The San Rossore Estate was owned by the King of Italy, then from 1956 to 1999 by the President of the Italian Republic, then by the Region of Tuscany. It is part of the Natural Park of Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli.
The Visitor Center
Near the main entrance, in Cascine Vecchie, is the Visitor Center San Rossore, information office and meeting point for guided tours and educational walking, cycling, bus, train ecological, horse and carriage. Free entrance, it cannot be reached by city bus from Pisa.
Deer, wild boars, birds, horses and dromedaries
The estate is a vast alluvial plain with various areas: “tomboli” with sand dunes and vegetation, “lame” with land transformed into marshland due to stagnant water, and “wet forest” due to the availability of water on the ground.
Among the animals easily observable there are fallow deer, wild boar and a high presence of migratory birds, especially during the wintering period and during the spring migration.
San Rossore is also synonymous with horse racing: back in 1854 took place in the Hippodrome the first horse race. Today there are horse races of international level, including the ancient and prestigious Pisa Prize in April.
Before, however, was famous for having hosted a breeding of dromedaries. The first specimen, introduced by Ferdinando II De’ Medici, adapted so well that in the following years their number reached 200 units. The famine of the second world war was fatal and in 1976 the last specimen died.