SloWays • Walking in the Medici Lands |

The Tuscan landscape of the Via Medicea will warm your heart like a classic photograph as you penetrate its natural beauty.

It starts from Cascine Medicee parks of Prato and arrives in Fucecchio, after having crossed those territories where the Medici lived, hunted and amused, shaping wonderful landscapes also depicted by Leonardo Da Vinci in his paintings.

Throughout the trip there are four Medici Villas, today recognized as Unesco World Heritage sites, but also historic villages, ridges and valleys, natural parks, archaeological sites and numerous historical and artistic sites.

Route

Day 1: Arrival in Prato

Day 2: From Prato to Artimino, 17.5 km

Day 3: From Artimino to Bacchereto, 19 km

Day 4: From Bacchereto to Vinci, 14 km

Day 5: From Vinci to Fucecchio, 16.5 km

Day 6: Depart from Fucecchio

Day 1: Arrival in Prato

Arrive in Prato. The richness of Prato is also its mixture of cultures, eastern and western, which coexist and complement each other: ravioli for dinner and cantucci for dessert, why not?

Day 2: From Prato to Artimino, 17.5 km

The first stage of the Medici Route offers three historical-artistic and landscape masterpieces of the entire route - the Cascine di Tavola, the Medici Villa in Poggio a Caiano and the Medici Villa "La Ferdinanda" in Artimino, both UNESCO heritage - wanted and built by the Medici family during the long period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century.
This stage of the Medici Route gives us the possibility to know and appreciate the evolution of the territorial policy of the Medici family, of its changes and mutations also in function of the political-economic, social and cultural conditions of the Tuscan and Italian situation of the time!

Distance: 17,5 km

Elevation gain: +573/-357 m

Day 3: From Artimino to Bacchereto, 19 km

The second stage, together with the third, is the most 'naturalistic' of the entire route, developing first on the highest belt of the hills of the northern side of Montalbano, and then on the ridge of this relief, which has always been covered by woods from the end of the Middle Ages until today. Here and there, the itinerary shows the signs of eras that preceded the Medici period, from Ancient times to the Middle Ages, which distinguish the upper part of Montalbano still today, such as the Etruscan settlements, churches and abbeys. The woods of Montalbano, some natural elements such as the monoliths of hard sandstone and important and original plant species remain in memory of the periods when Nature was the protagonist and imposed its laws on a man equipped with rudimentary technology.

Distance: 19 km

Elevation gain: +826/-834 m

Day 4: From Bacchereto to Vinci, 14 km

The ridge of the mountain offers strips of forest of absolute naturalistic importance and offers rare panoramic views, open on the large basin of Florence and Pistoia, thus showing how man has managed and manages spaces in the use of natural resources. The southern side instead offers panoramas ranging from the Valdarno di Sotto, to Mount Serra, from the Apuan Alps to the Pistoia Apennines. Finally, the mills near the numerous streams that descend from the upper part of the mountain, are evidence of the use by man of hydraulic energy in the long period preceding the arrival of the steam (first) and the electricity in the countryside (after). Vinci and Leonardo's engineering genius constitute the emblem of this stage of the Medici Route.

Distance: 14 km

Elevation gain: +456/-620 m

Day 5: From Vinci to Fucecchio, 16.5 km

The fourth stage of the Medici Route, like the first, runs through a hilly, soft and winding landscape. Along the way there is the third Medici Villa of the entire Route, the Villa of Cerreto Guidi, a UNESCO heritage site, another fundamental stage of the Medici Route.

Distance: 16,5 km

Elevation gain: +310/-340 m

Day 6: Depart from Fucecchio

Last day included. Tour ends after breakfast.

practical info

We use selected 3* hotels and B&B.

Luggage transfer is always included in this trip.

The best arrival airport:

Florence “A. Vespucci” Airports www.aeroporto.firenze.it/en/
Pisa www.pisa-airport.com/en/

From the airports you can take a train and then busses to reach Prato.

The day of the departure you can take a train from San Miniato/ Fucecchio Station to the airports.

Check the updated train timetables on the website www.trenitalia.com

Included

What is included

5 Nights in double room in **/*** hotels , B&B with breakfast
luggage transportation from hotel to hotel
maps and detailed description of the itinerary, app
Pilgrim Passport
Medical and luggage travel insurance
24h phone assistance

What is not included

Transfers to the starting location and from the arriving location of the tour
lunches and dinners.
visits and entrance fees - tips
personal expense
possible sojourn taxes
everything that is not mentioned in the "What is included" section.

Optional Services

These services can be added to the ones included in the base price of the tour:

Single room supplement
Transfers to reach the starting location or to leave the arriving location of the tour, which will be quoted on request.

Is this trip for me?

A journey through the wonderful Tuscan countryside, perfect for those who want to walk in iconic and peaceful landscapes.

Being just slightly shorter than other trips, it can be a good choice for training - but keep in mind that Tuscany is a hilly land, and there are elevations: fairly trained legs are required, even to cover a number of kilometers exceeding 15 for several consecutive days.