The unifying element of this itinerary connecting Tuscany and Romagna is constituted by the variety that had also given birth to strong cohesion – of places, traditions, cultures and, naturally, culinary legacies – between two bordering regions. A union that has survived the test of time, and that today allows us to enjoy stories, landscapes and food that leave a mark on both sides of the Muraglione, and that Pellegrino Artusi cleverly succeeded in putting together and transferring into his book, in the elegant and passionate style that distinguished him.
Florence, Piazza d'Azeglio 25

Artusi moved here in 1865, and lived here until his death in 1911. It is a large square with trees and a public garden, where this month there will be a week of food tastings and the sale of typical products – this is one of the events related to Artusi that will take place in Florence during 2011.

Please consult this page for further information (some of the events are still being planned).

From Piazza d’Azeglio we head north-east, following the regional route no. 67: the main town of the Sieve Valley that we reach coming from Florence is Pontassieve, which was founded during the XIII century near the jointure of the rivers Sieve and Arno.

It still has the Medicean bridge built in 1555 by order of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici. On the hillsides, there are numerous villas and farmhouses surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, thanks to which Pontassieve – together with the neighbouring town Rufina – has become well known for its production of wine and oil.

The beautiful Villa of Poggio Reale, which is also associated with the cultivation of grapes, has been transformed into a Grapevine and Wine Museum.

Near Rufina, in an area characterized by gentle hills, stands the village of Pomino – also famous for its wine and for the XII-century medieval church of St Bartholomew – and the village of Turicchi – an old county of the bishops of Fiesole. Having passed the hamlet of Contea, deviating to the right after a few kilometres one reaches the very ancient village of Londa, with a small artificial lake that is a very popular attraction in the warmer season.
In September there is a town fair dedicated to the star product of the area, the Regina peach.

Continuing on along the regional route no. 67, we pass Sandetole and soon after reach the town of Dicomano, founded by the Romans and characterized by lovely XVII-century porticoes and the Neoclassical Oratory of St Onuphrius.

In May there is a traditional country fair which is very popular among locals and tourists alike.

From Dicomano the route no. 67 starts gradually to ascend towards San Godenzo, that stands up high in a panoramic position, surrounded by chestnut forests. The area around San Godenzo, famous for the meeting in 1302 between Ghibelline and White Guelph exiles at which the poet Dante Alighieri was present, is of great environmental value.

Not far from there, at Castagno d’Andrea, there is the entrance gate to the National Park of the Forests of Casentino, Mount Falterona and Campigna.

Though winding, the road leading to the Muraglione, passing through woods of chestnut and beech trees, is particularly beautiful. The road, a masterpiece of engineering for its time, was built in 1836 by order of the Grand Duke Leopold II. He also commissioned the construction of an inn and of a large wall – from which the pass derives its name Muraglione, which in Italian means “large wall” – to shelter travellers and carriages from the strong winds on the mountain crest.

From here one can admire a spectacular view towards the mountain group of the Falterona, which can be reached by a hiking trail.
The pass is one of the stops on the Great Apennine Excursion. The walk that from the Muraglione leads to Colla della Maestà and then to the waterfalls of Acquacheta, mentioned by Dante in the XVI Canto of his Inferno, has great appeal.

Descending towards the Valley of Montone, after only three kilometres we are already in Romagna. First we find San Benedetto in Alpe (a classic destination for those who want to walk to the Acquacheta waterfalls) and next Portico di Romagna, but this is a story that our friends across the Apennines will have to tell.

On the way…

If you are hungry, you can find "restaurants in Florence and Forlimpopoli and along the route that connects them, both in Tuscany and in Romagna" , that include recipes by Artusi on their menu. or click here and use the mouse to turn over the pages of our calendar.
Keep in mind that all Florentine cuisine is contaminated – in a positive sense – by the ingredients and traditions that Artusi laid out for us over a century ago: simple, because it uses local produce, more specifically vegetables and legumes, and at the same time creative, since it is a cuisine which in origin was poor, and relied on the imagination to vary the dishes served at the table.

Produts of the route of Artusi

Meat: Florentine T-bone steak, lampredotto (brown tripe), tripe, salamis, finocchiona (a typical kind of salami seasoned with fennel seeds), bardiccio (a typical salami of the “poor” peasant tradition, produced during the winter months), game, meats roasted on a skewer, the “Regina di Londa” peach, different kinds of cheese, olive oil, legumes, in particular the pink chickpeas from the district of Reggello and the zolfino bean from Pratomagno, all rounded off with the excellent wines from Chianti Rufina and Pomino.