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From Vulci to Acquapendente
there's a series of tracks and bridleways
suitable for horses, bikes or just on foot, called the "Sentiero dei Briganti".
These are the old brigands' escape routes
and short-cuts.
A total of more than 100 km, taking you
to and skirting various important towns
along the Tuscany/Lazio border and especially
those along the Via Cassia and the
old Via Francigena, the pilgrims'
route from Canterbury (UK) to Rome.
The tracks are well sign-posted, with panels
explaining the history and legends of each
brigand and the various things not to be
missed along the way. From the forests of
Monte Rufeno, to the Caldera of Latera,
along Lake Bolsena, through the dark woods
of the Selva del Lamone right down to Vulci
near the sea.
 Further info on Tiburzi & the brigands in general...
ANSUINI'S WAY
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Ansuini and Menichetti were
fellow brigands who killed the Brigadier
of Latera, Sebastiano Preta, near the San
Magno woods of Gradoli, as remembered by
monuments in the town centre. These woods
are reached from Latera via a stretch of
the modern-day SS 74 and then through chestnut
tree woods to the old 15th century church
of San Magno.
7 km further on, having enjoyed some spectacular
views of Lake Bolsena, you reach the Necropolis
of Pianezze in Grotte di Castro. The way
then crosses the centre of town and heads
for
Onano.
(NB: not always suitable for cars)
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BISCARINI'S WAY
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One of the earliest band
of outlaws in the Maremma area was headed
by Davide Biscarini and operated in the
area between Vulci and the old city of Castro,
now in the territory of Ischia di Castro.
Starting in Vulci, the route leads you along
the River Fiora where you can glimpse some
natural caves used by man back in the Bronze
Age. The most important of these is the
Grotta Nuova near Ponte San Pietro.
After the Bosco Baccano wood, you enter
the estate of the Prince of Torlonia (current
owner of Mount Canino and the Musignano
baths). The way lies along the rocky wooded
banks of the River Fiora and its tributary
the Olpeta. Not to be missed here are the
caves dug out of the tuff rock, called romitori,
the best being the Eremo di Poggio Conte
and Ripatonina Cicognina.
The local people lived in these caves until
the Middle Ages and this is where Davide
Biscarini was killed in an ambush, near
Fosso del Paternale. Biscarini's Way ends
at the old city of Castro, the capital of
the powerful Farnese family, destroyed by
the army of Pope Innocent X in 1649.
(NB: not always suitable for cars)
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FIORAVANTI'S WAY
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Just down the road from Onano,
is the strategic town of Acquapendente,
where the bandit Luciano Fioravanti was
born.
Originally a member of Domenico Tiburzi's
band, after the death of this famous brigand
in Capalbio, Fioravanti moved to the area
around Manciano in Tuscany, where he too
soon died. His haunts were, naturally, the
woods of the modern-day Monte Rufeno Nature
Reserve, called the 'Bannita' by locals
due to its notorious inaccessibility. Today
the Nature Reserve can be explored thanks
to tracks suitable on foot, by bike or on
horseback.
Having crossed the River Paglia near Ponte
Gregoriano the track leads into the volcanic
system of the Volsini Mountains. The route
passes very close to Proceno and there are
some good views of Torre Alfina, an imposing
and almost fairytale-like castle, high up
above the point where Umbria, Tuscany and
Lazio meet. Worth visiting here is the WWF
Oasis of Sasseto.
(NB: not always suitable for cars)
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MENICHETTI'S WAY
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Damiano Menichetti, born
in Tuscania , was the scourge of the area
between Valentano, Latera and Lake Bolsena.
The route follows the road along the Northerm
ridge of the caldera of Latera, from where
you get a superb view of the Selva del Lamone,
the Castro Mountains, Monte Argentario,
Pitigliano, Monte Amiata and the entire
valley of the Caldera.
The track takes you eventually to the volcanic
Lake Mezzano, the source of the River Olpeta,
a tributary of the River Fiora, that partially
crosses the caldera that was created when
the old crater of the Latera volcano collapsed.
The path ends in the old centre of Latera.
(NB: not always suitable for cars)
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TIBURZI'S WAY
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Domenico Tiburzi, the "King
of the Lamone" and perhaps the best
known of the brigands, was born in Cellere
and eventually died in Capalbio during an
ambush by the Carabinieri. Starting from
Castro this route leads you down the old
Via Cava, a deep artificial gorge
cut into the tuff rock by the Etruscans
and still with the old Roman (or older?)
paving stones.
The way ahead takes you through the Selva del Lamone, e, a forest covering over 2,000
hectares between the towns of Farnese and
Ischia di Castro and Tuscany. This is where
the brigand took refuge as he travelled
between Acquapendente and the coast.
Within this forest some charcoal burners'
huts have been reconstructed.
Along the Fosso della Faggeta you reach
the Cistercian Abbey of Santa Maria di Sala
(13th century), a favourite with hermits
for many centuries. The route then follows
the Western ridge of the caldera (crater)
of Latera to Lake Mezzano, in the territory
of Valentano.
(NB: not always suitable for cars)
Further info on Tiburzi & the brigands in general...
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Versione Italiana
