The Duna di Feniglia Nature Reserve

A protected area that separates the open sea from Lake Orbetello: the Duna di Feniglia Nature Reserve is ideal for a day of immersion in nature, with family, alone or as a couple! It is free of charge and open all year round.

Whether on foot or by bike (rental is available) you can take long walks in the shade of the pine trees, and meet local inhabitants, starting with the fellow deer. If you then walk silently into the pine forest you can also see wild boars and foxes and, looking up at the treetops, also the nests of gray herons.

Every kilometer there is a path leading to the sea with its sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, where you can spend the day. Lovers of outdoor sports, in addition to being able to walk 6km of pine forest on an unpaved road, will also have a path of wooden gymnastic equipment available.

On the side overlooking the lagoon there are paths equipped with huts to observe animals. There is also the “nature” trail, organized by the WWF, also suitable for people with a visual impairment: these are fifteen stages, equipped with handrails and descriptions in Braille, where are explained the characteristics of the flora and fauna living in the Dunes. It is a unique experience, because it gives everyone the opportunity to immerse themselves and discover nature with all their senses, perceiving what surrounds us with smell and hearing.

In the past the Feniglia Dune belonged to private owners who intensively exploited its territory leading to deforestation, resulting in health problems due to the formation of swampy areas that favored the proliferation of the malaria-carrying mosquito. In 1910 the Dune was expropriated and entrusted to the management of the State Forestry Corps which encouraged the rebirth of vegetation by reforesting about 450 hectares.

Today the Feniglia Dune is a Forest Reserve: visiting and enjoying this place therefore requires the utmost respect for nature and the environment.