4 scenic spots to discover Serravalle Pistoiese

An iconic bulwark of Serravalle Pistoiese, the Barbarossa Tower, at over 130 feet or 40 meters in height, facilitated control over the valley and communication between the other towers erected in the Montalbano hills.

From the summit, the urban development of the village between the 12ᵗʰ and 14ᵗʰ centuries can be observed, with the bell towers of the Church of Santo Stefano and Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the fortress known as Rocca Nuova or Rocca di Castruccio, circumferenced by what remains of the city walls.

Shifting your gaze to the surrounding hills, you can spy Castellina, Vinacciano, Monsummano Alto and the fortress of Montecatini Alto. Further down, on one side is the city of Pistoia pinpointed by the bell tower Cathedral of San Zeno and the dome of the Madonna dell’Umiltà Basilica along with the Pistoia-Pratia plain, then on the other is the Nievole valley with the spa towns of Montecatini and Monsummano.

The Tower can be visited by appointment during the opening hours of the Serravalle Pistoiese Tourist Office. 

For reservations email turismo@comune.serravalle-pistoiese.pt.it or call +39 0573 917308.

Descending from Serravalle Pistoiese along a road rich in extraordinary views of the village and the Serravalle Pass, you reach Castellina. Not far from the village square, which houses the ancient Saint Filippo e Saint Giacomo Church, you will find a scenic bench on Via Valenta. 

From here, savor a view that encompasses the medieval villages enclosing the 2 valleys of the Ombrone and Nievole streams, with a glimpse also of the city of Pistoia and the Pistoian, Prato and Florentine plains, on clear days even being able to spy Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence.

Nestled in the hills of Montalbano, bordering the castles of Monsummano and Montevettolini, the village of Vinacciano was part of the network of medieval fortifications guarding the boundary line between the Nievole and Ombrone valleys. 

The access road to the village, dominated by the pentagonal tower of Castruccio Castracani, winds through olive groves, cultivated lands and panoramic terraces. From the piazza in front of the Saints Marcello and Lucia Church, built between the 16ᵗʰ and 17ᵗʰ centuries on the site of a pre-existing oratory, enjoy a view of the plain and the verdant hills of the Montalbano mountain range.

Leaving the village of Vinacciano along the stretch of the Romea Strata, travel along a scenic road from which it is possible to observe the dome of the Basilica della Madonna dell’Umiltà in Pistoia, then ideally continue along the 3ʳᵈ stage of the Way of San Jacopo, walking between the Convent of Giaccherino, the Romanesque Parish Church of San Michele a Groppoli in Marliana to the Barbarossa Tower in Serravalle. 

After a short stretch through the woods along the ancient pilgrimage route, you will find a rest stop with a viewpoint over the plain, dominated by the Vinacciano hill with the Palazzo Sozzifanti and the pentagonal tower of the Rocca di Castruccio.