Holiday apartment in Montaio: Castle, church and paths through the hills

Montaio is a place where different layers of history come together in the townscape: an Etruscan-Roman settlement has been documented in Montaio, and the town first appears in records in the 12th century. If you choose a holiday apartment in Montaio, the central features you will encounter include the castle, San Silvestro Church, surviving sections of wall and the landscape on the slopes of Montaio-Grimoli.

From fortified village to visible castle

The fortified village of Montaio was besieged and conquered by the Florentines in 1252. After the conquest, its walls were completely demolished; Montaio Castle was subsequently rebuilt and later shared the fate of the Republic of Florence. The first statutes of the municipality of Montaio that have survived to this day date from the end of the 14th century. This sequence of events makes the town interesting for visitors who want to understand history not only through individual buildings, but also through political and municipal development.

San Silvestro and medieval traces

San Silvestro now displays Neoclassical architecture in a style typical of the 19th century. In 1299, the church was among the places of worship dependent on the Pieve di San Giovanni Battista in Cavriglia. Several sections of the medieval walls that surrounded the village have been incorporated into the rear part of the church. Next to San Silvestro there was also an old hospital dedicated to Saint Paul, which was already in existence during a pastoral visit in 1446.

Castle views, rings of walls and regional history

Montaio Castle is still clearly visible today and stands on the summit of a steep-sided hill above Cavriglia. Its historical position was strategic: it lay on a route connecting the Valdarno and Siena. Towards the end of the 12th century, it also exercised jurisdiction over the municipality of Cavriglia. Fragments of two rings of walls can be identified on the slopes of Montaio; the former gateways to the castle can also be located.

The connection between the town, the church and regional history continues at the Museo di arte sacra della Pieve di San Giovanni Battista di Cavriglia, which also displays objects from the churches of Montaio. For visitors interested in architectural history and sacred art, the museum complements the traces you can find in Montaio itself.

Holiday apartment in Montaio between history and landscape

Montaio can also be incorporated into your travel plans on foot. The CAI circular trail Anello Cavriglia–Montaio–Grimoli–Parco Fotovoltaico is an approximately 11.5-kilometre, easy-to-walk circular hike that passes through Montaio. A Romanesque arch carries the road there. On the slopes of Montaio-Grimoli, olive groves alternate with small vineyards.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Montaio, you can consider the focus of your stay: historical traces around the castle and church, sacred objects in the museum or an approximately 11.5-kilometre loop among olive groves and small vineyards.

For additional destinations, you can also discover Meleto, Montegonzi and Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cavriglia.