Pinete: The Cerbaie Forests and Historic Traces

Pinete combines the Cerbaie Forests with an exceptionally rich local history. This creates a destination where nature observation, woodland paths and small historic buildings exist side by side. The Cerbaie Forests lie between the hamlets of Pinete, Torre and Vedute in the municipality of Fucecchio. Those who want to get to know Tuscany through more than its major art cities will find here a much more local-scale approach to the landscape and its history.

Walking Trails and Rare Nature

In the forests of the former Opera Pia Landini Marchiani, 7.5 kilometres of walking trails have been restored. Along the trails, there are recreational facilities and educational signage. This makes it possible to experience the forest not only as a landscape, but also through its explanatory information and the available areas for spending time. If you travel with varied interests, you can combine a nature excursion in Pinete with a visit to historic sites in the village without conflating the two themes.

A special botanical mention goes to the Cerbaie SIC area, where the rare carnivorous plant Drosera Rotundifolia can be found. The plant is a distinctive natural feature of the Cerbaie and adds an unusual, scientifically interesting element to the picture of the forests. Also associated with the Cerbaie is the Cappella San Rocco di Villa Bini. In Pinete, it is registered under the protected-area designation SIR No. 63 Cerbaie. The two designations, SIC area and SIR No. 63, are each used in their documented form.

Churches and Local History

Among Pinete's religious sites is the oratory at Via Pesciatina 156, built in 1793. For a long time, it served as the parish church and was dedicated to Saint Roch. This should be distinguished from the Chiesa di Pinete, a small church also dedicated to Saint Roch, located on the small main square in the village of Pinete. Together, these buildings show how strongly the area's history has been shaped by religious buildings and the local centre.

Pinete's secular history is also still present. The La Fornace complex on Via Pesciatina is documented in the Leopoldino Cadastre under the name “La fornace di Saettino”. It points to a craft production centre that had existed since at least the beginning of the 19th century. The Assia estate dates from the 19th century; it was initially used for breeding trotting horses and was later converted into an accommodation facility. This development complements the religious evidence with an aspect relating to economic history and changing use.

Traces of Settlement from the Distant Past

For those interested in cultural history, the area's history reaches back even further. The Palaeolithic archaeological site extends across a large terrace of land on both sides of the road from Pinete to Massarella. It contains artefacts from the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic, that is, the Middle and Later Stone Age. Pinete therefore represents not only today's forests and the historic village centre, but also a landscape in which traces of human use have been documented over very long periods.

More Destinations for Orientation

For further orientation, you can also find Dicomano (Dicomano), Rufina (Rufina), San Godenzo (San Godenzo), Empoli (Empoli), Vicchio (Vicchio), Petrognano (Petrognano), Legri (Legri) and Barberino Di Mugello (Barberino Di Mugello).

For the higher-level travel overview: Florence.