San Donato: Church, Via Matildica and Rural Character

San Donato amid the church, forest and rural village setting

If you would like to combine culture in Tuscany with a hike through a quiet landscape, San Donato offers several specific points of interest. The focus is on the small church on the edge of the village of Domazzano, the ascent along the Via Matildica del Volto Santo, and a rural farmstead with a manor house and agricultural outbuildings. Here, you can encounter different facets of a place: historic architecture, a signposted route and an agricultural setting.

A church with medieval origins

The present-day appearance of the Church of San Donato dates from the 12th century; it was first mentioned in 1181. At the same time, like the nearby Church of San Lorenzo, the church has medieval origins. Its location is clearly defined: the small church stands on the edge of the village of Domazzano.

The complex also includes a bell tower dating from the post-medieval period. It does not stand directly beside the church, but is separated from it on the opposite side of the road. This spatial separation is precisely one detail to look out for when visiting. The church and bell tower therefore not only tell of different construction periods, but also appear as two independent elements in the village landscape.

San Donato on the Via Matildica del Volto Santo

The Via Matildica del Volto Santo leads uphill from Valdottavo to San Donato and its small church. The ascent passes through forest and silence once again. If you consider a longer stage, the route runs from Valdottavo via San Donato; this stage is listed as 31 km and 8 hours in duration.

After San Donato, the Via Matildica del Volto Santo leads to a combined cycling and walking path. This path follows a stream for approximately 10 kilometres in the direction of Lucca. For your planning, two different types of route are apparent: the uphill section from Valdottavo to San Donato and the subsequent waterside path towards Lucca. The approximate distance of 10 kilometres is expressly only an estimate.

A historic nature trail as a special experience

In June 2025, a guided hike led from San Donato onto a historic nature trail. Well-preserved machine-gun emplacements, trenches and bunkers from the historic Gothic Line are located there. This date describes a past guided hike and is not an indication of a current event. As a documented experience, however, the nature trail expands the cultural perspective on San Donato to include a chapter of more recent history.

The rural character of San Donato

San Donato is a typical rural farmstead with a manor house and agricultural outbuildings. This local character complements the church and the Via Matildica trails with a distinctly agricultural aspect. Visitors to San Donato can therefore consider historic architectural forms, a hiking landscape and rural architecture together within a compact destination.

Discover more places in the surrounding area

If you would then like to expand your search to other destinations, you can find Gioviano (Gioviano), Ponte Della Maddalena (Ponte Della Maddalena), Diecimo (Diecimo) and Valdottavo (Valdottavo) here.

For the overview of the wider trip: Borgo A Mozzano.