5 itineraries
Try to imagine: rolling hills (between Florence,Pisa and
Siena), historical hamlets, local products: a journey in the very heart of
Tuscany. You will smell the flavours of the local tradition like the Chianti
Wines, extra-virgin oil, truffles, Tuscan breads, cheeses and so on.
You will discover also the ancient crafts AND trades that have been handed down for
centuries : the ceramics of Montelupo Fiorentino, the terracotta items, the
green glass of Empoli end the famous leather accessories.
These are one-day itineraries:
ITINERARY NUMBER 1
THE HILLS OF LEONARDO
DA VINCI
Lenght: 25 Km
Localities: Capraia, Limite, Faltognano, Anchiano, Vinci
Product: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil : with its unique, spicy
flavour, extra virgin olive oil is the real excellence of Montalbano area. It is obtained
from olives that are grown, picked and
pressed in the territory, this olive oil can be tasted in the olive mills and
holiday farms along the Olive-Oil and Wine Road, in the hills of Leonardo. (www.stradadileonardo.org)
The landscapes of Montalbano look very much like Leonardo da
Vinci’s paintings of with their massive hills rising up among the towns of
Capraia, Limite and Vinci.
Starting from Capraia
Fiorentina, the authentic terracotta capital, and following the banks of the
River Arno, we come to Limite sull'Arno, home of the oldest rowing club in
Italy (founded in 1861), where we can visit the EXHIBITION CENTRE DEDICATED TO
SHIPBUILDING AND ROWING with exhibits of the works of wooden-boat builders, and
small ships which in the past exploited the close vicinity to the river.
From Limite we start to climb the scenic road leading to
Castra and the crest of Montalbano where the vineyards soon give way to olive
groves and finally, oak forests, for centuries the scene of hunting expeditions
organised by the Medici family who established a game reserve there, called the
Barco Reale Mediceo. Thanks to a dense network of tracks that wind towards to
ancient settlements, tiny hamlets and breathtaking views of the Arno Valley,
these hills are now a real paradise for hikers.
On arriving in Pietramarina we begin our descent towards
Vitolini and come to Faltognano where there is an obligatory stop-off to admire
the landscape in the shade of a majestic,CENTURIES-OLD HOLM OAK. Continuing on
towards Vinci, in the locality of Anchiano, we reach LEONARDO’S BIRTHPLACE this
fifteenthcentury farmhouse, now a museum dedicated to Leonardo’s paintings and
life, also reserves a surprise encounter with the Genius himself. There are
spectacular views of the olive groves (which each year produce the prized PGI
Extra-virgin Olive Oil of Montalbano), and the delightful village of Vinci,
where this itinerary comes to an end with a tour of the LEONARDIAN MUSEUM and its important collection
of works by Leonardo, the technologist and enginee
ITINERARY NUMBER 2
THE MEDICEAN LANDS
Distance: 40 Km
Localities: Cerreto Guidi, Padule di Fucecchio, Ponte a
Cappiano, Fucecchio
Product: Leather: The area between Cerreto Guidi and
Fucecchio forms part of an important production district in the leather
industry, where numerous local companies are specialised in the processing of
leather for footwear and accessories that are exported all over the world, and
where you can purchase top quality leather goods
The hill on top of
which the characteristic hamlet of Cerreto Guidi sits is dominated by the
unmistakeable profile of MEDICI VILLA the erected by Cosimo I de Medici in 1556
as his hunting lodge and today home of the HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF HUNTING AND THE
TERRITORY with displays of hunting weapons from various époques and an impressive
collection of portraits of members of the Medici family itself. In 1576 this
villa was the scene of the mysterious death of Isabella de Medici, whose fame
is revived each year in July at the event, Isabella’s Night.
From Cerreto Guidi, travelling along the scenic road of
Poggio Tempesti and passing by Fucecchio, we continue in the direction of
Montecatini Terme in order to reach the Research Centre of Castelmartini,
gateway to the Natural Reserve of the MARSH OF FUCECCHIOThe final haven for
numerous animal species and a ‘must’ for birdwatchers, this area is the largest
inland marsh in Italy and can be visited on foot or bike for most of the year.
Returning towards
Fucecchio we follow the signs to Ponte a Cappiano where we can admire a
monumental sixteenth-century structure, also commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici
and built over the ancient crossing of the Usciana canal, still part of the
itinerary of the Via Francigena route. The bridge, equipped with a modern
system of locks that made it possible to regulate the flows of water of the
marsh, was designed by Leonardo da Vinci himself.
The last leg of this itinerary consists of a visit to
Fucecchio, birthplace of famous journalist Indro Montanelli whose original
studies are conserved in the MONTANELLI BASSI FOUNDATION. The oldest
testimonies to the history of this village are on display in the rooms of the
MUSEUM OF FUCECCHIO found in the Corsini Park which also houses the imposing
sculpture Eloisa by Arturo Carmassi, as well as the ruins of the medieval
walls.
ITINERARY NUMBER 3
THE COLOURS OF
TRADITION
Distance: 8 Km
Localities: Empoli, Pontorme,Montelupo Fiorentino
From Borgo La Casaccia (roundtrip): 74 Km
Product: The Ceramics Road passes through the towns of
Montelupo Fiorentino, Capraia e Limite, Montespertoli and Lastra a Signa, on
the discovery of the artisan workshops and factories where still today
craftsmen hand down their century-old secrets of creating ceramics and
terracotta items. (www.stradadellaceramica.it)
The city of Empoli, renowned as the birthplace of painter,
Jacopo Carucci, also known as Pontormo, and musician Ferruccio Busoni, and
famous for its churches, museums and thousand-year-old history, is also characterised
by the historical production of green glass.
For decades the protagonist of table settings of the middle
classes, and perfect for conserving olive oil and wine, this glass with its
unmistakable bright green colour, is the emblematic product of the city of
Empoli. From the eighteenth century onwards, thanks to the presence of raw
materials and an advantageous position on the main communication routes and the
River Arno, this important industry grew up and became the city’s largest
manufacturing activity. Only a few furnaces are still operating in Empoli,
however the memory of this industry that had such a great impact on local
history is now conserved and revived in the GLASS MUSEUM OF EMPOLI (MUVE).
Thanks to environmental reconstructions, videos and audio presentation, this is
where the display of glassmaking is brought to life and we have the impression
of being inside a furnace as we follow the history and production steps of this
famous green glass.
Leaving Empoli behind
and heading towards Montelupo Fiorentino, we come to the village of Pontorme, PONTORMO’S
BIRTHPLACE,the ideal spot for discovering the most intimate universe of this
outstanding artist.
Upon finally reaching Montelupo Fiorentino, the City of
Ceramics, we cross through the historic centre decorated with coloured
installations in majolica ceramics and filled with typical artisan workshops,
until arriving at the MONTELUPO CERAMICS MUSEUM which houses over 1000 ceramics
items produced in this area from the Middle Ages up to modern times. The very
famous majolica ceramics of Montelupo, which enhanced the most important courts
of Italy and Europe during the Renaissance, is still the symbolic product of
this city, exported and admired all over the world.
ITINERARY 4
THE CHIANTI
Distance: 35 Km
Localities: Castelfiorentino, Meleto,Montespertoli, Lucardo
From Borgo La Casaccia (roundtrip): 170 Km
Product: Produced exclusively on the hills of Montespertoli,
this wine, which has a unique flavour obtained by blending varying proportions
of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes, is the perfect
accompaniment for the dishes of Tuscan cuisine. Every year, between the end of
May and the beginning of June, the Chianti Wine Show in Montespertoli is the
ideal occasion to discover, or perhaps rediscover, this local excellence. (www.chianti-montespertoli.it)
Surrounded by the rolling hills of the Valdelsa (Valley of
the River Elsa) and animated by the tranquil rhythms typical of provincial
Tuscan towns, Castelfiorentino is the starting point of this itinerary
dedicated to the most important product in the EmpoleseValdelsa area, Chianti
wine. In the heart of Castelfiorentino, the SANTA VERDIANA MUSEUM and the BEGO
museum with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, tell of a century-long artistic
tradition, while only a short distance away from the centre is the district of
Meleto where in the nineteenth century Cosimo Ridolfi wrote one of the most
important pages in the history of Tuscan and Italian agriculture. Travelling
down Via Samminiatese that leads past Castelnuovo d’Elsa we finally reach
Meleto. Cultivated fields and vineyards testify to the activities of Ridolfi,
who in 1834 transformed his MELETO FARM into the very first agricultural
college in Italy where new irrigation and planting techniques were tested in an
experimental farming area (still conserved today).
With our minds filled with images of the works of this
protagonist from the Risorgimento, we return to Castelfiorentino and head
towards Montespertoli on a road that offers breathtaking views of hills that
the skilled hands of man have known how to transform into a winegrowing
district par excellence. It is precisely here in Montespertoli, the Wine
Capital, that several years ago breadmaking with ancient grains was
rediscovered, earning it the additional title of City of Bread. TheMUSEUM OF
VINES AND WINE is located here, the
perfect place for learning about the different local grape varieties and the
winegrowing and winemaking procedures, while also being able to taste the
different wines.
From the Wine Museum,
continuing in the direction of Certaldo we come to Lucardo, an authentic
medieval hamlet that offers a sweeping view of the surrounding countryside.
Here, where time seems to stand still, we can end the day in style while
enjoying some excellent Marzolino cheese, the oldest pecorino in Tuscany, which
Benozzo Gozzoli himself portrayed in one of his frescoes that is on display in
Castelfiorentino.
ITINERARY 5
MEDIEVAL LANDSCAPES
Distance: 26 Km
Localities: Certaldo, Gambassi Terme, San vivaldo, Montaione
From Borgo La Casaccia (roundtrip): 170 Km
Product: The Onion of Certaldo: Closely linked to the town’s
identity and also depicted on the coat of arms of the city council, is the red
onion of Certaldo, a very well-known local gastronomic product. Available in
two different varieties, a winter one with a more pungent flavour, and a summer
one that can be eaten raw, the red onion is excellent in soups, on crostini,
and as an ingredient of the classical “lesso rifatto” (meat stew). It can be
purchased in the stores of Certaldo and local farmers’ markets plus you can
enjoy it at the historical onion festival held at the beginning of September.
The alleyways, piazzas and medieval buildings with their
bricks caressed by the warm glow of the setting sun all make Certaldo one of
the most spectacular villages of the Empolese-Valdelsa area. It was here in the
fourteenth century that famous writer, Giovanni Boccaccio chose to rest forever
and his HOME has now been turned into a museum and specialised library. Also
inside the city walls we can visit the MUSEUM OF SACRED HEART and the evocative
rooms of PALAZZO PRETORIO for centuries the fulcrum of civilian authority. If
we look over the perfectly conserved city walls we can admire the towers of
nearby San Gimignano and the tiny hamlets and oak forests on the surrounding
hills.
On one of these hills a few kilometres from Certaldo is the
town of Gambassi Terme with its scenographic CHIANNI PARISH CHURCH on the Via
Francigena, the famous route taken by Archbishop Sigeric ten centuries ago and
still today traversed by thousands of pilgrims on their journey that leads from
Canterbury to Rome. Gambassi is also a renowned thermal spa where we can take a
pleasant break and enjoy the beneficial properties of the brine waters of
Pillo.
Resuming our journey and heading towards Montaione, a short
detour leads to San Vivaldo where we can visit the famous JEROUSALEM OF TUSCANY
a complex of chapels built at the beginning of the sixteenth century arranged
so as to reproduce the exact layout of the city of Jerusalem, and decorated
with splendid polychrome terracotta works depicting scenes from the Passion.
The last stop-off on
this itinerary is the tiny hamlet of Montaione, perched on a hill and huddling
around the typical central piazza, often animated with local festivals, one of
which is the Tartufesta, a market fair dedicated to the prestigious white truffle
which at the end of October attracts numerous exhibitors and truffle
enthusiasts
