Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, Italy

© Stefano Valeri/Alam

There's more to Pisa than leaning towers. Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, Italy

This idyllic road is a path to one of Italy's magnificent natural gifts. Just outside of the ancient city of Pisa in Tuscany is the Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli. This immense and diverse park boasts numerous distinct environments. A visitor will discover, by turns, seaside sand dunes, marshlands, and vast forests of pine, oak, and elm. A wide array of birds can also be found in the park, along with ample wild boar, rabbits, red foxes, and the impressively antlered fallow deer. It's even been suggested that there are wolves living in the deep reaches of the woods.

While the park is popular for its beaches, forests, and wildlife, it offers cultural attractions as well. There are Roman ruins to be explored here, along with working farms, and environmental education opportunities. It's also home to the Villa del Gombo, once an official residence of the president of Italy. The villa was built in the 1950s on the site of a ruined old hunting lodge once owned by the Royal House of Savoy. Today the facility hosts conferences and tourists.