Tuscany · Pistoia
Abetone Cutigliano
The Apennine ski pass at 1,388 meters where the Granduca's two stone pyramids of 1778 mark the old Tuscan-Modenese border.
- Best time
- Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- By car
- 1 h 32 min from Florence
- Population
- 1,825
Known for
ALPINE SKIING
Around 50 kilometers of pistes across Val di Luce and Doganaccia, the oldest organized ski resort in the central Apennines (1937).
ZENO COLÒ
1952 Olympic downhill gold medalist, born in Cutigliano in 1920, who learned to ski on the slopes above the village.
PIRAMIDI DEL GRANDUCA
Two stone obelisks of 1778 marking the historic border between the Granducato di Toscana and the Ducato di Modena.
When to visit
Best · Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- J3°
- F5°
- M6°
- A9°
- M13°
- J18°
- J22°
- A21°
- S16°
- O12°
- N7°
- D4°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
The festa: San Bartolomeo, 24 August
Why come
Abetone sits at 1,388 meters on the watershed of the Apennines, where Tuscany meets Emilia-Romagna at the pass of the same name. The merged commune, created in 2017 when Abetone and Cutigliano were joined, runs from 678 meters at Cutigliano up to 1,940 at the summit of Libro Aperto. The two stone pyramids on the pass, the Piramidi del Granduca, were erected in 1778 to mark the border between the Granduchy of Tuscany and the Duchy of Modena after the Brennero road through the pass was opened.
The ski area runs about 50 kilometers of slopes across Val di Luce and Doganaccia, the oldest organized ski resort in the central Apennines, established in 1937. Zeno Colò, the 1952 Olympic downhill gold medalist, was born in Cutigliano in 1920 and grew up on these slopes. The lower village of Cutigliano keeps a Palazzo Pretorio of 1377 with the coats of arms of fourteenth-century podestà set into the façade.
Read on
Abetone Cutigliano in our articles
The best mountain towns in Toscana6 towns, Abetone Cutigliano among them.
10 comuni for January, when Italy belongs to Italians10 towns, Abetone Cutigliano among them.
The 10 smallest comuni in Tuscany10 towns, Abetone Cutigliano among them.
The highest comune in each region of Italy20 towns, Abetone Cutigliano among them.
How to get there
From Florence / Pisa (PSA), about 1h 49m by car.
Bologna (BLQ) is about 2 hours away.
By car from the centre of Florence 1h 32m or Pisa 1h 32m.
Coming by train into Prato Centrale? Abetone Cutigliano is about 1h 18m away by road.
What to see
Piramidi del Granduca
Two stone obelisks erected in 1778 on the Abetone pass, marking the border between Granducato di Toscana and Ducato di Modena.
Val di Luce
Open glacial valley above Abetone with the main ski lift system, around 50 kilometers of pistes shared with Doganaccia.
Palazzo Pretorio di Cutigliano
Fourteenth-century seat of the podestà in the lower village, with podestà coats of arms set into the façade.
Riserva Naturale Abetone
Mixed silver fir and beech forest that gave the pass its name (abete = fir), with trails along the watershed ridge.
Chiesa di San Bartolomeo
Romanesque parish church in Cutigliano, the older religious building in the commune.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Abetone Cutigliano fits in a slow Italy circuit.
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We recommend
Where to eat
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
Da FagiolinoTrattoria
Da Fagiolino holds two Gambero Rosso prawns.
Nonno CiancoRistorante
Nonno Cianco holds a Slow Food snail.
The Sunday letter
Abetone Cutigliano got its letter. One town every Sunday, free. The photo, the food, the festa.
Living here
- Population 1,825
- Very remotei
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Nearest airport Florence / Pisa, 1 h 49 min drive
- Regional capital Firenze, 1 h 32 min drive
Common questions
- What is Abetone Cutigliano known for?
- Abetone Cutigliano is the Apennine ski pass at 1,388 meters where the Granduca's two stone pyramids of 1778 mark the old Tuscan-Modenese border.
- Where is Abetone Cutigliano?
- Abetone Cutigliano is a comune in the province of Pistoia, in Tuscany, at 1388 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Abetone Cutigliano?
- Florence / Pisa (PSA), about 1h 49m by car.
- How long is the drive from Florence to Abetone Cutigliano?
- About 1h 32m by car.
- When is the best time to visit Abetone Cutigliano?
- Best in Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. July is the warmest month, averaging 22 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 21 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Abetone Cutigliano?
- The town keeps its patron saint's day: San Bartolomeo, 24 August.
- Which other towns are like Abetone Cutigliano?
- Ponte di Legno, Pescocostanzo and Roccaraso.
- How many people live in Abetone Cutigliano?
- 1,825 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 1388 m
- Population: 1,825
- Surface area: 74.94 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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