Val di Cecina, which hosts beautiful natural landscapes to visit in the company of your mountain bike. Walking through the streets of the village you will come across various panoramic points where you can stop and observe the landscape and the nearby Gulf of Piombino. Castelnuovo is an ideal destination for nature lovers who want to combine visits to monuments with relaxing walks in the open air and paths immersed in nature. The surroundings of the village are known by the alternative name of "Devil's Valley".

This eerie nickname is linked to the presence of boraciferous fumaroles that affect and heat the entire area. The area of the Devil's Valley was already known in the fourteenth century and it is believed that Dante Alighieri drew inspiration from these lands to write the Inferno of the Divine Comedy.

What to see in Castelnuovo

For those who stop to observe the village of Castelnuovo, we recommend a visit to the historic center, built in the Middle Ages and still well preserved. On the highest point of the village is the church of Santissimo Salvatore, a 12th-century sanctuary with an imposing bell tower. We then continue with a visit to the surrounding area, small medieval villages that host a series of interesting historical monuments.

The three most important ones, which often attract the attention of tourists, are:

• The Leccia
• Montecastelli
• Pisan Stone

In Montecastelli you can see the characteristic Pieve dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo, a Romanesque building built in 1186. The right nave has a lancet window on which a hunting scene has been carved, still perfectly preserved. Not far away is the "Buca delle Fate", a small Etruscan hypogeum that is well worth a visit. The village of Leccia is even more immersed in nature. The cork and holm oak woods completely surround it, giving it the appearance of a magical and isolated place. In the western part of the village, there are the remains of a cylindrical tower, probably part of the original walls. Finally, Sasso Pisano is the area of Castelnuovo best known for the presence of natural geothermal phenomena.

In particular, it is possible to observe the characteristic fumaroles areas where the earth seems to "smoke", emitting clouds of steam that have the characteristic smell of sulfur. Near Sasso Pisano, there is the Biolago, a lake fed by the surrounding hot springs, which is often used to enjoy an afternoon of relaxation.