Hi all,
I see in Rick's book on Florence that he has the term "hiking" on Page 90 which is in the Fiesole section, yet I see nothing on hikes. Does anyone know if there is a specific hike in that area? I'm looking for walks and hikes close to Florence -- within a short bus ride.
Thank you!
In Fiesole itself there’s a very pretty forest walk out to Montececere, which is where Leonardo and his crew performed the first experimental test flight back in 1508. There’s a small marker at the spot and a picnic table nearby if you want to pack a lunch and enjoy the scene. Along the way there are nice views down to Florence below, and the route passes by an ancient marble quarry which, according to local lore, is where Michelangelo supposedly selected some pieces for his sculptures. It’s only about a mile and a half out, and most of it is an easy stroll thru a leafy wood.
You can also walk back down the hill into Florence - there are several small side roads that avoid most of the vehicle traffic.
This sounds great Robert! Thank you! Any other "close to Florence" walks or hikes to get out of the city?
Many here love the town of Lucca - about an hour and a half by train from SMN. You can either walk or bike the 2.5 mile circuit atop the old city walls with plenty of places to stop along the way for a coffee, gelato, or lunch. Makes for a very pleasant day.
Edited to add: if you’re up for a bit of adventure you can catch the bus out to Pratolino - maybe a half hour from the city center. There’s a very pretty park there full of hidden grottoes, fountains, gargoyles, etc. Can google it to see if it might be of interest. I guarantee you’ll be the only tourists there.
I googled to see the park Robert recommended outside of Florence. Google maps says it's "temporarily closed," so check before you go.
Well, that's interesting. I just googled it myself and it says it's open Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 10 till 6 PM. Wonder if we're talking about two separate things?
Anyway, here's the link (in Italian) if you want to investigate further.: https://www.cittametropolitana.fi.it/parco-mediceo-di-pratolino/
I don't know how long you want to walk, but Fiesole is considered the starting (or arrival) point of the Flaminia Militare road, the route built in the II century aC to connect Arezzo and Bologna (Firenze I believe was scarcely a village in that period).
This webpage is about a race, but give you a trail to follow starting from the Roman theatre in Fiesole to the "Monte di Fo" pass: https://www.ultratrailviadeglidei.com/flaminiamilitaretrail-en
Here you can find the whole itinerary Bologna - Florence: https://www.ultratrailviadeglidei.com/ultratrailviadeglidei-en
This is the official webpage of the trail, but in Italian only: https://www.viadeglidei.it/
In summer a lot of Italian do this route and since few years is loved even by foreign tourists. Each stage is not too challenging.
