Via Medicea Fiorentina

The route starts from Villa Medici in Fiesole, specifically from the square in front of the Villa, one of the Medici’s oldest suburban residences, designed by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder. 

The location itself is spectacular. In front is the great basin of Florence with a view of Brunelleschi’s Dome, while behind is the splendid Duomo, the hill of Fiesole with its Roman Amphitheater. The atmosphere is steeped in the Renaissance: villas, cypress trees, terraces planted with olive trees. 

The descent to Caldine down into the valley of the Mugnone stream sees the road bending between olive groves and cypress trees, leading to the valley floor in a little more than half an hour. This leads to Caldine, a small township that grew up around the railroad and the stream of Mugnone. The landscape now changes, growing into cultivated fields, farmhouses, small bridges and the sound of water flowing toward Florence.

Official trails traversed: CAI 10, IF1
Bus stops: 7 Fiesole Piazza Mino - Caldine Station

From the valley floor, the ascent to Montorsoli begins. The road climbs between farms and olive trees, with sunny and shady stretches within patches of holm oak. The climb is challenging but rewarding. At each hairpin bend, the panorama opens up more and more, showing the Mugnone valley behind and, in the distance, the outlines of Monte Morello. 

Soon enough you reach the village of Montorsoli, a small nucleus gathered around a former convent. This is the birthplace of Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, sculptor, Servite friar and pupil of Michelangelo. The place still retains the charm of rural and quiet Tuscany. Beyond Montorsoli, a short paved section heads in the direction of Monte Morello. The path becomes gentler and runs along a ridge with white roads bordered by cypress trees, isolated farms and dry-stone walls. This stretch grows even more impressive as your gaze roams free. On one side, you can see Florence and the entire Arno valley, on the other the Mugello and Apennines. Walking here gives the feeling of being on a natural balcony suspended between two worlds. 

Just before the former Banti Hospital, depart from paved roads to enter the Garena Woods, on the watershed between the Terzolle Valley on the left and the Mugnone on the right.
The route unfurls entirely within the forest.
Just before entering the village of Pratolino, you will encounter Il Gigante Adventure Park. This is an area dedicated to climbing and trails suspended among the trees, but also a pleasant place for a little break. In the shade of the pines, take in the sound of the wind and the sense of having almost arrived at your destination. 

Only the provincial road divides the Adventure Park from the Pratolino Medici Park, also known as Villa Demidoff.
The entrance introduces you to one of Europe’s most spectacular Renaissance gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Here, you are embraced by immense meadows, ponds, fountains, statues, and—most unforgettably—Giambologna’s Apennine Colossus, the symbol of the park that emerges as a sculpted mountain.
You end the journey in a place that combines the power of nature and the genius of Renaissance art.

Official trails traversed: CAI 60, IF1
Bus stops: Caldine Station - Pratolino bus 25 

From Pratolino, descend toward the valley of the Carza stream, rich in vistas of the valley itself and of Monte Morello to Fontebuona, a pretty village along Via Bolognese and an ancient resting and refreshment place for those who traveled the Apennines. Still visible are remnants of historic buildings and rural oratories. Continuing in a northerly direction, leave Via Bolognese and ascend to the locality of Ferraglia, an agricultural and wooded area pebbled with stone farmhouses.
The landscape opens to terraced fields and chestnut groves. A large riding school is located in the valley. 

In Sommavilla di Sotto is a small rural nucleus that preserves the traditional Tuscan layout with stone farms and houses. From here there are beautiful views of the valley descending toward Vaglia.
The intermediate arrival point is the Vaglia train station, opened in the late 1800s on the Florence-Faenza line, for decades a strategic junction connecting the Mugello valley to Florence.
This serves as a junction for those wishing to return by train.

The route ends in the hamlet of Vaglia, dominated by the 12ᵗʰ-century San Pietro Church in Vaglia, with Baroque renovations, today characterized by a compact urban layout.
Vaglia is an excellent starting point for excursions to Monte Senario and Mugello.
The Villa di Vaglia was a stately late-Renaissance residence, modified in subsequent centuries. It has an understated layout with a simple façade and quaint garden. Since the 20ᵗʰ century, it has been adapted for public functions and is now a municipal headquarters.

Official CAI trails traversed: 60, 61, 63, 320A, 65, 616, Renaissance Ring
Bus stop 25 - Vaglia Station

Past downtown Vaglia toward the wooded slopes above the town and after the stream, take a farm road that climbs steeply among chestnut and oak trees, with dry stone walls and small farmhouse farmyards.
Climbing to La Mangona and Forca, the trail becomes more scenic as you gain elevation. Votive shrines and old metati (chestnut dryers) appear along the way.
The arrival in Forca is marked by an open ridge topped by a small rural settlement with stone houses, a barnyard and terracing.
It continues slightly up and down following the ridge then gently downhill along dirt roads and paths bordered by junipers and turkey oaks.
Glimpses open up toward Monte Senario and, on the opposite side, toward Pratolino and Monte Morello.
The last stretch descends to Tagliaferro, a hamlet along the historic axis of Via Bolognese.

Official CAI trails traversed: 60, 63, 320A, 65, 00, Via degli Dei - Renaissance Ring
Bus stops: Vaglia Station - Campomigliaio Station

From the nucleus of Tagliaferro, take a path up the woods toward Villa del Trebbio. The ascent is smooth among chestnut and oak groves, with walls and farms in dry stone. 
Along the way, you encounter the village of Spugnole, of which records date as far back as 1066.
The 1ˢᵗ stop is Il Trebbio, one of Tuscany’s Medici Villas recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This fortified building presents a 14ᵗʰ-century layout that was later remodeled. The surrounding area preserves historic agricultural arrangements with terracing and olive groves.
The villa is now private property, so access and signage must be respected.
The next stage leads to Poggio di Cigoli. Continue uphill on a farm road then along a path where the forest becomes denser with turkey oaks and hornbeams, as metates and ancient votive shrines appear at crossroads.
On the Poggio di Cigoli ridge, the first views open up toward Mugello, the Apennines and Monte Senario. 

From Poggio di Cigoli toward Poggio della Bugaccia, follow the ridge on dirt roads and a single track, with sections of juniper scrub and sandstone outcrops.
The environment becomes increasingly mountainous. In the clearances, you can see Val di Marina, Calvana and, to the south, the Florentine basin. 

Poggio della Bugaccia is one of the most obvious bumps on the Monte Morello ridge, at about 3000 feet or 900 meters. The last segment is a gentle up and down on the ridge line to Poggio al Tesoro, just before you encounter a gentle descent to the Croci di Calenzano pass, an excellent junction for returning or catching transport.

Official CAI trails traversed: 17 19 600, Via degli Dei
Bus stops: Campomigliaio Station - Le Croci stop in Calenzano

From the Santa Lucia area, climb the first slopes of Monteferrato along CAI tracks (such as those connecting to 410/410A) among olive groves and dry-stone walls. The section culminates at Poggio Alto, a small scenic knoll on the edge of ANPIL Monteferrato, with views of the Prato plain, Calvana and Bisenzio. The area, with diverse morphological features, is rich in fauna.

Descending back to the urban edge of Santa Lucia, you get to Viale Fratelli Cervi (northern bypass) following continuous sidewalks and bicycle-pedestrian sections on a broad, tree-lined axis, convenient for walking further west.

Head along the city’s bicycle-pedestrian ridge until intercepting Viale Nam Dinh (Maliseti/Borgonuovo area). The 2 arteries are connected by new sections of the city’s bicycle network and the Ciclovia del Sole, which are also safe walkways. Following Via Nam Dinh west/southwest, the axis descends to Via Galcianese for the Galciana district.

The route ends in the square of the San Pietro Church in Galciana or at the relevant bus stop. In the medieval church, a historical landmark for the area, is a 14ᵗʰ-century fresco cycle. 

Official trails traversed: CAI 401 San Jacopo Trail
Bus stops: Fermata Nievo - Fermata Ciulli 2

From the Santa Lucia area, climb the first slopes of Monteferrato along CAI tracks (such as those connecting to 410/410A) among olive groves and dry-stone walls. The section culminates at Poggio Alto, a small scenic knoll on the edge of ANPIL Monteferrato, with views of the Prato plain, Calvana and Bisenzio. The area, with diverse morphological features, is rich in fauna.

Descending back to the urban edge of Santa Lucia, you get to Viale Fratelli Cervi (northern bypass) following continuous sidewalks and bicycle-pedestrian sections on a broad, tree-lined axis, convenient for walking further west.

Head along the city’s bicycle-pedestrian ridge until intercepting Viale Nam Dinh (Maliseti/Borgonuovo area). The 2 arteries are connected by new sections of the city’s bicycle network and the Ciclovia del Sole, which are also safe walkways. Following Via Nam Dinh west/southwest, the axis descends to Via Galcianese for the Galciana district.

The route ends in the square of the San Pietro Church in Galciana or at the relevant bus stop. In the medieval church, a historical landmark for the area, is a 14ᵗʰ-century fresco cycle. 

Official trails traversed: CAI 401 San Jacopo Trail
Bus stops: Fermata Nievo - Fermata Ciulli 2

The stage starts from the piazza of the San Pietro Parish Church in Galciana only to head westward on flat local roads until skirting Vergaio, which is a western hamlet of Prato. The environment is urban but with stretches of residual countryside. 

If you continue southwest on secondary roads and bicycle and pedestrian sections, you reach Iolo, a town with services and bus stops, where you can make a brief stop near the San Pietro Parish Church. 

From the southern outskirts of Iolo, the path bends westward in the direction of Caserana/Quarrata to lap the edge of the protected wetland area of La Querciola, but without entering it. The oasis is a mosaic of reeds, bodies of water and fields, between the Ombrone river and reclamation canals. Now, return eastward by skirting the Ombrone and crossing the river on one of the bridges (depending on the variant and safety of the crossing). The Ponte all’Asse (SR66) is a more direct climb to Bonistallo. Alternatively, follow the banks to the Manetti Bridge (historic pedestrian-cycle footbridge) then go back to Bonistallo via hilly roads. The Manetti Bridge is a historic link, now a bicycle and pedestrian footbridge connecting Cascine di Tavola with Poggio a Caiano. 

From Bonistallo, which has a hillside viewpoint from the San Francesco Church, descend toward the center of Poggio a Caiano to the Ambra Villa Medici and park. 

The Poggio a Caiano Medici Villa or Villa Ambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo for Lorenzo the Magnificent, as an example of Renaissance architecture that blends the lessons of the classics with rural Tuscan architecture. From the staircase of the Villa, go out to the northwest, skirting the park, then take the hilly roads in the direction of Petraia (following the local signs and those for the “Strada Vicinale della Petraia”). 

The trail climbs among olive groves and farms to the small hillside village of Petraia, a historic hamlet in the municipality of Poggio a Caiano, set on a scenic knoll. Then descending on lanes and dirt roads toward Poggio alla Malva and skirting the locality of Le Casacce (with vacation homes/agritourism in a panoramic position), the landscape opens up to the Arno and the Montalbano amphitheater. From Le Casacce, the ascent is gentle on cart tracks along the ridge to the pass/road junction called La Croce, gateway to the Carmignano side. From here come sweeping views of Carmignano DOCG vines and olive trees. This is where you proceed down toward the built-up area around Via Francesco Redi (La Serra/Carmignano), where there is a rest area serving the health center and adjacent parking lots. This is a good orientation point before entering the historic center. 

The Vines and Wine Museum is located below the town hall in the heart of Carmignano, right where the stage ends.

Official CAI trails traversed: 401 801
Bus stops: Fermata Ciulli 2 - Fermata Carmignano

You are now in the heart of the village of Carmignano. From the center, climb briefly to the Rocca along Via del Castello, skirting its walls and the scenic bastion. 

The medieval fortress dominates the plain between Florence, Prato and Pistoia. Continue along farm and country roads among olive groves and vineyards, which form the historic Carmignano DOCG area, to the Pietranera locality on the hill ridge, offering sweeping views of Montalbano. 

You are now on the shoreline towards Citerna (on the “Citerna Alta” section) with dry stone walls, stone farmhouses and ciglionamenti (a type of terracing system). Here, the landscape opens up toward the Arno River then descends gently to the locality of La Madonna (toponymic area of the same name near Artimino/Poggio alla Malva; crossroads of rural throughfares). Then it’s back to the dirt roads and trails into ANPIL Artimino, with 1708 acres or 691 hectares of protected land, a mosaic of woods, cultivated fields and ridges around the village and villa. 

Skirt the San Leonardo Parish Church then climb to the exedra of the Medici Villa of Artimino, also known as “La Ferdinanda” or the Villa dei Cento Camini (Villa of the Hundred Chimneys), dating from 1596, designed by Bernardo Buontalenti and now part of the Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Official CAI trails traversed: 801 803 800 - Etruscan Trail
Bus stops: Fermata Carmignano - Fermata Artimino SN