Walking through history and nature

a walk in the countryside, the discovery (or rediscovery) of the Montalbano springs, the Medici villas, its treasures and archaeological sites and ancient abbeys that still survive along the trekking paths opened by the Pro Loco in September 1999. Four different ideas to do in one go or with many stops (also intersecting). Brochures and detailed maps are available at the Carmignano Pro Loco tourist office in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. These four paths are ideal, in the first sunny days of spring or summer, f or those who love walking, but also have a great passion for history. You can choose the path of the Etruscan settlements of Montefortini Comeana, Prato Rosello or the Upper Paleolithic one in the nearby Poggio alla Malva.

All the way to the top of Pietramarina perhaps with a stop at the Archaeological Museum of Artimino. A ten kilometre ring rising from 55 to 250 meters above sea level, and then going down again. You can also follow the routes of the ancient abbeys. Reliving the emotions of the ancient pilgrims who found refuge and refreshment in these cloisters from the woods which were, in those days, not so hospitable after sunset . A glimpse of the landscape from Verghereto. This route is certainly the most challenging. Seventeen kilometres from Carmignano again all the way to Pietramarina (from 180 to 408 meters above sea level), visiting also the parish church of the provincial capital with its “Visitation” of Pontormo. An interesting Mannerist work, a series of small, sometimes tiny, churches such as San Lorenzo in Montalbiolo, Santa Cristina in Mezzana, San Leonardo in Artimino, San Martino in Campo, Verghereto and San Giusto. If the distance puts you of, you can still divide the walk into more days. The same goes for the paths related to the rise of the Medici and their villas: more than twelve kilometres with several ascents and descents. Not a ring this time.

The start is at the Medici villa in Poggio a Caiano at the villa “Ambra” which was commissioned by Lorenzo the Magnificent at the end of the fifteenth century and designed by San Gallo. The arrival is another equally majestic country residence of the Grand Dukes: the villa “La Ferdinanda” so-called “by the hundred chimneys”, which stands near the entrance of the Barco hunting area (4,000 hectares with 52 km of walls, of which 29 are visible) which was built for the pleasure of Ferdinand I between 1596 and 1600 and designed by Buontalenti. Santa Cristina in Mezzana is a town surrounded by countryside. In the middle of it there it is Bonistallo, the Medici aqueduct and ducts above the Serra and the farm “Le Ginestre”. The route continues right up to the river Arno, where you can find, in Pineta the entrance to Barchetto. This was built about 70 years before the Barco Reale. It contained special deer and other rare animals. The last path (seven kilometres, this one too is not a ring) is the one of the springs: a classic for those who love nature. The trails connect sixteen of these paths. They are scattered in the woods and the countryside between 50 and 480 meters above sea level. The start is from the “Fontina” of Comeana and the arrival is the spring of Lake Castagnati in Seano: half way are other names that exude centuries old acquaintances and sometimes bizarre origins such as Nocchio Bruceto, Gattice, Pillino, Fornia, Docciolina, Scodellino and many more. The walk can even become a journey through the peculiarity of our language and our dialects. So come on let’s start and have fun! (Wf)

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Walking through history and nature

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