Parcs naturels et parcs à thème

The Meana Forest

A day surrounded by nature just outside of Orvieto

If you are fond of adventure out in the fresh air, take a day and go explore an area whose landscape has remained intact and thus offers a huge variety of flower species to admire: Mt. Peglia Park and the Meana Forest. The area is that of the STINA, or Local Natural and Environmental System and is divided into three sections: the zone of Allerona-Meana Forest , that of Melonta-Elmo Woods and the San Venanzo protected area, home to a large volcanic park.
The largest of these is the one that spreads out around Allerona. Start your tour here, from a village built up around the Lerona Castle, of which only the Gate of the Sun and the Moon survives, and surrounded by woods. Get on the dirt road by the cemetery, it is the entrance to the Selva di Meana, or Meana Forest. This forest is huge, rich with biodiversity, and is one of the Region's most interesting areas. If you happen to be here in April or May, you'll find blooming orchids of which the forest has some forty wild species.
Then head towards Villa Cahen, built in 1880 by the Antwerp financier Edoardo Cahen. You can visit the villa on request to admire its Art Decò architecture and the lovely garden, home to a variety of rare plants and grasses the owner had brought here from all over the world.
From the villa, take the trail that goes past Poggio La Cupa and Poggio delle Reti, it will lead you to the little town of Meana. Along the way, take a look at the remains of an old aqueduct that once supplied water to the villa, and admire some little stone bridges over which they once strolled.
Once you reach Meana, go see the remains of an old farm that belonged to the Bishop of Orvieto in the XII century, and the ruins of the Church of S. Nicola di Bari, but also keep your eye on the lovely views of Allerona and the Paglia River Valley. Once you reach your destination, rest a bit and enjoy a plate of tagliatelle with white truffles, a local specialty.