Villages

Montaione is a town located on a hill at an altitude of 342 meters overlooking the Val d’Elsa, in an important archaeological area as many finds of Etruscan and Roman origin have been found. The municipality has about 3,700 inhabitants and preserves the remains of walls, towers and a postern dating back to the medieval period when Montaione was an ...

The walled village of Malmantile is located on a hill southwest of Lastra a Signa about 20 km from Florence. This is an interesting excursion from Lastra a Signa, the village was in the Middle Ages, together with the walled villages of Lastra a Signa and Signa, one of the three defensive bastions of the city of Florence against Pisa. ...

Lastra a Signa is located 15 km from Florence, its name was originally “Lastra a Gualandi”, which derives from the name of the noble Gualandi family. The name Lastra derives from the stone (slab) that was found in quarries near the city. The village has medieval origins, as a rest station on the road between Florence and Pisa, since the ...

This town is an interesting stage between Pisa and Lucca. Vicopisano is a beautiful fortified village located at the foot of Monte Pisano (Monte Serra) about 20 km from Pisa and 30 km from Lucca. HISTORY Vicopisano is mentioned in historical documents starting from the 10th century when it was called Vici Auseris Sala and then Vico Auserissola. Initially the ...

The small semi-abandoned village of Linari is located in a beautiful position on a hillock 225 meters above sea level overlooking the river Elsa. It is a small fortified village of which some interesting medieval evidence remains. The first historical evidence of this castle dates back to the 11th century. Linari had importance since its foundation due to its strategic ...

Montemassi is a charming medieval village in the Grosseto Maremma, located in the municipality of Roccastrada along the road that connects Roccastrada to Massa Marittima and Gavorrano, about 15 km from the Giuncarico exit of the Aurelia. The village is located on the slopes of a hill full of olive trees, at an altitude of 280 metres. AN IMPRESSIVE MEDIEVAL ...

Massa Marittima is a stupendous town full of interesting medieval artistic testimonies. Probably of Etruscan origin, the city preserves many monuments from its most flourishing period, which can be traced back to the mid-9th century when the bishop, up until then resident in Populonia, took office there. The period of maximum splendor of the city is however that between the ...

Pitigliano is located in the extreme south of Tuscany on the border with Lazio. It is about 75 km from Grosseto (the shortest route is the one that passes through Istia d’Ombrone, Scansano and Manciano) and about 110 km from Siena (along the Via Cassia, you pass through Monteroni d’Arbia, Buonconvento, San Quirico d ‘Orcia, at Ponte a Rigo, turn ...

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa is a town located about 378 meters above sea level in the Chianti hills in the province of Florence, which is about 32 km away. Tavarnelle was born in the Middle Ages as a post station along the Via Regia Romana which led from Florence towards the Via Francigena and the Val d’Elsa, its ancient name ...

San Casciano in Val di Pesa is a town located at an altitude of 310 metres, in the Chianti hills in the province of Florence, which is about 22 km away. San Casciano was already a post station in Roman times. Subsequently, in the Middle Ages, the town developed at the meeting point between the Strada Regia Romana and an ...

Impruneta is a beautiful town located at the beginning of the Chianti hills in the province of Florence, which is about 17 km away. Already in Etruscan times, the sixth century BC, where Impruneta is today there was a place of worship. AN IMPORTANT SANCTUARY But the history of the town itself dates back to the Middle Ages (11th century), ...

Montespertoli is a town of medieval origin that extends on the top of a hill, 257 meters above sea level, which overlooks the Valdarno, the Val d’Elsa and the Apennine range up to the Apuan Alps. Its territory, largely hilly, is made up of vineyards, olive groves and wooded areas. Its strategic position, just 30 km from Florence, allows you ...

Montecatini Alto is located on a hill, 290 meters above sea level, which dominates the entire Valdinievole plain with an extraordinary panorama. The inhabited center of Montecatini Terme is located just below the village and can be reached by car in ten minutes or on foot, following a hilly path called “La corta” and finally via an ancient funicular. The ...

Gambassi Terme is a well-known spa resort located in the hills overlooking the Val d’Elsa, in the province of Florence, which is 54 km away. Thanks to its position along important communication routes, such as the Etruscan road to Volterra or the Via Clodia between Siena and Lucca, the Gambassi area has been inhabited since ancient times, in the Middle ...

Greve in Chianti is a beautiful town located in a flat area among the Chianti hills in the province of Florence, which is about 30 km away. Greve in Chianti was born on the edge of the important communication networks that headed the via Volterrana and the via Francigena. Originally, in the 11th century, a small settlement was established on ...

Suvereto is a delightful medieval village located between Piombino and Massa Marittima a short distance from the Tyrrhenian coast. From the top of the fortress, located 90 meters above sea level, it dominates the Tyrrhenian Sea and the plain below where the Cornia river flows. The village was a fief of the Aldobrandeschi and then belonged to the Principality of ...

Located along the road that connects Tavarnelle Val di Pesa to Castellina in Chianti and just 6 km from the splendid Badia a Passignano, San Donato in Poggio is located 418 meters above sea level immersed in the typical Chianti countryside made up of hills with olive groves and vineyards. San Donato in Poggio is a walled village of ancient ...

The small village of Tignano, located on a hill facing the medieval village of Barberino Val d’Elsa, is a small castle dating back to the Middle Ages. According to some studies it seems that its existence has been established since the year one thousand. Of its ancient structures, the circular medieval plan is recognizable. Inside the small village you enter ...

Saturnia is a small town located on a high travertine rock at 294 meters high in the municipality of Manciano. The town is an important spa thanks to the presence of sulphurous water (37.5 ° C) which attracts people every year for sweat cures, muds etc. There are historical documents dating back to the XII century that already speak of ...

Castiglione della Pescaia, which is located just over 20 km from Grosseto, is one of the most beautiful medieval towns located along the coast of Tuscany. Coming from the north, it is advisable to exit the 4-lane Aurelia road in Follonica and from there, following the directions for Castiglione della Pescaia, continue for around 20 km along road no. 322 ...

Sorano is located a short distance from Pitigliano and Sovana, in the extreme south of Tuscany in the area known as “the Tufi area”. Sorano is a beautiful medieval village located along the valley of the Lente river, in a highly suggestive landscape, where dozens of tufaceous spurs with various and bizarre shapes are scattered. THE FORTRESS OF ORSINI The ...

Vetulonia is today a small medieval village located a few kilometers from Castiglione della Pescaia. This small center of the Maremma, in Etruscan times, was one of the most important cities of Etruria. Located in the valley of the Bruna River in the immediate vicinity of what in the Etruscan era was Lake Prile. Vetulonia became an important Etruscan center ...

Scarperia was founded in 1306 by the Republic of Florence, which decided to create a military outpost to guarantee connections from Florence to the north. The design of this new fortress was entrusted to the architect Andrea Pisano, it seems that he took part only in the construction of the palace-fortress seat of the vicars. The castle became the most ...

Pescia has medieval origins, in fact it became a free municipality towards the end of the XII century, it was then subject to Lucca which, due to a rebellion, in 1281, destroyed it. In 1339 it became part of the Florentine possessions, in 1699 it was declared a city and then starting from 1726 it became a bishopric. In the ...

Pari is a very suggestive small village located between Siena and Grosseto, practically on the border between the two provinces which is marked here by the Farma river valley, a tributary of the Merse. Sometimes, due to its position, the village is also referred to as the place where the Maremma begins, although more often the real Maremma starts from ...