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country holidays
in tuscany: art, sports, nature and leisure |
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A deeply-rooted
attachment to their valley and traditions makes the inhabitants of
Mugello preserve the area as a lively and lovingly farmed countryside
even in its most remote and roughest areas, where centennial chestnut
trees take bizarre yet majestic shapes. Mugello – together with the neighbouring areas of Alto Mugello and Val di Sieve – offers endless opportunities for lovers of hiking excursions on foot, by bike and on horseback. In the surroundings of Agriturismo Sanvitale you will find stables and rearing farms, whose animals are usually favourite attractions for children and adults alike. There are also swimming pools and tennis courts, gliding facilities and a golf course, while the Bilancino lake offers beaches and all kinds of water sports, as well as hosting several fairs and events. Not far from Agriturismo Sanvitale, at Grezzano (a hamlet near Borgo San Lorenzo) the Museo di Casa d’Erci provides a glimpse in the recent and not-so-recent past of country life with an outstanding collection of farming tools and an interesting nature trail. The Mugello International Racing Circuit attracts thousands of motoring and motorcycling enthusiasts with a rich programme of events spanning from April to the beginning of November. The best loved event is usually the Italian Grand Prix of the del MotoGP world championship, taking place in early June. First opened in 1893, the historic route of the Faentina railway line gives access to the area both from (starting from Faenza) and from Tuscany (starting from Florence). The Faentina railway, running through stunning landscapes at all times of the year, also provides a bike transport service for cycling tourists, who in Mugello will be spoilt for choice among the many ring trails of varying length and difficulty. Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo and several other art cities and towns are within easy reach. Mugello itself boasts a wealth of art treasures: churches, shrines, castles and historic villas, small museums and ancient mills. The Medici family originally came from here, and two of their country villas (the castles of Cafaggiolo and Trebbio, both designed by Michelozzo) still bear witness to their magnificence. Mugello is also the birthplace of some great artists like Giotto, Beato Angelico and Andrea del Castagno and, more recently, of the poet Dino Campana. Villa Pecori Giraldi at Borgo San Lorenzo houses a fine collection of Art Nouveau artefacts (ceramics, stoneware objects, glassworks) made by the local Chini family. Whatever the time of the year, Mugello is rich of cultural, sporting and traditional events. Among the most popular, let us mention the “Palio della Fortezza” at San Piero a Sieve (late May), Dante Ghibellino at San Godenzo (early July), “Medioevo alla Corte degli Ubaldini” at Palazzuolo sul Senio (late July) and the Diotto Festival at Scarperia (beginning of September). A number of Autumn events are devoted to the renowned local chestnuts, while Borgo San Lorenzo at the end of November celebrates the dainty white truffle. The Summer months are an endless chain of country fairs, folk festivals and art shows. At Scarperia, an ancient town which just celebrated 7 centuries since its foundation, the tradition of knife-making dates back at least five centuries and is still flourishing, with a large following among estimators and collectors worldwide. The historic Palazzo dei Vicari in the heart of the old burgh of Scarperia houses a research centre and record library about the craft of knife making, while the Museum of Cutting Tools (Museo dei Ferri taglienti) was opened in July 1999. For over three decades, experts and manufacturers of "ferri taglienti" from all over the world meet annually between June and September at Scarperia for an event not to be missed: the Exhibit of Cutting Tools (Mostra dei Ferri Taglienti). The environs of Firenzuola are rich of a highly-prized sandstone variety known as "pietra serena", beloved by all the major Tuscan architects since Filippo Brunelleschi. Featured in historic squares, in the architectural details of old town centres, on church façades, in Renaissance villas, for centuries, this elegant grey-blue stone has been a distinguishing feature of Tuscan style. The imposing vaults of the Firenzuola citadel houses the Local Grey Stone Museum (Museo della Pietra Serena), where visual, material and documentary evidence recounts the age-old relationship between the territory and its valued stone, and exhibits the real art works that spring from the skilled hands of the master stone masons. And in order to further celebrate its pietra serena, every year in October Firenzuola hosts the festival "From the Woods and from the Stone" (Dal bosco e dalla pietra). In the nearby Sieve valley (Val di Sieve), the Chianti Rufina and Pomino wine route traverses the vineyards where Chianti Rufina is produced, over an area exceeding 12 thousand hectares in the territories of Rufina, Pontassieve, Pelago, Londa and Dicomano. The 16th Century Villa di Poggio Reale at Rufina, allegedly designed by Michelangelo for the Mormorai family, is home to the Enoteca del Chianti Rufina and to a Vine and Wine Museum (Museo della Vite e del Vino). Or you can simply enjoy life on the slow lane for a few days: sit back and relax; savour a leisurely holiday in a casual environment surrounded by luxuriant nature; sleep late; indulge in the tempting and long-forgotten smells and tastes of our organically grown produce; enjoy reading your favourite book while basking in the sun; or rediscover the fun of a round of cards or a board game among friends in our cosy sitting room. The list is virtually endless, but most of all… …make yourselves comfortable, you will be our welcome guests! |
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 Aereal view of Scarperia  View of the Bilancino Lake        |
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