Tourist Information Offices in the Montagna Fiorentina
The Montagna Fiorentina area extends along the course of the rivers Sieve and Comano. The terrain consists partly of mountains and partly of hills. The latter are cultivated for the most part with vineyards and olive groves that produce wines and oils of justified fame.
The presence of important nature reserves and of a dense network of footpaths make the Montagna Fiorentina an area of great interest for nature-lovers.
If you want to get to know the tourist information offices in the Montagna Fiorentina, click on the file tourist information offices .
On the trail of Artusi
For the centenary of his death, we are paying homage to Pellegrino Artusi, the acclaimed father of Italian cuisine – his book The Science of Cooking, first published in 1891, has become a classic present in kitchens throughout Italy.
Though born in Romagna, Artusi spent most of his life in Florence, and, following his footsteps, we have chosen to travel back along an imaginary route between Tuscany and Romagna. From Florence, going towards Pontassieve along the route no. 67 connecting Tuscany and Romagna, we will follow the river Sieve, then head up towards the famous Muraglione Pass, a necessary passage between Romagna and Tuscany, then descend towards Forlimpopoli in Romagna, where Artusi was born in 1820.
The area of Santa Brigida is an ANPIL (protected natural area) that extends for about 800 hectares above the village of Santa Brigida, within the municipal territory of Pontassieve.
From the naturalistic point of view, the area is very interesting for the species of vegetation and trees and for the wildlife, though it is also rich with signs of the presence of man and, in particular, of “burraie”, ancient stone structures, near farm houses and natural springs, that were used for the production of butter.
The municipality of Reggello is worth a visit for its historic, artistic and natural beauties. The area was already inhabited in very ancient times, but the earliest vestiges date back to the tenth century.
Chestnuts are the stars of the autumn at the mountain villages of the Montagna fiorentina.
During the past centuries sweet chestnuts were the only available food for the poor people of the mountains. Chestnuts where stored and used dried or cooked. A wonderful culinary tradition is connected with this fruit.
The Forest of Vallombrosa is a large wood situated in the municipality of Reggello, not far from Florence.
The chestnut, beech and fir forest is marked by the memory of St. Giovanni Gualberto, who chose this solitary spot to live a life of prayer.
The Forest is referred to the life of the Holy Man and his disciples. They lived here in the 11th century but left a spiritual legacy: an Abbey and some chapels were built in the woods as places of prayer.
From the naturalistic point of view, the Foreste Casentinesi National Park stands out as one of the most important forested areas of Europe. The heart of the park is the State Casentino Forest, which includes the Sasso Fratino Nature Reserve.
