The Era river

And its torrential character

The Era River is 54 km long, it rises nearby Volterra and is one of river Arno’s biggest tributaries, in which it flows in Pontedera. It originates from two streams: Era Viva, literally “Alive Era”, that rises in Pignano and Era Morta, “Dead Era”, that rises in Sant’Anastasio.

The river flows in irregular patterns on mostly impermeable grounds and creates floods during the more rainy seasons, while leaving the river-bed completely dry in summer.

Despite it being officially classified as a river, Era has a mostly torrential character.
Because it rises with its left bank right under the Volterra hill and its right bank on smaller, mostly clayey hills, the Era’s river-bed is uneven in altitude in the first part. Because of this, it has full streams as tributaries on its right (Strolla, Capriggine and Fregione), but only small streams flowing in on its left.

Must-sees

in the area of Valdicecina