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Monte Labbro
- Category Environment and Nature
Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
Monte Labbro (also spelled Labro) rises on the south‑western flank of Monte Amiata. The eponymous nature reserve covers more than 650 hectares in the municipality of Arcidosso, bounded by the Zancona stream and its tributary Onazio to the north and by the Albegna River to the south. The terrain is typical mid‑mountain landscape: rolling ridges, rocky ravines and windswept grasslands culminating in the summit cone at 1190 m, which affords sweeping views from the Maremma plain to the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Tuscan archipelago.
Tree cover is sparse on the exposed crests, yet along the sheltered Onazio gorge thrive pockets of oak, centuries‑old chestnut, elm, hazel and maple. A historic chestnut wood of about 60 hectares cloaks the northern slope of Monte Labbro, once vital for chestnut flour and timber. Higher up, gorse scrub and rocky turf dominate—prime habitat for rare reptiles and invertebrates.
Wildlife is remarkably rich: among the mammals live wildcat, polecat, beech marten, stone marten and badger, with roe deer appearing at dawn and dusk. The skies belong to raptors such as the short‑toed snake eagle, honey buzzard, common buzzard, Montagu’s harrier and lanner falcon. Alpine passerines include blue rock thrush, rock thrush, northern wheatear and alpine accentor. Inside the reserve the Monte Amiata Wildlife Centre keeps semi‑free populations of Apennine wolves, fallow deer, red deer and mouflon along educational walkways.
The mountain also shelters the evocative ruins of the “Giardino” of Davide Lazzaretti, a 19th‑century social‑mystic from Arcidosso: the Jurisdavidic Tower, rock chapels and carved crosses form a unique “lay sanctuary” in the open landscape. A signed 8 km loop trail (CAI 17) starts at Zancona, climbs to the panoramic summit—complete with a viewing platform—and returns via the Onazio valley.
In winter the upland meadows are often rimed with frost, creating ethereal vistas; spring bursts with wild orchids and narcissi. Summer evenings bring guided walks timed for the eagle owls’ flight and for stargazing under exceptionally dark skies.
