Close by stands the mock medieval castle of Vincigliata, faithfully reconstructed in the mid 1800s on 11th-century ruins by eccentric English gentleman Mr Temple Leader. Illustrious guests included Queen Victoria and Henry James, who wrote: ‘The massive pastiche of Vincigliata has no superficial use, but, even if it were less complete, less successful, less brilliant, I should feel a reflective kindness for it.’
Stretching out to the north-west of Florence and dominating Valdarno is the low line of hills of the Montalbano ridge (nothing to do with the lovable anti-Mafia Sicilian detective). Clothed in olive groves, vineyards and woodland, Montalbano boasts some colourful history. Standout characters are Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci, who was born on its southern reaches, and the Florentine Medici clan, who had classical villas constructed in the east above Prato. Tiny walled Artimino stands on a hilltop overlooking a wide bend in the River Arno. An elevated ridge links the village with the splendid Villa Ferdinanda, a World Heritage Site. Completed in 1594 as a country residence for Grand Duke Ferdinand I, it was dubbed the cento camini (hundred chimneys), although it has but 66 in actual fact. The villa occupies the site of an Etruscan settlement, its cemetery/necropolis on the hillside below. Walk 2 is a splendid route linking all the sites.
A short crow’s flight west is charming low-profile Vinci, whose claim to fame is as the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. The local Museo Leonardiano has fascinating working models of his inventions. Starting in the village, Walk 3 drops in at the revered stone house where the great man saw the light of day, before climbing towards the Montalbano ridge. For more walks here, go to www.montalbano.toscana.it.
Bases
If you don’t mind the chaos of Florence, it can make a decent base, with excellent bus and train networks to the surrounding area. However, Fiesole is much quieter, with a good choice of accommodation, and is reachable by bus. Artimino has buses from Prato, and the railway, but limited accommodation. Vinci has a couple of hotels, a good bus service to Empoli, and trains.
WALK 1
Fiesole to Settignano
| Start | Fiesole |
| Finish | Settignano |
| Distance | 7.6km |
| Ascent | 180m |
| Descent | 300m |
| Grade | 1–2 |
| Walking time | 2hr 15min |
| Map | Kompass n.2439 Toscana Nord 1:50,000 map 2 |
| Access | ATAF n.7 bus from Florence (near Piazza San Marco) goes up to Fiesole, terminating in the main square, Piazza Mino da Fiesole. At the walk’s end, ATAF n.10 from Settignano runs down to Piazza San Marco. |
After savouring the wealth of monuments in this delightful hill town, a wander through the surrounding countryside is in order. History and nature alternate on this easy, clearly marked itinerary through woods, olive groves and fields.
There is a gentle climb via old quarries to scenic Monte Ceceri, well known to the great Leonardo da Vinci for his flying machine experiments in 1506. Apparently he would launch his apprentices from the top! Then it’s mostly descent through farmland and woods, passing close to Vincigliata Castle before terminating in the quiet village of Settignano. Red-and-white marked path n.1 is followed the whole way. There are no refreshments en route, but plenty at the start and finish.
Start out in Piazza Mino da Fiesole (294m), named after the 15th-century sculptor. Up in the topmost southern corner, the furthest away from the cathedral, take Via Giuseppe Verdi (passeggiata panoramica sign and red-and-white waymarking n.1). The narrow road passes stately houses and gardens, and not far uphill it forks L to become Via di Montececeri at a house where Frank Lloyd Wright stayed in 1910. A superbly panoramic stretch leads around E to a playground where Via degli Scalpellini (the stonecutter’s road) takes over. This soon becomes a gravelly track, heading S between high walls shaded by tall pines and oak trees. Past a map board for Parco di Montececeri, continue uphill and take the signed fork R for Cava Braschi.
This brief but worthwhile detour leads down to Cava Braschi, a fascinating walk-in quarry with huge columns. Thick overlying layers of marly terrain had to be cut through in order to reach the blue-grey sandstone known as pietra serena.
A worthwhile detour to the Cava Braschi quarry
After visiting the quarry, return to the fork and turn R, passing a cavity where pietra morta (a type of sandstone used for fireplaces) was once extracted. Ignore the marked sharp fork L (a shortcut to Monte Ceceri) and proceed to the flat area alongside Cava Sarti, dotted with old stone huts for storing masons’ tools. Then a short climb leads up to Piazzale Leonardo, a cypress-bordered panoramic platform on Monte Ceceri (414m, 45min), where a stone marker commemorates da Vinci and his early experiments.
Ignore path n.7 (for Maiano) and stick with n.1 (NE). The wide track dates back to 1932–33, part of the Italian army’s plan for anti-aircraft guns on Monte Ceceri. It emerges from the lovely woods and parkland at the olive groves and houses of Prato ai Pini (371m). Past Villa Rigoli and a chapel, turn R down the road to an intersection, and go R again. Not far along, soon after Hotel Villa dei Bosconi, red-and-white markings point you R on narrow Via Baccano, which quickly becomes a lane. At a crumbling shrine, you’re pointed sharp L (SE) into an olive grove, following waymarks on trees. After crossing a stream in a thicket of reeds, continue up to a fence where you turn R through woodland up to tarmac at a chapel. Turn R with care along the edge of the narrow road beneath Castel di Poggio and its noisy jackdaws. About 0.5km on, at a fork, turn R to where markings for n.1 immediately point you L onto a path. This leads S in descent through woods and shrubland frequented by roe deer and boar. All of a sudden you reach the edge of an olive grove with a lovely view west to the curious castle of Vincigliata backed by Monte Ceceri, not to mention the sprawl of Florence.
Down at a house on Poggio al Vento don’t miss the sharp L turn (before the building and a lane) for the steepish descent to Settignano. Keep straight ahead along Via Desiderio da Settignano past the cemetery, then further on turn sharp R at a wine bar/restaurant along Via San Romano. This quickly leads to the small square of Settignano (178m, 1hr 30min), where there’s an inviting outdoor café near the bus stop.
WALK 2
Around Artimino
| Start/Finish | Artimino |
| Distance | 7km |
| Ascent/Descent | 200m |
| Grade | 1–2 |
| Walking time | 2hr 15min |
| Map | Tamari Edizioni Il Montalbano a piedi e in bicicletta 1:20,000; or Kompass n.2439 Toscana Nord 1:50,000 map 2 |
| Access | CAP bus from Prato railway station. |
High above the River Arno in beautiful hill country clad with olive trees and grapevines, flowering Mediterranean shrubs and woodland, this lovely route follows clear lanes and paths visiting a