If you have diverse interests, Tuscany is a holiday destination that really tends to provide. It is an immensely cultured place, full of art, architecture, history, traditions and music, the food is delicious, the scenery is stunning, the attractions are various and fun, and there are endless outdoor pursuits to enjoy. If your interests lie in taking in the great outdoors, getting some exercise and taking in great views as well as all things a little darker and spookier, then there is one particular Tuscan location that you are bound to enjoy. Monte (or Mount) Matanna, a mountain in the Apuan Alps, in the province of Lucca, offers some rather starkly different activities: hiking and witch hunting. Just find a villa with pool in Lucca and combine the two interests in one trip.
Mount Matanna is apparently a favourite haunt for witches. Local legends say that witches once went up there to do whatever it is groups of witches are said to do when they were spotted by shepherds who saw flames and bright streaks of fire on the mountainside. Today, you can see a strange-shaped rock that they are thought to have used as a table, located under a large natural arch along the path from Matanna to Mount Procinto.
Here, they are thought to have sacrificed their victims and done magic. Even now, at night, locals will say you should avoid the area as some spirits are said to be guarding a fabulous treasure that no one has ever managed to find – largely because it is guarded by a scary ghost holding a scythe!
Likewise, it is said to be a favoured haunt for hikers. It is, particularly, a good location for those looking for an easy hike as it is accessible to everyone. It is the highest peak in the area but is very easy to reach as the refuge Alto Matanna is accessible by car. The mountain itself is made up of large expanses of bare rock and green pastures that are often populated by wild sheep, roe deer, fallow deer, swallows, partridges, golden eagles and wild horses. The view from the top, is the highlight as it takes in the coast, islands and the rocky peaks of the southern Apuan Alps.
For those who like both macabre stories and outdoor pursuits, there is no better destination in Tuscany!
Here, they are thought to have sacrificed their victims and done magic. Even now, at night, locals will say you should avoid the area as some spirits are said to be guarding a fabulous treasure that no one has ever managed to find – largely because it is guarded by a scary ghost holding a scythe!
Likewise, it is said to be a favoured haunt for hikers. It is, particularly, a good location for those looking for an easy hike as it is accessible to everyone. It is the highest peak in the area but is very easy to reach as the refuge Alto Matanna is accessible by car. The mountain itself is made up of large expanses of bare rock and green pastures that are often populated by wild sheep, roe deer, fallow deer, swallows, partridges, golden eagles and wild horses. The view from the top, is the highlight as it takes in the coast, islands and the rocky peaks of the southern Apuan Alps.
For those who like both macabre stories and outdoor pursuits, there is no better destination in Tuscany!
