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Bilancino lake is a handy alternative to the seaside

the ‘other’ Beach
[Maddalena Delli]

If it weren't for the imposing civil engineering works - dam, viaducts, banks, etcetera - which betray its artificial nature, you might as well think that the Bilancino lake had always existed. In fact, the first projects for a dam to regulate the Sieve river waters in the Mugello valley date from the late 1960s, after the Arno flooded Florence and its art treasures on November 4th, 1966. However, works on the lake and dam started only much later, in 1984, and 20 years on they are just being completed.
The flooded area has been trasformed into a lake suitable for all kinds of tourist, sporting and recreation purposes as well as for environmental safeguard. A little more than ten million years ago, the area of Mugello on the Appennine mountains north of Florence was a huge damp basin spreading for about 300 square kilometres. Today, the artificial Bilancino lake contains nearly 70 million square metres of water, its deepest point being 31 metres and the total surface amounting to nearly 5 square kilometres.
Sports and leisure facilities are growing in number and efficiency bu the year and make Bilancino a pleasantly convenient alternative to the seaside. There are beaches suitable for bathing and swimming and sports clubs affering canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, fishing, biking and hiking activities. Moreover, the WWF 'Gabbianello' nature reserve is located on the migration route between Europe and Africa and is a must for birdwatching enthusiasts.

Here are a few useful contacts:
Bagnomaria beach: www.bagnomaria.com
Bahia beach: www.bahiacafe.com
Windsurfing school and rentals: www.kiaorana.it
Sailing: www.circolonauticomugello.it
A tourist office is located in Via del Lago 33 (Località I Boschi). You can also call 055.8420106 or write to barberinomugello@firenzeturismo.it.

Check the official website www.bilancinolagoditoscana.it or call 055.8953715 for events listings and updates. A spectacular firework display is scheduled for the night of Ferragosto (August 15th) at 11pm, while for the whole of July and August there will be catering and entertainment on the lakeside.

The lake of Bilancino is located just 20 kilometres north of Florence. It can be reached by scheduled busses operated by Sita, Cap and Florentia Bus (see page 40-41 for details and contacts) or by train to San Piero a Sieve along the Faentina train line and then by bus (Info 055.8459116 or www.fs-on-line.com).

By car, Bilancino is conveniently located a few kilometres from the Barberino di Mugello exit on the Florence-Bologna A1 motorway.


MORE
www.bilancinolagoditoscana.it
www.kiaorana.it
www.circolonauticomugello.it
www.bagnomaria.com