A hike in the woods of Mount Zucca, the birthplace of the precious Marecchia river
The Marecchia river has its source in Badia Tedalda and runs for about 70 km through the valley of the same name enclosed between Tuscany, the Marche, the Republic of San Marino and Emilia Romagna. Arriving at the slopes of Mount Zucca (1258 m), at an altitude of about 930 meters and immersed in a thick beech forest, is in fact the source of the precious river.
The itinerary we propose approaches the Protected Natural Area of Local Interest (ANPIL) and is suitable for taking a day hike to appreciate the beauty and wonders of the forest.
If you are in Badia Tedalda, you will need to drive to the hamlet of Pratieghi, which is about 14 km away. Taking the Marecchia Provincial Road/SP258, proceed in a northerly direction until the crossroads at Svolta del Podere, where you must turn right and continue following the signs for Pratieghi.
Towards the Sources
Once in the hamlet, start walking from the parking lot in the center of Pratieghi and, after a few hundred meters along the paved road going toward Balze, take trail 9 on the left. Just before the access to trail 9, you can see on the left the old Franciscan Hospice, inhabited by the friars of the order until the early 1990s, now a private building.
Initially you cross an evocative area of ravines and clay marls to then take trail 00. Then take again path 9 on the left to cross a forest of beech trees and reach the source of the Marecchia River. All along the trail you can follow the red/white markers and direction arrows that mark the paths.