If you have found a villa with pool in Lucca or a luxury villa in Florence and you are looking to plan daytrips to some of the impossibly scenic areas of the famously pretty countryside that surrounds this part of Tuscany then you will hardly be stuck for choice. There truly are endless great examples that you could pick. However, one area that has the great honour of having managed to catch the eye of the great master Leonardo da Vinci is the beautiful locality of Montalbano, in the province of Pistoia.
Montalbano is a lovely and hilly area of the Tuscan countryside made most famous by drawings that da Vinci made of the locality and is now inextricably tied to the globally-renowned artist forevermore, with various landmarks and areas named for him. Spread over 16,000 hectares located between the provinces of Florence, Prato and Pistoia, Montalbano includes the towns of Cerreto Guidi, Capraia e Limite, and Vinci, the very town where da Vinci was born. Inhabited since prehistoric times, this stunning part of the world sees natural beauty meet carefully cultivated vineyards and olive groves in an especially picturesque manner.
While Montalbano is an area steeped in history, tourists are most attracted to the area for this great natural bounty today and it is a popular spot for hiking and cycling with trails signposted in white and red throughout the area that allow you to work up a sweat, breath some very fresh area, and take in incredible views over this especially scenic part of Tuscany. A guide to these trails called the, “Cartoguida Il Montalbano a Piedi e in Bicicletta,” can be purchased from the ticket office of the Leonardo Museum in Vinci. If you're less up for such exertion by still want to explore the area, the, “Strada dell’olio e del vino del Montalbano Colline di Leonardo (Oil and Wine road of the Montalbano Hills of Leonardo),” is a road itinerary signposted throughout the area that can be followed by looking out for brown road signs and that will introduce you to the charming little towns in Montalbano, as well as some of her local delicacies and regional specialties.
So, whether you want to cycle or walk or just take it easy and drive around, the delightful area of Montalbano with its impossible beauty and endless attractions can be readily explored while on vacation in Tuscany.
While Montalbano is an area steeped in history, tourists are most attracted to the area for this great natural bounty today and it is a popular spot for hiking and cycling with trails signposted in white and red throughout the area that allow you to work up a sweat, breath some very fresh area, and take in incredible views over this especially scenic part of Tuscany. A guide to these trails called the, “Cartoguida Il Montalbano a Piedi e in Bicicletta,” can be purchased from the ticket office of the Leonardo Museum in Vinci. If you're less up for such exertion by still want to explore the area, the, “Strada dell’olio e del vino del Montalbano Colline di Leonardo (Oil and Wine road of the Montalbano Hills of Leonardo),” is a road itinerary signposted throughout the area that can be followed by looking out for brown road signs and that will introduce you to the charming little towns in Montalbano, as well as some of her local delicacies and regional specialties.
So, whether you want to cycle or walk or just take it easy and drive around, the delightful area of Montalbano with its impossible beauty and endless attractions can be readily explored while on vacation in Tuscany.
Photo credit: Ebs Els / CC BY-ND 2.0
