Florence: Just An Hour Away From Skiing, Riding -
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and known for its Renaissance architecture and artistic heritage. The historic city centre attracts millions of visitors every year and has been declared a World Heritage Site. Florence is a year-round city surrounded by rolling Tuscan countryside, where visitors can enjoy walks and wine tasting during the summer and skiing and snowboarding during the winter.
Abetone, the largest ski resort in Tuscany, is only about an hour’s drive from Florence. Set at 1400 metres altitude, Abetone has been popular with Italian skiers for more than 70 years. The resort offers access to 80 kilometres of ski slopes divided into 37 tree-lined slopes linked by 21 modern chairlifts and gondolas.
Beginners can take advantage of Abetone’s wide, gentle nursery slopes and five ski schools. The resort also enjoys reliable snow cover between December and April and features cross-country trails, artificial snowmaking facilities, an ice skating rink, and a good choice of traditional restaurants.
Near Abetone is the resort of Val di Luce (Valley of Light). This is very much an Italian resort known for its traditional charm rather than noisy Brits. While experts may find Val di Luce relatively unchallenging, it does offer modern lift connections and brand new snowmaking facilities.
Another neighbouring resort to Tuscany’s main ski centre of Abetone is Fiumalbo. Set at an altitude of 970 metres, Fiumalbo is a medieval village with a skiing altitude ranging between 800 – 2165 metres on Mount Cimone. The area is thick with forests, which makes for plenty of pretty tree-lined slopes.
Mount Cimone has 24 runs, mostly for intermediates and advanced skiers, including: eight blue runs, 18 red, and six black. Runs are connected by 25 lifts and the longest piste measures 36 kilometres. Skiers can reach a height of 2165 metres altitude. There are also 20 kilometres of cross country trails and three snowparks.
Florence Airport is about an hour from Tuscany’s ski areas. Other airports in the region include Bologna and Pisa. The ski resort of Abetone is about 45 minutes from Bologna. The city of Bologna was founded in 1088 and is known for its rich Roman heritage. It is also home to the oldest university in the Western world. Pisa Airport is approximately 1.5 hours from Tuscany’s ski resorts and is known for its famous leaning Bell Tower, pretty piazzas, and ancient churches.
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