Ferrata Romana Nesi

Overview

The Ferrata Romana Nesi, on the Tuscan side of the Pratomagno massif, stands out for its athletic character and compact layout, with no long breaks. Its main appeal isn't the scenery or rock quality, but the physical demands of passages designed to test technique and endurance. Accessible in every season and with a contained duration-the entire loop is completed in just over two hours-it's an ideal destination for an intensive training session or a quick outing.

Approach

The starting point is along the Panoramica del Pratomagno road. After reaching the Valdarno area, head toward Terranuova Bracciolini and Loro Ciuffenna, then continue to the hamlet of Anciolina. Pass through the village and drive uphill for a few minutes to a junction: ignore the left turn toward Pratomagno and continue right, descending. After about 400 meters, you'll find a clearing, often with stacked firewood, suitable for parking; another small pull-off is available a bit further on the left side. From here, walk back up the paved road for about 200 meters until you spot, on the right, a steep trail marked by a CAI Arezzo sign. Follow the path, and after a few hundred meters, pay attention to two trail markers (a red arrow on a rock and a mark on a tree) that indicate a rightward ascent. Cross the usually dry streambed and continue following the clear white-and-red markings. After some easy rock slabs, you'll reach the start of the via ferrata in about 25 minutes from the parking area.

Via Ferrata

The route unfolds across a series of consecutive rocky ledges, with a progression that often doesn't follow the most intuitive line, turning potentially simpler passages into athletic sequences. The terrain is a compact rocky rib of gray, smooth sandstone, mostly vertical with short ledge sections.

The first section climbs a wall about ten meters high, lacking natural holds, requiring you to pull on the cable. Next comes a slab that looks smooth at first glance but reveals some useful indentations as you ascend. After this first equipped section, you leave the cable and a short trail leads to the start of the second section.

This begins with a protected ledge along the cable, then presents a slightly overhanging wall. Here, progression relies on the via ferrata anchors and a few thin hand and footholds. On this exposed passage, it's advisable to clip and unclip your carabiners quickly to avoid tiring your arms excessively. Once this section is done, another trail segment leads to the third and most demanding part.

The final section is the most technical, consisting of a vertical wall with virtually no holds, where you advance mainly by friction and pulling on the cable, searching for the few available footholds. You climb up and around a very exposed edge. Opportunities for stemming are minimal, and progression in the last dihedral is again by friction, closing out this challenging sequence.

The trail then continues to the fourth and last equipped section, a dihedral that requires an initial jump to get off the ground, then becomes a pleasant, well-holded climb until the end of the cables. Finally, you reach a boulder with anchors (which can be bypassed) and tackle the last moves: a dihedral and a sharp edge well-supplied with holds, before the final rock step that marks the end of the Ferrata Romana Nesi. The via ferrata takes about 1 hour from the start, for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes from the parking area.

Descent

From the end of the cables, follow the faint trails for a few meters to a commemorative plaque. The most direct way back is the trail on the left, which descends through the forest, alternating between covered and open sections, until it emerges onto the paved road. Walk down this road, keeping left, until you reach the junction you encountered by car on the way in. Ignoring the right turn, continue straight downhill to quickly return to the starting point. The descent takes about 30 minutes, for a total hike of 2 hours.

Useful Notes

The Ferrata Romana Nesi, built by the CAI of Arezzo in 1992, is a route that intentionally seeks difficulty across its various rocky ledges, sometimes at the expense of climbing fluidity. Consider it an excellent athletic test piece, as it has no ladders or metal rungs, and progression relies almost entirely on the cable. Each section can be bypassed via trail, allowing you to avoid passages you find too challenging. This feature, combined with the perfect signage on the access and return trails, makes it a great winter training ground in preparation for more ambitious via ferratas. For those wanting to extend the outing, it's possible to reach the Croce del Pratomagno with an itinerary of about five and a half hours. There are no other via ferratas in the immediate vicinity; the closest alternatives for a same-day trip require about two hours of transfer, such as the Ferrata di Rocca Badolo or the Ferrata di Sant'Antone in the Monti Pisani range.