Segalari: Countryside and Historic Houses in the Terzolle Valley

Segalari combines a collection of old houses with an almost village-like feel with the predominantly natural landscape of the Terzolle Valley. Forests, meadows and olive groves shape the valley; at the same time, the area is part of a region with a historic agricultural heritage. For your trip to Tuscany, this offers a different perspective from focusing on an art city: the emphasis is on the rural landscape and the history of a small settlement complex.

Landscape and Regional Context

Segalari is part of the Terzolle Valley, an area shaped predominantly by natural landscapes. Forests, meadows and olive groves are the specific features of this landscape. Together, they lend the surroundings a varied character: woodland, meadows and cultivated groves all form part of the valley. If you want to discover Tuscany beyond its cities, you will find a clear connection to its rural side here.

The Terzolle area, including Segalari, is among the designated landscape protection areas. Cercina, Segalari, Belvedere and Poggiolo are also part of the Terzolle area, which is designated as an area of historic agricultural monuments. In this regional context, landscape protection and cultural heritage come together. For planning your trip, this provides a specific focus without equating Segalari with a single building.

A Historic Ensemble with an Almost Village-Like Feel

Segalari is considered a collection of old houses that almost amounts to a small village. The former complex included a house, a tower, a dovecote, two workers’ houses and an enclosing wall. The Tommaso Corbinelli estate was also part of this setting. The various elements convey the extent of the former complex and make the settlement’s history an important part of the local landscape.

Segalari’s former manor house was later converted into a villa by the Ricci family. This historical change adds another chapter to the story of the complex: alongside the houses and associated buildings, the transformation of the manor house is also part of local memory. The history can thus be explored through several types of buildings and their former functions, rather than through a single monument alone.

The “Molino del Bosi or di Segalari” area is also part of the local history. There is a notable concentration of mills there. For travelers interested in the historical character of rural areas, this area offers another perspective on the connection between settlement, landscape and former land use.

Paths, Valleys and Watercourses

A historic municipal hiking guide describes the “Percorso collegato breve – Itinerario rosso” as a path leading to Segalari. Its name offers a specific starting point for researching routes if you would like to include historic settlements and paths in your travel plans.

Nearby, the route from Cercina to Montorsoli passes through the valleys and watercourses of the Terzolle and Terzollina. The so-called Ponte Romano is on this route: the bridge, about eight meters long, crosses the Terzolle. This brings together two different route connections—a historically described itinerary to Segalari and a nearby route that takes in valleys, watercourses and a bridge. For detailed route planning, check current route information.

The former Via di Segalari is also part of the area’s transport history. It was an old road between the settlement of “Il Prato” and Pieve. Historically, Segalari’s roads were also used for connections on the right-hand side of the Terzolle Valley. These details place the routes within their former regional role; they should be distinguished from the current travel plans described here.

Segalari as a Destination for Your Trip to Tuscany

If you are looking for a rural focus and a historic townscape for your trip, Segalari brings these interests together locally: old houses, the history of the former complex, mills in the Molino del Bosi or di Segalari area, and the landscape of the Terzolle Valley. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore first consider whether the landscape and settlement history should shape your stay.

For the broader travel overview: Sesto Fiorentino.