La Cultura della Castagna is a celebration that takes place in the area around Mount Amiata, a dormant Tuscan volcano, covered with wild chestnut forests.
The town of Arcidosso promotes a unique, Chestnut Trail that follows the same examples set by wine, olive oil and other gastronomic trails in Europe.
The culinary hike offers a passagiata through a protected natural park of uncommon beauty that is the home of hundreds of small, two-story stone buildings (called Seccatori) that were built for drying chestnuts before they fell out of fashion and demand.
Local restaurants offer menus that highlight the sweet nut with dishes like chestnut pizza, chestnut polenta with pork sausage and rich chestnut pastas.
The chestnut is an important part of the local economy here and the sponsors of this celebration are hoping to teach a new generation of Italians the importance that the chestnut has played in Italy's survival and growth.
Date: La Cultura della Castagna begins informally the third weekend of October and runs through mid-January.
Arcidosso and Mt. Amiata
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