Montaione – medieval village, glass art and Valdelsa

Montaione between village history and Valdelsa

Montaione lies at 341 metres above sea level and overlooks Valdelsa. The centre is a small medieval village where glassmaking has been practised since the beginning of the 14th century. The town thus combines a clearly recognisable historic character with a long craft tradition – a starting point for anyone wishing to discover culture, landscapes and local highlights in Tuscany within a manageable setting.

Historical traces in the town centre

The Museo Civico Sezione Archeologica di Montaione presents palaeontological and archaeological evidence of Etruscan and Roman settlements. In the historic centre, the Chiesa di San Regolo stands in Piazza della Repubblica. The Palazzo Pretorio also tells of the town’s administrative history: its façade is decorated with coats of arms made of stone and glazed terracotta. They represent families of prominent figures who held important positions in the municipal administration over the centuries, including Davanzati, Cateni, Pescioni and Guardini. Among the older remains is the Cisterna Romana, dating from the 3rd century AD. It is located about one kilometre along the provincial road from Montaione to Gambassi. The Chiesa di San Floriano was originally built around the year 1000 from local stone and is Romanesque in style. A driveable ramp provides access there for people with disabilities as well. In the Mostra permanente degli antichi mestieri, specific tools document the crafts practised by Ernesto Gennaro Cecconi during his lifetime.

San Vivaldo, trails and special excursions

A cultural site in its own right is the Gerusalemme di [San Vivaldo (San Vivaldo)]. In a wooded area, chapels and small temples are arranged to reproduce the layout of Jerusalem at that time to scale. The complex also contains frescoes and groups of terracotta sculptures in the cold technique of the Della Robbia school, depicting episodes from the Passion and the life of Christ. For a tour of Montaione, the Trekking Urbano is a good option: the walk leads through the old streets of the town centre and to historic sites. The Castello di Vignale can be reached on foot or by bicycle from the road between San Vivaldo and [Iano (Iano)]. The remains of the castle can be visited together with the small church and an old mill nearby.

Woodland landscapes, cycling and the Via Francigena

The protected area of Alta Valle del Torrente Carfalo covers approximately 220 hectares, is predominantly wooded and includes centuries-old monumental yew trees, an ancient beech forest and the clear waters of the Carfalo stream. For the Montaione MTB Trail Area, mountain-bike routes can be downloaded in KML and GPX formats for GPS devices. The Via Francigena can also be explored on foot or by bicycle through the gentle hills of this landscape.

Truffles, bread and olive oil

Montaione has a historic truffle-gathering tradition dating back to the early 1900s. Between the end of October and the beginning of November, the “Tartufesta” takes place, a market for the precious truffle. Montaione bears the designations “Città del pane”, “Città del Tartufo” and “Città dell’olio”. For travel by train, the nearby Castelfiorentino railway station is relevant; it is about 10 kilometres away. From there, the onward journey can be made by taxi or bus.

Other places: [Alberi (Alberi)], [Sughera (Sughera)] and [Zona Industriale Comiti (Zona Industriale Comiti)].

To the overarching travel overview: Florence.

More destinations

Other places under the same destination:

Lazzeretto, Rufina, San Casciano In Val Di Pesa.