Medieval villages in Mugello
Everyone knows Mugello, often mentioned also for motorcycle and formula One races, but also because it is one of the most suggestive valleys in Tuscany, located north of Florence. It is an enchanting environment, modified by man for centuries, full of perfectly preserved small villages of medieval origin. Let’s see which are the main ones and what can be done in Mugello.
The Mugello valley, where it is located
Mugello is a valley that corresponds to the upper course of the Sieve river, south of the Apennines that divides Bologna from Florence.
It is separated from the Arno valley and from Florence by the Mugello Mountains. The landscape is not as rugged as in the high mountains, it is rather gentle and there are numerous agricultural plots, as well as woods.
What to see in Mugello
Museums, medieval villages, but also many excursions into nature, to be done on foot, by bicycle or on horseback: Mugello is an oasis of peace and tranquility, whose many villages have not by chance been named among the most beautiful villages in Italy.
Palazzuolo sul Senio and the palace of Julius II
Let’s start with Palazzuolo sul Senio. In the Palazzo dei Capitani, dating back to the fourteenth century, there is the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Peasant Civilization and Mountain People.
It is a very prestigious building for the village: in 1506 both Pope Julius II and Niccolò Machiavelli stayed there.
In the surroundings, then, there are the Pieve di Santo Stefano, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Neve di Quadalto, immersed in the beech woods, and the Badia Susinana.
Places easily accessible by hiking, mountain biking, or horseback.
Firenzuola: the little Florence
Not far from Palazzuolo stands Firenzuola, the “little Florence” of Mugello. In the fifteenth century the village was almost completely rebuilt at the behest of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and for a certain period he sent Niccolò Machiavelli as governor.
Scarperia and its Palazzo Vecchio
An authentic jewel of Tuscany and not only of Mugello is Scarperia, which has joined the restricted club of the most beautiful villages in Italy. In the heart of the village stands Palazzo dei Vicari, dating back to 1300. Damaged in 1929 by an earthquake, and later restored, it took on an aspect that made it completely similar to the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Arnolfo di Cambio, the architect of the famous Florentine palace, according to some sources is the same as the one of the Scarperia palace.
The facade of the building is decorated with numerous coats of arms in glazed terracotta. Inside is the Museum of cutting tools.
On the main square there are two religious buildings of exquisite workmanship: the Oratory of the Madonna di Piazza and the Propositura, founded in 1326 and dedicated to Saints Jacopo and Filippo.
Marradi, the capital of poetry
Among the villages of Mugello we must not forget Marradi, which we can consider a small capital of poetry, as it is the birthplace of Dino Campana.
It is a suggestive village, crossed by a stream. In the historic center stands Palazzo Torriani, inside which considerable decorations by Galileo Chini and a canvas by the painter Silvestro Lega are preserved.
You should not miss a visit to the Teatro degli Animosi, dating back to the 1700s and a stop in Piazza le Scalelle, the heart of the village.
We are waiting for you at Villa Campestri to visit the most beautiful villages in Mugello
If you can’t wait to visit the most beautiful villages in Mugello and discover a Tuscany rich in history, culture and popular traditions, then we are waiting for you at Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort for an unforgettable stay.
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