galatrona – san leolino – cennina

TOURISM AND FREE TIME
Recommended itineraries
All the itineraries suggested take place within the Bucine area and are suitable for walking, horse
riding or mountain biking.
MERCATALE – GALATRONA – SAN LEOLINO – CENNINA
Torre di Galatrona
San Leolino
ITINERARY N.1– Length approx. 8.5 km
This route starts from the “market” square in Mercatale keeping the tower Torre di
Galatrona as its main landmark. If you go down towards the valley you can see the old
village of Torre nestling around the little church Chiesa di S. Biagio. From Mercatale
climb the hill, through vineyards, in the direction of the little parish church Pieve di
Galatrona (or Petrolo) which preserves a splendid baptismal font and tabernacle
attributed to Giovanni della Robbia. Opposite the Pieve you can see the wine estate
Fattoria di Petrolo, with its magnificent villa, work of the architect Massimiliano Soldani,
dating back to the first decades of the 18th century.
Continue up the steep slope to the highest point of the walk, the Torre di Galatrona, which
dominates this side of the Arno valley and a long stretch of the crest of the Chianti hills.
Turn south-east and walk among the beautiful Mediterranean thickets as far as the old
spring on the heights of San Leolino and the grand old farmhouse of Poggio del Fattore
with its cypresses and ancient elm tree.
Torre di Galatrona
Go downhill for a short way to San Leolino, with the walls of its ancient castle, fine bell
tower, and cobbled streets. From the ancient fishpond, recognisable by its characteristic
brick structure in the form of a fountain rising out of a pool, go down the road towards
Tontenano and Lupinari, where stands a building, surrounded by a large garden, with an
appearance typical of the castles designed by Gino Coppedé, built between 1906 and 1908.
Go back along the ridge path, past the Poggio della Marianna on the left, and then take
the new, wider path to Cennina and Solata.
Cennina
CENNINA – SOLATA - MONTEBENICHI
Cennina
Piazza della Cisterna
Solata
Scorcio
ITINERARY N. 2– Length approx. 10km
If you visit the medieval village of Cennina and stand on the north side of the castle, near
the church, you can enjoy one of the most extensive and beautiful views in the area: from
Pratomagno to the Arno and Ambra valleys, from Civitella and the Val di Chiana as far as
Casentino and La Verna.
After admiring the vegetation, and the grape pergolas and flowers in the little gardens,
you can identify the lane to the interesting little hamlet of Duddova, by its great elder
trees and tufts of evergreen bay.
However if you walk towards Solata you will find, to the left of the road, a little chapel
which shelters a recent fresco portraying Virgin Mary surrounded by angels.
Continue along this road under the chestnut trees of Ripalta as far as the bridge over the
Ristolli gully, then climb the steep winding road up to Solata, where restoration work is
gradually giving the hamlet back its original dignity. The shadow of a horse chestnut tree
covers the little well in front of the church dedicated to St. Jacopo and St. Cristofano.
Vergaia, Monte di Rota, Monte della Via and Poggialto are all farmhouses, abandoned or
otherwise, situated along the ancient hill top road which separates Valdambra from
Monteluco, San Vincenti and Rosennano.
Follow the path southwards to Montebenichi, towards the end of which stands a little
brick church dedicated to St. Francis.
In Montebenichi stands the house of the mercenary captain Gregorio Stendardi, known as
Goro da Montebenichi, who served Giovanni dalle Bande Neri.
A much venerated picture of the “Madre Misericordiosa”(The Merciful Mother) is to be
found inside the Chiesa della Madonna del Conforto.
Just a short distance down the road we find the Pieve di Santa Maria in Altaserra,
considered to be one of the most beautiful and important monuments in the area.
Montebenichi
Castelletto
BUCINE – POGI – CASTIGLIONE ALBERTI - CAPANNOLE
Bucine
Teatro Comunale
Pogi
Ponte
ITINERARY NO.3 – Length approx. 8km
The little town of Bucine boasts parks and garden areas with ancient trees of considerable
natural interest in the areas near the station, the theatre, the civic offices, Piazza Menotti,
Via Calamari and San Salvatore. The park of the Villa Chiaromanni also offers an
interesting variety of flora, shelter for many species of small birds.
Leave the via Senese and, after the tree-lined avenus leading to Fattoria Casabianca, turn
towards Pogi. On the left we can see the fine building of the fattoria Casabianca with its
two dove-cot towers, while on the right side of the road, under the tiny bell tower, an
isolated tabernacle houses an image of the Madonna e del Sacro Cuore di Gesù
(Madonna and the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Just after this we reach Pogi, with its beautiful
hump-back bridge over the river Ambra.
The castle of Pogi, nestling with stone houses around two little squares, stretches to the
southwest towards the farm of Casa al Papa and towards the woods of Castiglion
Alberti. The old flagged road touches the Fonte dell’Imbuta Casa al Papa and continues
in a straight line towards La Madonna, as the oratory dedicatede to the “Vergine della SS.
Consolazione” (Virgin of the Holy Consolation) is known in the area, A little path leads
towards Poggio dei Franchi, and the foliage of a gigantic pine and a cypress tree indicate
the direction to Fattoria Iesolana, to the farmhouse Casa Stracca, and to the little
community of Montozzi. If you go into the woods on the right, where the road crosses a
little stream, you reach the old houses of Casa Zanio, while the road opposite leads to the
neat little castle of Castiglione Alberti. Turning back down the road towards Capannole,
at the edge of an olive grove, we come to “Il Paretaio”, ancient hunting ground bordered
by holm-oaks and cypress trees.
Capannone
Centro storico
RAPALE – SOGNA – BADIA A RUOTI – AMBRA
Rapale
Sogna
ITINERARY NO. 4 – Length approx. 9 km.
The ancient fortified settlement of Rapale is one of the most panoramic places in the area.
The surviving walls of the old castle are adorned with an abundance of caper plants,
clumps of rosemary and stock, wall pellitory and helichrysum.
Along the dirt road which leads to Sogna stands a little building, today little more than a
hut, probably dating from the early 18th century, with interesting engravings (….April
1717….). Just beyond, a little tabernacle encloses a plaster Madonna with child, this
replaces the original pottery figure which was stolen. Further on, a track branches off to
the right leading down to the ruins of an old mill Mulin della Buca, on the gully of
Lusignana. If you continue towards Sogna, you can admire the woods surrounding the
village, the thickets of dog roses, blackthorn and broom, the olive and almond trees,
cypresses, box and vibernum.
The church in the village, dedicated to St. Thomas, and the central fountain are framed by
arbutus and sweet fruited figs.
On the way down to Badia a Ruoti it is worth noting a spring, the Fontino
del Tagliaticcio, known in the area for its health giving waters.
From Badia a Ruoti you can continue to Pietraviva along the asphalt road or by the dirt
road to Rimacini.
Badia a Ruoti
Otherwise you can continue to Ambra along via del Castagno, which borders the lower
edge of Bosco del Santo and Poggio Castiglioni.
The ruined chimney of the spinning mill (later turned into a tobacco factory), which once
guaranteed work to the local population, is still clearly visible above the rooftops of the
little town of Ambra, nestling around the old castle on the hill. The place-name “Le
Carbonaie”, close to the castle in the centre of the town, indicates where carbon was once
produced.
Ambra
SAN PANCRAZIO – LA VILLA – BADIA AGNANO – CAPANNOLE
San Pancrazio
Sacrario
La Villa
ITINERARY N.5 – Length, approx. 6.4 km.
To reach San Pancrazio go along the Procacci provincial road which links Valdambra with
Valdichiana.
In the main square, Piazza 29 Giugno, inside the Centro Culturale “Don Giuseppe
Torelli”, lies the sanctuary in memory of the villagers who were barbarously killed there
during the second world war. Each plant in the rose garden below bears a plate inscribed
with the name of one of the martyrs. All around is open space with cedar rees that offer
precious shade, and rolling hills strewn with oak and broom down towards the valley.
Leaving the village, the panoramic road to the Cornia opens out to the north-east, where a
majestic “Madonna with Child”, protected by numerous cypress trees, watches over the
road. A few hundred metres down the road, past the turning for the old farm, Sergine,
fork left towards the “Chiusa del Bindi”, where we can trace fragments of ancient bricks
and roofing tiles strewn over the ground.
A short distance further on is the hamlet of “La Villa”. From here there are two possible
routes: for the first, - turn back along the path to the left for Badia Agnano; for the second,
follow the path to Capannole.
Along the path to Badia Agnano, the pinewood of Poggio Greta is to be seen on the left.
Cross the abandoned fields and a little stream among poplar trees, alders and bamboo.
Badia Agnano
On arrival in the village, cross the main square and go along via Trento as far as the
ancient church of the Badia, which probably dates back to before the year 1000. It is
possible to distinguish significant traces of the old castle such as the outer walls and an
entrance gate.
(Length of walk – 5.5km.)
For the second route – take the path leading off to the right at the first sharp left bend.
After a stony stretch, where ruts left by the cart wheels are visible, the path follows a
perfectly preserved tract of the Roman road that leads to the olive groves of Poggio
Grande. Go round to the right without passing a little stone building and go along beside
a wall. The old road over Poggio di Tolli, leads down to Capannole. Along the path
Castiglione Alberti and, lower down, Villa Cini can be seen to the east.The ancient castle of
Capannole, junction of ancient routes, conserves its original aspect which recent
restoration work has not altered. Near the bridge over the river Trove, along the main
road, stands the Villa Rubeschi with magnificent trees standing in its abandoned garden.
Along the road stands the ancient church of the Pieve di San Quirico, now completely
restored.
Capannone – Centro storico