Why explore Florence and surroundings with me?! Because beyond the works of art and the magnificent monuments, there is a whole world of gardens, stones, woods, and landscape history to discover!
So put on your comfortable shoes and let’s go…
The hikes around Florence are all loops, requiring moderate fitness, for an easy – moderate level of difficulty; they are all apppropriate
for children from eight years on.
Departures can be reached by public transport.
What to bring: hiking shoes already tested for long walks, breathable and layered clothing, water, and a a mid-morning snack. Additional information will be provided after reservation.
When: available on request;
other special events planned will be posted on GraceInTuscany
Tour duration: 4 hours
Rate per person: €15 from 9 pax, €18 from 6 to 8 pax. For different numbers or special cases, contact me at info@graceintuscany.com
San Martino alla Palma – an oasis of greenery
The hills of Scandicci have always been inhabited to escape the malarial swamps of the valley. The hike starts from San Martino alla Palma, with its appealing ancient church dedicated to the patron of wayfarers. I’ll guide you along the historical paths travelled by pilgrims in times long gone. We’ll wander among the numerous tower-houses, which were part of the medieval landscape around Florence, and villa-farms established in later centuries. These villa-farms are the perfect synthesis of beauty combined with functionality in their architectural lines. We’ll see a fine example – Villa Torrigiani. The route alternates between very well-preserved woods and cultivated fields that look like gardens: an oasis of greenery, peace and beauty.
length: 8.5 km/5 mi difference in altitude: ± 250 mt/800 ft
The ancient roads between Florence and Mugello
This is a hike between 1000 and 1600 feet above sea level, in countryside areas on historic roads, through woods of oaks, cypresses, pine and chestnut trees. The highest point is Poggio Carega, from where we can see the north-eastern side of the peaks of Monte Morello. We’ll walk on a stretch of the ancient route of the via Bolognese, the most direct and popular road between Florence and Bologna over the centuries. After crossing three branches of the Terzolle stream, and overlooking its valley, among fields of olive trees, we’ll arrive at the enchanting parish church of Sant’Andrea a Cercina, a fine example of a Romanesque church built on the model of the Cathedral of Santa Reparata in Florence.
length: 9 km/5,5 mi difference in altitude: ± 350 mt/1100 ft
Colonnata and the home of Pinocchio…or is it?!
The hike starts from Colonnata, a hamlet of Sesto Fiorentino on the slopes of Monte Morello. Its name recalls a story that began at the dawn of the Christian era, thanks to a Roman aqueduct that brought the waters of the Marina stream to Florence. We will cross the streets of Doccia, whose name is still linked to the aqueduct, and which is very well known for the porcelain factory built by the Marquis Carlo Ginori. We will pass through a village that remains as it was a thousand years ago, and arrive at an Etruscan necropolis. Among woods, country houses, sweeping views of the plain and valley below, if all this isn’t enough, we may get a peep at Pinocchio’s home!
Length: 9 km Difference in altitude: ± 300 mt/1000 ft
The woods of Maiano and the home of Boccaccio
In this area the balance and interplay between humans and nature are shown at their maximum. From a new park on the eastern outskirts of Florence, we will go up the beautiful hills that frame the city, passing by villa-farms and then crossing a forest with springs, and waterways and trees that make it an enchanted place. We will arrive a step away from the castle of Vincigliata, with a breathtaking view of Florence. On the downhill stretch, looking at the pretty village of Settignano, we’ll go through the places where Desiderio da Settignano (a Renaissance sculptor) and Giovanni Boccaccio (a poet and scholar of the 14thC) grew up.
length: 8.5 km/5 mi difference in altitude: ± 300 mt/1000 ft In this tour
Fattucchia and Vacciano: fairies, witches and healers
Starting from the hamlet of Grassina, an important crossroad in the past, we go up the hills to the north of the village, which preserve the rural organization of the ancient farms, in a countryside whose silence is interrupted only by the sound of birds and the wind. Along dirt roads, with a view of the famous Cathedral and Florence, we reach the Fonte della Fata Morgana, known as “the cottage of the faires”. It was commissioned by art lover Bernardo Vecchietti for the park of his villa, and attributed to Giambologna. The fountain was part of a larger park area, one of the first in history, a happy anomaly in the conception of late Florentine Renaissance and Tuscan gardens. The fountain evokes curious and mysterious stories, and fortunately has recently undergone an important and thorough restoration. The hike will then continue through a wood near Villa il Riposo, where we will close the loop.
length: 8 km/5 mi difference in altitude: ± 250 mt/800 ft
Pratolino Medici Park, a few kilometres from Florence
The park is one of the largest in Tuscany, and a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with artificial grottos, fountains and unique statues.
The hike is around three hours along the white roads and the lesser known paths immersed in a fantastic natural environment. We will explore both the historical and naturalistic aspects of the place, the Park is open from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 8 pm. and from 1 Oct 10am to 6pm
.