Riserva naturale di Lucciolabella, Natural reserve in Castiglione d'Orcia, Italy.
Riserva naturale di Lucciolabella is a protected reserve near the Orcia River, spanning roughly 1150 hectares of land marked by clay formations, deep gullies, and white dome-shaped hills called biancane. The area offers marked hiking trails that allow visitors to move through the natural landscape.
The area was shaped millions of years ago by a prehistoric sea that left behind clay layers filled with fossils. This geological history remains visible today in the deposits and rock formations that characterize the reserve.
The landscape forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Val d'Orcia and shows how people have shaped nature since the Renaissance period. Visitors can see traces of this historical relationship between humans and the land in the gentle hills and valleys today.
The area is best explored on foot, with marked paths leading through varied terrain. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit, when temperatures are comfortable and the trails remain easily accessible.
In 2003, researchers uncovered the most complete skeleton remains of a Stenella marine mammal, dating back over 4 million years. This discovery makes the reserve an important location for understanding ancient ocean life in the region.
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