The Valle del Diavolo

A journey to the heart of Tuscany: boraciferous fumaroles, museums, smokestacks in the woods and moonscapes

The most fascinating and wildest part of Tuscany nestles between the provinces of Grosseto, Livorno and Pisa and is rich in extraordinary resources. It’s an area where the mysterious but natural phenomena have fuelled stories and legends in the past, but today they represent a source of clean, renewable energy. To explore the Colline Metallifere, follow the plume of boraciferous steam that escapes from the cracks in the earth, a resource channelled for energy into modern steam towers visible from miles away. You’re not in Iceland; this is the Devil’s Valley.

A melting pot of history and geology

Not everyone is aware that Tuscany has a red-hot heart, technically a distinctive thermal anomaly, but one that has played a crucial role in the region’s industrial history and continues to be an important resource for the future. While the Colline Metallifere have been exploited for centuries for their mineral resources, they are also an incredibly important geothermal area. Volcanic activity has shaped the landscape making it both vital and lunar at the same time. From the hu Montescudaio village turn inland towards the deep countryside with its almost pristine nature. Almost, but not quite… During your trip into the heart of Tuscany, you’ll notice a dense network of pipes that carry steam to the power stations and huge smokestacks arising from the forest, creating an intriguing landscape.

A world first for Larderello

The French engineer François Jacques de Larderel realised these lands had a huge energy potential and founded the industrial settlement of Larderello, today a village within the Pomarance municipality. This remote area is not an obvious place for a world first, yet here it is, the world’s first geothermal plant capable of producing electricity on an industrial scale was created right here in the early 1900s. The free Geothermal Museum is worth a visit, with exhibits explaining the natural phenomena characteristic of this area. With pre-booking, groups can visit a fumarole and geothermal power plant.

Lunar Monterotondo

Continue along the road into the green countryside towards the province of Grosseto, to arrive at Monterotondo Marittimo and explore another extraordinary phenomenon and proof of the area’s geothermal activity: the Biancane. Despite its name, Monterotondo Marittimo has very little to do with the sea, its territory is characterised by spectacular steam emissions, fumaroles and white limestone formations that create an otherworldly or lunar landscape. The Biancane Geothermal Park is now a protected area, open to the public free of charge at any time of the year, and only a short distance from the village. It offers an easy trail suitable for all ages along cordoned paths, passing great clouds of steam and bubbling mud all accompanied by the pungent smell of sulphur, recognisable by its characteristic canary yellow colour. At the highest point, beyond the huge cooling tower, the panorama extends all the way to the sea.

MUBIA, a museum for all

Visit it before or after your Tuscan lunar walk, but don’t miss the MUBIA, the Biancane Geomuseum designed to thrill children and adults alike with a journey to the centre of the earth. Housed in the former Lagoni Boraciferi power station, an industrial archaeological monument updated with an ultra-modern interior, the museum captivates with its wealth of interesting and interactive installations. Inside, a Geoship is ready to take you on a fascinating journey into the subsoil of this territory, which is part of the Colline Metallifere National Park. For a change of pace, visit is the labyrinthine historical centre of Monterotondo and meander through its narrow, quiet alleys that lead to the central square. Finally, if your descent to the centre of the Earth has left you parched, take yourself off to Sasso Pisano and treat yourself to a well-deserved, refreshing break at Vapori di Birra, the first craft brewery in Italy to use geothermal steam for production. Not surprisingly, all the beers have evocative names such as Geyser, Sulfurea, Magma and Ipagea: sit back and enjoy one with a platter of local cheeses and cold cuts.