Abetone, summer and winter holidays in the mountains
The center of Abetone, commonly called by Tuscans “L’Abetone”, rises around the homonymous Passo dell’Abetone at an altitude of 1388 meters above sea level. From an administrative point of view, Abetone is part of the municipality of Abetone-Cutigliano and the province of Pistoia. This is the mountain resort and the ski destination par excellence in Tuscany. Abetone is located on the border with Emilia Romagna and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains in Tuscany such as Alpe Tre Potenze (1940 m), Monte Gomito (1892 m), Selletta (1711 m) and the Open Book (1937 m).
As mentioned, Abetone is the most popular Tuscan resort for skiers. This is because it is located in the Val di Luce ski area which boasts over 50 kilometers of ski slopes. Together with that of Monte Cimone, in the province of Modena, this is the largest and most important area in the Apennines and in all of central Italy. There are many slopes of varying difficulty, mainly blue and red, as well as snow parks. For beginners there are ski schools where you can learn how to take your first steps on the snow.
Renowned destination for winter holidays, Abetone is also very popular for summer holidays. In summer the ski slopes give way to many trekking routes that allow you to immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the beautiful mountain views. If in winter you can have fun on skis or snowboard, in summer you can devote yourself to mountain biking, downhill and walking or horseback riding. Those who live in the city can go up to Abetone even just to escape the heat and regenerate with a little fresh and clean air.
Whether it’s winter or summer, Abetone’s tourist vocation is always on, so many hotels, bed and breakfasts, residences and accommodations of all kinds have sprung up like mushrooms in the town and its surroundings.
Abetone in winter: snow and skiing
In winter, the mountain holiday in Abetone is dedicated to skiing and snow. When Abetone is covered in snow, many enthusiasts from all over Tuscany and central Italy come to it to ski on its 50 kilometers of slopes. Whether for a weekend or for the classic white week, Abetone is a destination that is appreciated for the large number of its slopes and numerous ski lifts. In addition to the numerous slopes of Abetone, there are also those of the nearby area of Cutigliano-Doganaccia which is located a few kilometers away.
Slopes of Abetone
The slopes of Abetone are open to various disciplines: alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. There are many blue (low difficulty) and red (medium difficulty) slopes, a black slope (high difficulty), the Zeno 1, some snow parks dedicated to snowboarders and two ring slopes dedicated to cross-country skiing.
The ski slopes of Abetone are distributed between La Selletta (from which you can also reach Le Regine), Monte Gomito (here you can ski both at the base and at the top) and Val di Luce (up to Alpe Tre Potenze) . Some slopes are on the Emilian side and in fact this ski area is also very popular with those coming from Modena.
Below all the slopes of Abetone:
CAMPI SCUOLA ABETONE
09 – Campo scuola Abetone (blue)
08 – Campo scuola Abetone G.Ferrari (blue)
COMPRENSORIO SELLETTA-LE REGINE
06 – Chierroni (blue)
07 – Selletta (blue)
10 – Foresto (red)
11 – Riva (red)
13 – Monte Gomito 1 (Lato Sestaione) (blue)
14 – Monte Gomito 2 (Lato Stucchi) (blue)
COMPRENSORIO OVOVIA-PULICCHIO
12 – Stucchi (red)
15 – Zeno 1 (black)
16 – Zeno 2 (red)
17 – Variante Zeno 3 – Zeno 2 (red)
18 – Zeno 3 (blue)
20 – Raccordo Pulicchio – Zeno 3 (red)
21 – Seghi – Pulicchio (blue)
23 – Coppi 1 (blue)
24 – Coppi 2 (red)
25 – Raccordo Zeno 3 – Pulicchio (blue)
COMPRENSORIO VAL DI LUCE
28 – Passo di Annibale (blue)
29 – Tre Potenze (blue)
30 – Roccione (red)
32 – Celina Seghi (red)
33 – Abetina (blue)
34 – Jolly (blue)
35 – Sprella (blue)
SNOWPARK
Val di Luce Sprella
Pulicchio
Snowpark Ovovia
Park Val di Luce Roccione
Ski schools and snowboard lessons in Abetone
Both beginners and more experienced skiers can sign up for courses or lessons organized by the various ski schools in Abetone. If, on the other hand, you are a lover of snowboards, you can take snowboard lessons.
Abetone ski facilities
The Abetone ski area is served by 5 ski lifts: Le Regine, Abetone center, Monte Gomito, Pulicchio and Val di Luce. Skiers can reach the slopes using various 2, 3 and 4-seater chairlifts, ski lifts, moving walkways and a gondola that can carry up to 8 people. Near the Abetone lifts there are numerous services including shelters, car parks and shops where you can rent ski equipment.
Abetone Multipass
The area is managed by the Abetone Multipass Consortium. You can buy the ski pass necessary to access the lifts directly on their website or near the lifts. For all information on prices and the various types of ski passes, I refer you to the Abetone Multipass website.
Abetone in summer
With the arrival of summer, Abetone and its mountains are appreciated for the possibility of practicing many sports and outdoor activities, being able to enjoy a decidedly cooler climate than in the cities. Especially on weekends, Abetone sees many visitors arriving fleeing the summer heat.
Among the things to do in Abetone in summer there are excursions along the CAI paths that allow you to immerse yourself in the nature of the mountain and enjoy breathtaking landscapes.
Another way to enjoy the mountains in summer is mountain biking. Thanks to Abetone Gravity Park you can dedicate yourself to downhill and descend from the mountain following one of the proposed routes.
What to see in Abetone and its surroundings
Abetone is certainly not famous for its monuments and architecture. The only important monument is the International Peace Monument built by Gino Terreni in 1994. What is not lacking are the naturalistic beauties such as the Scaffaiolo Lake which is located just beyond the border between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, or the Piatto Lake, located just south of Abetone. There is also a botanical garden to visit, dedicated to the Apennine flora. In the vicinity, Cutigliano is also definitely worth a visit, which preserves a beautiful historic center with some interesting monuments.
How to get to Abetone
To reach Abetone by car, you must take the A1 motorway to Florence and then continue on the A11 towards Pisa, until the Pistoia exit. From there you have to continue on the SR66 regional road and on the SS 12 Abetone-Brennero state road to your destination. Alternatively, those coming from the north can exit at Modena Sud and continue on the SS12.
By public transport you can only get to Abetone using the bus, using the connections with Modena and Pistoia. The reference railway station is that of Pistoia but from there, as mentioned, you will have to continue by bus.
Where to sleep in Abetone
Abetone is a purely tourist resort and in fact is full of hotels, residences, bed and breakfast and holiday homes. Many of these are located directly in the center of Abetone, while others are scattered in the immediate vicinity or in nearby locations. If you decide to spend a holiday in the mountains of Abetone, you will have numerous accommodations to choose from, suitable for all budgets and all needs.
Abetone hotels are often located near the ski lifts, a great convenience that skiers appreciate a lot. Depending on your budget, you can decide to stay in a hostel or in a superior hotel, 4 stars or more with a spa and swimming pool included. A valid alternative to hotels in Abetone is provided by the hotels in nearby Cutigliano which is just a few minutes away by car.
There is also no shortage of privately rented apartments and holiday homes, as well as the more classic B & Bs. Whatever your choice to sleep in Abetone, the advice is always to book well in advance, especially if you are planning a holiday in the high season.
