Discover Borgatello: Churches, Trails and Landscapes

Explore Borgatello on a trip to Tuscany through two specific interests: hiking and the history of its churches and trails. If you’re traveling with family members who have different interests, you can plan culture and hiking as separate parts of each day, leaving room for a pace that suits your group. When looking for a hotel in Borgatello, first consider whether trails through the countryside or historic sites matter more to you. This helps you plan your days around the topics that are important to you.

Churches, Convent and the Via Francigena

The Chiesa di San Michele a Borgatello was built on the road between Colle and San Gimignano. A Mass at San Michele Arcangelo a Borgatello is listed for Fridays at 6:00 p.m. in both winter and summer. Check the schedule before your trip.

The Santuario di Santa Maria delle Grazie lies near the first of two historic branches of the Via Francigena that started from San Gimignano. The Santuario originated in the 15th century as an oratory built by the brothers Iacopo Luci and Luparello Luci. In 1501, the oratory was expanded and converted into a convent. The Santuario includes a Renaissance cloister between the church and the rectory, which was remodeled at a later date and is made of terracotta.

The story runs from oratory to convent, with the cloister adding a specific architectural detail to this sequence. If you’re interested in churches, you can explore both the development of the Santuario and its architectural features. Its historic connection to the Via Francigena offers another point of interest: the Santuario lies near the first of the two branches that started from San Gimignano.

Hiking and Landscapes

The Anello di Borgatello is an easy hike through open countryside with a short stretch through the woods. The loop also includes a few sections of the Via Francigena. Check local trail conditions before setting out, as they can change. Another loop from Borgatello passes the Badia di Santa Maria Assunta a Coneo.

In the wider area around Borgatello, the SentierElsa is approximately 4 km long. It starts at the Steccaia and Callone Reale hydraulic structures. Open countryside and the short stretch through the woods shape the route of the Anello; the approximate length of the SentierElsa offers a different reference point for planning your day. This lets you distinguish between hiking options based on whether the type of route or an approximate distance is more useful for your planning.

Also in the wider area, the Elsa forms a waterfall at Diborrato about 15 meters high and a small lake about 10 meters deep. These approximate measurements give this landscape feature a tangible scale. When planning your trip, it’s important to treat Diborrato as a separate natural site and not to confuse it with the loop trails described above.

Plan Your Bus Travel and Accommodation

Local buses serve Borgatello via the “BORGATELLO N.13” and “BORGATELLO” stops. If you’re planning to take the bus during the day, check the current timetable before your trip, as stops and departure times may change. The same applies to the Mass at San Michele Arcangelo a Borgatello: check in advance whether the Friday 6:00 p.m. service is still scheduled.

That way, Borgatello becomes more than just a name on your booking—it becomes the starting point for deciding how much room trails, landscapes and culture should have in your trip to Tuscany.

Discover more destinations: Castel San Gimignano, Campiglia Dei Foci.

Go to the main travel overview: Colle Di Val D'elsa.