Some people travel hundreds of kilometres to admire a breathtaking view, and others, instead, to visit a tree. Not just any tree, but a giant that has spanned centuries, and in some cases millennia, becoming a silent witness to Italy's history.
From the Hundred Horse Chestnut on Etna to the thousand-year-old wild olive in Sardinia, via the Witches' Oak in Tuscany, our country is home to genuine living monuments which are now even more numerous: the Agriculture Ministry has in fact updated the national list of monumental trees with 82 new entries.
These trees tell stories and legends, have inspired writers, withstood earthquakes and tragedies, and offered protection to travellers and emperors. A unique natural heritage well worth discovering on a real tour among Italy's green giants.
Monumental trees: what they are and why they are protected
"These green giants are not just trees, they are part of our land, our culture and our history", said Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida about the tenth update of the national list of monumental trees (source in Italian).
