Metato: Cultural Traces, Caves and Hiking Trails

Metato lies at the foot of a spur of Monte Prana and combines notable cultural traces with several described trails in the surrounding area. If you are looking for accommodation in this village, you will find both historical evidence and various starting points for hikes here. The destinations range from caves with archaeological finds to an 18th-century church and a trail to a fortress near Lombrici.

Caves and archaeological traces

Buca del Tasso is located near the hamlet of Metato in the municipality of Camaiore at an altitude of 415 metres. The fossilised thigh bone of a child about nine years old was found there; an anthropological examination identified it as Homo neanderthalensis. The cave therefore represents a very early human trace in the history of the village. Another cave is Grotta della Fibula on the left bank of the Rio dei Colli below the village of Metato. Its name refers to a bronze fibula of the “Certosa” type that was found there. The artefact is attributed to the culture of the Apuan Ligurians and dated to the 4th to 3rd century BC. Grotta del Tambugione opens above Metato on the western slope of Monte Ciurlaglia, shortly beyond the dello Schizzolino quarry. Human bones, pottery fragments, stone tools and animal remains were found in its surroundings. For the caves, the focus is therefore primarily on their exact locations and the recorded finds; no specific visiting arrangements are indicated for this information.

Local history between church and wayside shrine

The 18th-century Church of Santa Maria Assunta is located directly in Metato. There is also a small wayside shrine built by the Benassi family in the 17th century. Both structures provide a different focus from the cave finds and point to the more recent religious and local history of Metato.

Trails with different starting points

There are several distinct trail descriptions for planning hikes. The route from Metato to Rifugio Paolo Barsi follows a paved road through the forest to Località Falcigoli. Trail C7, on the other hand, begins at the car park below the village of Metato and descends along a mule track to the turn-off for Castello di Montecastrese. Castello di Montecastrese is a fortress on a hill near the small village of Lombrici. From a turn-off shortly before Lombrici, it is 3.3 kilometres to Metato. Anyone incorporating this connection into their day’s planning can combine the choice of village with a destination outside Metato without confusing the stated distance with the length of a trail within a single route. Another circular trail via Metato, Monte Ciurlaglia, Focetta San Vincenzo and Casa Mutoro begins and ends at the car park in Metato at an altitude of 393 metres. CAI Trail 104 is classified as difficulty level E; some sections are nevertheless very steep, without exposed stretches. At the end of the road is Piazza Fratelli Ceragioli, with a bus stop and a sufficiently large car park. For further comparisons of locations, you can also compare [Lido Di Camaiore](Lido Di Camaiore), [Fibbiano](Fibbiano), [Valpromaro Di Camaiore](Valpromaro Di Camaiore), [Pontemazzori](Pontemazzori), [Torcigliano](Torcigliano), [Gombitelli](Gombitelli), [Orbicciano](Orbicciano) and [Greppolungo](Greppolungo).

For the overarching travel overview: Camaiore.