Discover Terranuova Bracciolini

Terranuova Bracciolini combines a clearly recognizable founding history with impressive landscape formations, regional traditions and trails through the Balze. If you would like to combine culture, nature, activities and local products on your trip, you will find several distinct points of interest here rather than just a single attraction focus.

Town History and Cultural Sites

Terranuova Bracciolini was established as a fortified Florentine settlement; construction began in 1337. The rectangular town layout can still be recognized today and is typical of fortified Florentine settlements founded from scratch. The pre-unification historical archive is part of the town’s cultural heritage. It comprises the documentation produced by the municipality of Terranuova from its foundation until 1865, as well as extensive records relating to the municipality, the Podesteria and the former municipality of Castiglion Ubertini. The historical archive is located in Palazzo Concini at Via Concini 3. Another cultural reference point is the Le Fornaci cultural center. It is housed in a completely restored former brickworks and, since 2005, has accommodated the municipal library and an auditorium in a shared cultural space. Terranuova thus focuses both on its older local history and on the later use of a former industrial building.

Balze, Trails and Nature

The Balze are landscape formations shaped by erosion, with vertical walls, isolated rock towers, narrow ridges and earth pyramids. Since 1998, they have been designated a locally protected natural area of particular interest (ANPIL). Some viewpoints in the Balze can be reached via municipal roads connecting the various localities. There are various ways to explore the area actively. Some trails in the Balze can be traveled on horseback or by mountain bike. The Sentiero dell’Acqua Zolfina is a circular route slightly more than 7 kilometers long, marked as CAI 51, through the Balze landscape, and presents no particular hiking difficulties. This gives you a clearly described circular tour, while the other trails and viewpoints offer different ways of experiencing the landscape. An additional natural feature is the lake and wetland of the Valle dell’Inferno and Bandella nature reserves. They are an important resting place for a diverse population of waterbirds and complement the geologically shaped landscape of the Balze with a habitat for migratory and aquatic birds.

Festivals and Regional Specialties

The events calendar and local food culture also give the town its own distinctive character. The Festa del Perdono takes place in September and has a history spanning more than four centuries. The Fiera dell’Antiquariato traditionally takes place every second Sunday of the month in the squares of the historic center of Terranuova Bracciolini. These two events represent different forms of public life: a historically rooted festival and a regularly recurring antiques market. Typical products from the Terranuova Bracciolini area include Fagiolo Zolfino, which is marketed under the DOCG designation. Pancetta Tarese produced in Terranuova Bracciolini is a Slow Food Presidio. For further orientation, you can also include Cicogna, Traiana and Campogialli.

For the overarching travel overview: Arezzo.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Sansepolcro, Talla, Castiglion Fiorentino, Cortona, Chiusi Della Verna.