Tuscan Wanderways - Walking in and Around Florence

TUSCAN WANDERWAYS				the red and white blazes. The path dips
FIESOLE - MONTECECERI - SETTIGNANO				down, the ground it rough, but you soon
Before setting out, the best way to				come to clearing in the wood where you
interpret your wanderway from Fiesole up				take left turning uphill; again we can
to Montececeri and over to Settignano,				see the frequent on the trees. Look up
is to observe it from afar. Take a bus				to the left, up to the cypress trees on
up to Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the				the hilltop to get your bearings. Ten
most frequented landmarks of the city.				minutes uphill, keeping the hilltop to
From the front balustrade of the				your left, you come to the red-and-white
Piazzale, look down over the river Arno				marks on the rock in front of you.
to the cupola of the Cathedral, and then				MONTECECERI -------------BORGUNTO
directly up to the horizon. Fiesole				MAIANO
crowns the hilltop in the distance, and				This time take lefthand path to
beside it, to your right, is				Montececeri another quarry on the right
Montececeri. It was from this platform				and at the first Y-junction take a few
that the "first human flight" was				steps forward, then to the left along a
attempted following the drawings of				short path for a striking view from the
Leonardo da Vinci.				top of the quarry face over to the
Facing the river, walk to the left and				distant hills and down to the valleys.
round the balustrade until you come to a				Retrace your steps and follow this path
flight of steps leading down to a small				with the red-and-white marks and after
piazza. At the end of this area is a				10 minutes there is an uphill stretch
board-map showing the most celebrated				along a wooden handrail and stone steps.
buildings of the city.				The path spirals round to the left until
BUS TO FIESOLE				you reach Piazzale Leonardo. A few
ATAF bus 7, Florence to Fiesole (20				benches and tables are available for
minutes)				rest and picnics.
STOPPING AT				The board shows its story.
Central Station - Piazza Indipendenza -				This place is dedicated to the memory of
Piazza San Marco - Piazza della LibertÃ				Leonardo da Vinci'sfirst human flight
- Piazza delle Cure - Piazza Edison -				experiment.
Camerata - San Domenico - Regresso -				An area of strategic position during
Piazza Mino da Fiesole.				WORLD WAR II
WALK TIME				The translation of stone column reads:
3 hours. Grade: Leisurely.				The great bird will rise to its first
FIESOLE				flight over the summit of Ceceri,
A century ago, the walk uphill from				filling the universe will awe and
Florence to Fiesole was only for the				filling with its fame all writings and
energetic; the electric tram was tedious				with eternal glory the nest where it was
and long-winded, and downright punishing				born.
for the horses dragging their carriages				In Leonardo's own words we read.
of goods and passengers.				"The aforesaid bird, aided by the wind,
Every Latin historian had something to				shall rise to a great height; and in
say about Fiesole. Rambling and strange				this will be its safety. Should any act
at times as their stories might seem,				of overturning intervene, it will thus
they do contain a grain or two of truth.				have time to regain its equilibrium,
Some asserted that it was built by the				when its limbs are of great resistance
Tirreni, others by the Pelasgians, or				so that it may withstand the fury and
even by the Phoenicians. It was				impetus of a descent with the aforesaid
certainly one of the richest and most				precautions and its strongly mounted
powerful of the Etruscan cities.				joints and its nerves of strong raw
Inevitably, the proud Roman clarion				silk; and with no interference of iron
echoed one day along the Arno valley up				parts, as soon these will break under
the hillside and the inhabitants of				pressure, or will be subject to wear,
Fiesole were either slaughtered or				and therefore we should not employ them.
ordered to genuflect before the				Be reminded that the bird shall not
invincible Legions. After the fall of				imitate any other than the bat, as the
Rome, it was subsequently plundered				membrane affords a structure, that is a
several times and lost its peculiar				connection for the structure, the
qualities. On the old Etruscan and Roman				mainstays of the wings.
ruins and monuments the new town was				Should you imitate the wings of
slowly built.				feathered birds, they are of stronger
In the immediate post-war years the				bone and nerve to be perforated; that is
young flower-girl sat at the corner,				the feathers are disunited and so let
aggressive street hawkers strolled the				air pass through.
streets with cardboard boxes tied round				But the bat is helped by the membrane,
their waists containing their wares, and				which ties all together and is not
pitiful beggars, little more than				perforated.
road-rats, sold holy pictures with				Leaving the Piazzale, take the wide path
potent prayers for a safe wayfaring.				along the garden wall on the left which
Poverty was a role to be performed, not				leads downhill for a few minutes to a
social offence, so a Tuscan rispetto				mapboard, where you turn left. Pass the
sings -				road barrier and soon a small open area
I cast a palm-leaf into the sea:				of hard ground comes into view on your
The waters devour it.				right with a quaint little church on the
I see others cast lead, and -				corner. This is Piazza dei Pini and the
				parish church of Borgunto, seated like a
Lo! For them it sails.				seer in the midst of heathendom, which
On the way up today we leave behind the				like so many woodland churches, may have
old wayside churches, shrines, crosses,				been built on the very spot set apart
great villas once frequented by the				for sacred and solemn rites in honour of
Medici, illustrious artists and writers,				some ancient pagan god of the soil.
now oppressed by modern hi-tech				Facing the church, look to the wall on
buildings in what seems intentional				your left which is marked
defacement.				CAI-FIRENZE-ITIN-1
To the footsore pilgrim with sturdy				Settignano
pastoral staff and dusty burlap outfit				Compiobbi
it was a day's walk to the top, up those				SENTIERO DEGLI DEI
exceptionally steep stony paths, still				This is Via Peramonda, perhaps anciently
in place, which remind one of far-off				a military road or a trade route. After
effort and accomplishment. The wayfarer				a few strides along this road you will
has given place to turbo buses pouring				see the entrance to a Fiesole Camping
out streams of camera-burdened tourists.				Site on your left. Proceed downhill now.
At present, an open square, some narrow				A keen eye can enjoy the views over the
streets, pleasing to the attentive eye,				hills with their large farmsteads and
and a number of aesthetically attractive				elegant villas which beckon us to
buildings form its personal faÃ§ade.				discover them.
Indeed, one can find some cloistered				Turn right when you come to the main
nooks with a water-colour artist at work				road about 20 minutes later. Walk on for
and a gathering of shadows with a				200m to the bus area on the right, which
writer. A few steps out of town one can				is little more than a clearing at the
come across the typical Tuscan farmhouse				roadside. Turn down into the wood from
with a vine loosely drooping over the				the top side of this area and follow the
doorway.				path running parallel to the main road
SANTA MARIA PRIMERANA				to the left above it. This path through
The church of Santa Maria Primerana,				the wood will soon meet a narrow road at
built on an Etruscan fundament, was				a T-junction where you must turn right.
already known in the year 966. Enlarged				Now walk straight on. Do not turn right
during the Middle Ages, a new faÃ§ade				after a few paces towards a barrier
was built at the end of the sixteenth				across the track.
century. The high alter has a small				Look carefully for the CAI signs on the
painting on wood with a Madonna and				tree as you enter this rough stony way,
Child by Maestro di Rovezzano. The				suitable for cart-wheels and the cloven
transept has two bas-reliefs by				hoof. Walk on, there are tall rushes on
Francesco da Sangallo. The glazed				the right, until you come to a once
terracotta from the workshop of Andrea				admirable, yet still dominating, wayside
della Robbia is admirable.				shrine up on the wall to your left. One
On the second Sunday of May, the				of the thousand tumbling wayside shrines
PodestÃ , or Administrator of Justice,				in Tuscany, worthy of a scholar's
and the leaders of the population, or				quotation or an artist's affection. The
Gonfalonieri, came here to take the oath				face of a young cherubim looks down with
of office. The Badia Fiesolana and the				mock humility as if offering a prayer
Amphitheatre should be visited. On the				for burdened wayfarers with a long road
west hilltop is the Francescan Church				behind, and nowhere to go.
and Monastery, where ladies were not				In those days gone by a place of
allowed to enter.				worship, rest and refreshment; a meeting
CHURCH of SAN LORENZO at VINCIGLIATA				point for trivia where you can still
In the 15th century the Alessandri				meet a farmer with a loaf of bread under
family, who owned the nearby castle,				his arm, an onion in his hand, and the
built a bell tower on which is placed				neck of a small wine bottle peeping out
their stone coat-of-arms. The family				of his pocket.
enlarged the church at the end of the				Walk past a forlorn-looking farmstead
18th century and its orientation was				further along the road, down along the
changed when the faÃ§ade was built in				cart-track through an olive grove. These
place of the apse. Over the window is a				tracks can become muddy after some rain
two-headed lamb and on the tower a				and are better suited for cartwheels and
curious demon-like blowing two fanfare				the cloven hoof. Until a few years ago
trumpets. There is a terracotta bust				one could meet beasts of burden tramping
representing San Lorenzo and of a				along here, and those great white oxen,
Madonna and Child, attributed to				slow, swaying bodies, already worshipped
Rossellino, 12th cent.				two thousand years ago as the
CASTLE of VINCIGLIATA				incarnation of the earth-gods:
On the outer wall are a number of				And to those also, O Lord, the humble
commemorative plaques to eminent				beasts, who with us bear the burden and
sojourners, including such names as				heat of the day, and offer their
Queen Elizabeth and Beatrice,				guileless lives for the well-being of
Battenberg, Hohenlohe, Hohenzollern and				their countries, we supplicate Thy great
the Duchess of Russia.				tenderness of heart.
The castle was little more than a ruin				When you get to the end of this first
when in 1855 John Temple Leader bought				stretch, head towards the wood. Don't
it, and much of the land and a large				take the right-hand turn downhill.
number of crumbling farmsteads and				The walk through the wood is brief. In
churches in the neighbourhood, and set				the morning a dew-laden spider's web
himself the gruelling task about				lays itself across your face and a keen
restoring all of his property.				eye can find regurgitated owl pellets of
BEGINNING YOUR WALK				slimy fur and half-digested bone. at the
When you get off the bus in Piazza Mino				end the path comes to another old,
da Fiesole look up towards the Town				crestfallen farmhouse with a yard and
Hall, the Municipio, at the east end				out-buildings. Walk round it, down
above the town car park. Before setting				between rugged dry walls and along a
out, stop to observe the remarkable				track covered with Summer dust waiting
display of heraldry on the faÃ§ade				for September winds to make a sally and
remembering the PodestÃ , and visit the				bare its humps again. After 10 minutes
church of Santa Maria Primerana.				it leads uphill and on to a narrow
Facing the church, take the narrow lane				asphalt road.
at the extreme right. This is Via				Turn right, downhill to the roadside
Giuseppe Verdi. Look for the sign on the				church of San Lorenzo. Across the valley
wall to the right				are the quarries of Maiano where Walkway
PASSEGGIATA PANORAMICAwhile on the left				One passes.
is a red and white mark indicating				A few minutes down the road is the
CAI-ITIN-1				eye-catching Castle of Vincigliata. On
SETTIGNANO 1 h				the high outer walls are stone tablets
COMPIOBBI 2.30 h				commemorating the sojourn of names such
Our walk now begins. The roads and paths				as Queen Elizabeth and Beatrice,
ahead are copiously way-marked with				Battenberg, Hohenlohe and Hohenzollern
these red and white CAI blazes.				and the Duchess of Russia.
The tight little lane climbs fairly				At the first sweeping bend after the
steeply for a few minutes between villas				castle, take the track on the left
and houses of refined composition and				through the olive groves. There is
artistry until it levels out at the top.				comfort and security in long, straight
Don't be too ambitious. Enjoy a relaxing				paths. Life flows smoothly on. But the
leisurely pace. On the right is dramatic				Genius Loci appears from behind sudden
view over Florence and the background				dips and bends and lives under the
towards the Chianti hills - a sight to				uncontaminated blank spaces on the
slake the thirst of any romantic soul.				wayfarers map.
From this point the city is best seen at				Walk slightly uphill to the large
dawn or in the evening when the sun is				renovated building on the right with its
low and the background hills present a				chapel standing on the ground opposite.
sharp edge against the western sky.				The view from here over the olive groves
Walk forward keeping to the left. Do not				and cypress trees towards Florence in
take Via Doccia which dips down to the				the background must surely be one of the
right. You are now in Via Montececeri.				deepest emotional admiration.
Up on the right-hand wall of the corner				Not far along the track we come to a
house is a sign				house on the corner of a junction. This
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT lived here 1910				is Casa al Vento. Look for the large
After 150m the road levels out again for				cypress tree on the right. Walk round
a second view across the valley as far				the house and take the rough stony road
as the eye can see. Via Montececeri ends				to the left. Do not be tempted to take
after a minute and at the branch take				the path to the left before the house
the road downhill to the right, Via				(Trail 2) or the track from the house
degli Scalpellini. Look for the red and				leading straight on past the small ruin
white CAI mark. A few paces forward will				in the field on the left. Walk slowly
take you to Via del Pelagaccio which				downhill. This path is rough and dusty
veers sharply uphill to the left. Do not				in dry weather, and slippery after rain.
take this road. Walk forward along the				There are olive trees on the right,
straight gravel footpath leading towards				cypresses up to the left, and further up
the wood. After 200m you come to a board				heather taller than a man and plants
on the right showing a map of the park.				showing a struggle to survive. After 20
The path now takes you through the wood.				minutes you come to Via del Fossataccio.
Swing uphill to the left at the first				On the left is a house with a shrine up
Y-junction, always bearing in mind to				on the wall. The inscription reads
follow the red and white CAI blazes on				MONSTRA TE ESSE MATREM.
the trees or rocks, disregarding the				Note the marks on the wall to the right.
blue-red marks. Turn right after 5om. It				Walk straight forward along Via
takes about 10 minutes to reach a				Desiderio da Settignano, past the
handrail on the right and wooden bench				cemetery on the right, uphill a little
on the left. An excellent view over the				between the first houses of the town to
Arno valley. The Florence soccer stadium				the junction with Via S. Romano. Turn
is straight down in front in the				right and proceed down to the Piazza.
foreground and the Cathedral and Palazzo				Look at the curious faÃ§ade of the
Vecchio are just over to the right.				SocietÃ Corale, a building on the
Downhill again, you come to the first				right just after the very narrow part of
stone quarry on the left. A dark				the street.
sinister hole in the hillside, worthy of				â¦even I feel in me to have suckled
a short visit. These quarries were still				in with milk the love for sculpture in
used until the 50's. At the nearby				Settignano where I was raised, and where
3-pronged junction, take the middle path				part of the inhabitants are
on the same level that swings to the				sculptorsâ¦ Michelangelo.
left.				Bus number 10 from the piazza takes
Do not walk uphill to the left or take				thirty minutes back down to Florence.
the right downhill path. Keep following

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Tuscan Wanderways - Walking in and Around Florence