Which shoes should you wear for the tuff towns in Tuscany?

20. To visit the tuff cities, For visiting the tuff cities, take closed hiking shoes, already broken in, with a well-lugged rubber sole. In the narrow streets of Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano, you will find cobblestones, steps and climbs; on the vie cave, the ground can be uneven, earthy or covered with stones. Light hiking sneakers are enough for a short walk in dry weather. For a longer circuit, choose hiking shoes with good support instead. Heavy boots are not necessary for an ordinary visit, unless you feel more stable with them.

Avoid sandals, heels and smooth soles: they grip poorly and offer little toe protection. After rain, some sections of the vie cave can become slippery or muddy; in autumn and winter, a water-resistant shoe is therefore useful, without guaranteeing perfectly dry feet. At Pitigliano, the Via Cava dell'Annunziata is about 300 meters with 75 meters of elevation gain : even a short route can include a marked slope. If you only plan to stroll through the historic centers, your usual comfortable shoes will do, provided their sole grips well.