Some 1,500 gorges and 270 kilometres of galleries will be the main attraction of the first edition of Toscana Underground, a tourism event that will try to replace Tuscany s traditional tourism sites, like the Tower of Pisa, the Florence Cathedral, hills and olive trees with caves, underground passages, mines and necropolises.
The event, to be held from May 22 to 28, wants to highlight the beauty and variety of the natural underground caves.
The initiative is promoted by the Region of Tuscany and local economic promotion agency Toscana Promozione. Sites on show number 21 and include mines, caves and archaeological parks which will offer guided visits and discount tickets. Toscana Underground aims at promoting the tourism value of a less known Tuscany which is of great environmental importance, tourism councillor Anna Rita Bramerini said, flanked by Toscana Promozione head Roberto Pucci.
It is about places that over the past years have been subject to numerous interventions for environmental recovery and safety promotion. The sites can become an interesting tourism opportunity for schools and families, Bramerini added. All events on the closing day, May 28, will be held at the natural cave park of Equi Terme, in Fivizzano Municipality and will include a visit to the Buca Karstic cavity and the prehistoric site of Tecchia. A roundtable discussion on the Toscana Underground project will be held with the participation of Bramerini.
All information about the event is available at www.toscanaunderground.it. A guide of underground Tuscany has been published and distributed by the Tourism Promotion Agencies.
