In the heart of Tuscany, in the medieval and western atmosphere, a few kilometers from San Gimignano stands the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve. The Castelvecchio Nature Reserve is located in Val d'Elsa, includes the western slope of Poggio del Comune (624 meters), and South the rocky spur where the suggestive ruins of Castelvecchio are located. an important medieval stronghold naturally defended by the deep and recessed valley furrows of the Botro di Castelvecchio and the Botro della Libaia, two tributaries of the Elsa river. The vegetation is very varied: next to the oak forest mixed with turkey oak and downy oak appears a beautiful Mediterranean scrub, while in the valley floor we find beech trees, mountain maples and numerous specimens of yew. The rocky walls are a suitable environment for the very rare peregrine falcon, which frequents the reserve in winter. The flatter stretches of the limestone hills are covered with dense shrubs, which together with the pastures and agricultural areas surrounding the Reserve provide food for numerous birds, including the rare red-eyed shrike, the stonecrop and the redstart.