Walking in Tuscany - Sunflower Books

Walking in Tuscany: rolling hills and Medieval towns

Tuscany, with its rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves, and medieval towns, offers some fantastic walking opportunities.

Our guidebook to walking in Tuscany features walks for all abilities, from gentle strolls through charming villages to challenging hikes through the Apennine Mountains.

We cover the following regions:

• Walks north of Florence
• Walks between Florence and Siena
• Walks south of Siena
• Walks in Southern Tuscany

Below we have described some of our favourite walks.

From Bivigliano to Fiesole (Walk 1)

If you have only time to do one walk in Tuscany, then choose this one. It gives you a taste of everything these hills offer: vast panoramas of endless horizons, steep wooded hillsides, holy places, old farms, gentle olive groves, and imposing villas.

There are places to linger and look about you, and other sections where you can really get into your stride and pound down the lanes.

When you return to Florence, you can point to the distinctive shape of Monte Senario on the far horizon and say, ‘I walked from there’.

Circuit from Sant’Agata via the Apennine Ridge (Walk 5)

This walk, which follows the ‘SOFT 13 Ring’, climbs to the summit of the Apennines from the edge of the Mugello.

After a long but pleasant climb (through beech woods in the latter stage), you achieve the summit ridge path with its magnificent views. Ahead are the retreating summits of the Apennine mountain chain.

The huge fertile bowl of the Mugello is to the south, and to the north, in the direction of Bologna, are distant towns. The path is well waymarked and decorated with wild raspberries, sloe bushes and cyclamen.

It passes through meadows covered with purple crocus and snowdrops in March and blue scillas in April. At the Passo Osteria Bruciata (Burnt Inn Pass), the homeward journey begins. The path ndulates through shade down an ancient trading route back to the charming village of Sant’Agata.

Along Michelangelo’s road (Walk 6)

This wonderful introduction to the Alpi Apuane gives you an insight into the magnificence of the area and the lifestyles of inhabitants past and present.

The walk is set among low-level chestnut-covered slopes, but with awe-inspiring ridges above and fast-moving torrents below.

The cobbled mule track followed for part of the way was reputedly built by Michelangelo to bring his precious white marble down from Monte Altissimo.

For walkers, these ancient mule tracks today provide perfect links between the tiny villages with their steep labyrinthine streets the width of a donkey cart.

Monte Falco and Monte Falterona (Walk 10)

This high-level, shady walk is very enjoyable on a hot day – even in August. This area, in the Alpe di San Benedetto, is also a ski resort.

The walk has spectacular views, especially to the north. You can look over the strange desert-like mountain landscape of the neighbouring Emilia Romagna region.

Although there is plenty of climbing (two of the highest peaks in the area are climbed), there are also pleasant strolls through magical beech woods.

Seeing the source of the Arno River with its plaque bearing a quotation from Dante is also fun, even if the spring is without water!

Circuit from Gaiole (Walk 15)

The route goes via the Castello di Meleto and Barbischio.

This walk is set in the heart of Chianti and the Chianti Classico wine-growing area. The route has all the ingredients for a typical Chianti walk.

It passes a 10th-century church, a castle involved in the wars between Siena and Florence, and a medieval tower house.

It is, of course, set among a myriad of vineyards patterning the hillsides not covered with trees.

In autumn, with all the wild fruits around – blackberries, figs and grapes – the walk is a feast both metaphorically and literally.

From Pitigliano to Sovana (Walk 25)

Full of interest, this walk links a medieval town packed tight above a vertical cliff to a miniature medieval village full of charm and historic buildings.

The route is through an area rich in Etruscan remains – tombs, temples, and drainage channels cut into the rock. Much of the walk is along their sunken roads. These are worn deep into the terrain through the pressure of wheels and hooves on soft volcanic rock.

When the ruts became too deep, the humps in the middle were chiselled away, so the roads got deeper. Some roads are as much as 10m/30ft deep, although these were probably cut for ceremonial purposes rather than eroded. These deep roads are shady and cool.

As the whole walk traverses quiet landscapes rich in wild flowers, it is definitely a five-star hike!

The best time of year for walking in Tuscany

Tuscany’s weather is unpredictable; there can be snow at Easter, cool temperatures in August, or a week of rain in June.

The weather can also be extreme, with long periods of very heavy rain (especially in October and November). There are extremes of temperature in the winter and summer.

As with so much in Italy, the secret is to be flexible and well prepared. Fortunately there are plenty of museums and churches to visit, if being out-of-doors is not an option.

July and August have the most predictable weather. It is hot, sometimes very hot; thus they are the least suitable months for walking.

But by starting early in the morning, it is still possible to walk – in wooded mountain areas.

Getting around Tuscany

Almost all of the walks in our guidebook are most easily reached by car. You should also be able to reach the majority by bus (or train). But remember that on Sundays public transport is less frequent.

You will be able to obtain timetables for many buses from the larger tourist offices and the web. But he safest option is to visit the bus company itself. A good public transport app is Moovit, with real-time info.

Tuscany offers a unique and unforgettable walking experience. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, you’ll find plenty of trails to explore in this beautiful region. Buy our guidebook to walking in Tuscany.