During the nice season, a corner of Tuscany becomes tinted with violet and it provides a marvelous show.
Not everyone knows that in the hinterland of the Bolgheri Coast – as the English love to call it – there is a tiny corner of Provence, between the hills of Santa Luce and the fields of Civitella Marittima.
Between June and July, this place is characterized by a purple explosion, with a breeze that smells like the sweet fragrance of lavender. It is a sight not to be missed and to be experienced intensively.
In this area, the long lavender cultivations have replaced the initial grain fields and they are cultivated with the biological and biodynamic methods. These elements have made these fields an exceptional destination outside of mass-tourism locations as well as a useful environment for didactic visits and trips. Additional good news is that the once uncultivated soil has been transformed into lavender cultivations.
THE VALLEY OF PERFUMES AND COLORS AMONG PISA HILLS
Credits for this natural show go to the agricultural investors of the area, who have created the project Valle dei profumi e dei colori nelle colline pisane. They were able to preserve a paradisiac and colorful landscape where you can experience something different while fully respecting the environment.
Arriving nearby the fields, you are almost captured by the perfume that persists in the air, immediately followed by the breathtaking landscape that opens in front of your eyes: infinite, symmetric, and ordinated purple fields that get lost in the light blue color of the sky or in the fiery tints of the sunset.
In Santa Luce, in a brief period of time, the lavender fields have caught the attention of many tourists, making these a must destination during the course of their visits to Tuscany. In this enchanting area, in the hinterland of the Costa Degli Etruschi, where industries and producers welcome visitors telling them about and showing them the various phases of cultivation and production of this special plant. The storytelling begins from collection to distillation, to finally arrive at obtaining the essential oils with beneficial properties which are provided to different sectors, from cosmetics to the alimentary.
ONE PLANT, MANY VIRTUES
The properties of lavender are, in fact, manifold. Lavender is purifying, curative, balsamic, sedative, cicatrizing, and anti-inflammatory. It is an optimal and natural remedy against mosquitos and it also brings good luck: you can hang a small bunch on the door which symbolizes good auspiciousness.
Other beautiful fields can be found in Castellina Marittima, a village immersed in the wildest green and quiet; exploring it means immerging into hidden woods and hills of magnetic fascination. Also, Castellina Marittima falls under the project Valli dei profumi e dei colori, where you can freely walk across lavender fields, take pictures of them and inhale the perfume of freedom.