Perhaps not everyone knows that just a few kilometers from the sea in Castiglioncello there is a “corner of Provence.” We are talking about the lavender fields of Santa Luce and, in general, the Pisan Hills, where some wheat fields have been converted to grow this and other aromatic medicinal plants, using organic and biodynamic methods.

In addition to Santa Luce, fields can also be found in the Castellina Marittima areas.

Lavender fields in Santa Luce and Orciano Pisano

Lavender fields have quickly attracted the curiosity of travelers, turning this area into a must-see stop. Farms and producers welcome visitors by narrating and showing the stages of work, from harvesting to steam distillation to obtaining essential oils with beneficial properties. The lavender experience is completed with a photo tour, an e-bike ride, a relaxing massage with Tibetan bells, or simply watching the sunset in the fields. June 2019 also saw the Lavender Festival, part of the Flora Aromatica Santa Luce project.

The landscape of Orciano Pisano, the smallest municipality in the province of Pisa, is among the most photographed in Tuscany. The gentleness and colors of these hills have fostered the spread of slow tourism, in a natural setting of walks, bike rides or horseback riding.

Lavender fields in Castellina Marittima

Here, too, some agricultural entrepreneurs have carried out the project of the valley of scents and colors of the Pisan Hills, transforming the landscape into a magnificent colorful place where to live a different experience, respecting the environment. The area is surrounded by greenery and quiet, in an unspoiled area, making it ideal for trails through forests and hills, streams and gorges. The bush is still populated by wild animals such as wild boar and fallow deer. The main activity of past centuries was the excavation of alabaster, the history of which can be found in the museum point and in the valley of the Marmolaio stream, with the only gallery quarry still in existence at “Scaglione.”