Holiday apartment in Montaione: Culture, Nature and Truffles

Montaione lies at an altitude of 341 metres above sea level and overlooks the Valdelsa. The centre is a small medieval village where historic buildings, local traditions and paths through a wooded landscape come together to offer a variety of holiday experiences. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Montaione will find a place whose character can be experienced through culture as well as nature and culinary traditions.

Culture in the Village Centre and Special Historic Sites

Glassmaking has been practised in Montaione since the beginning of the 14th century. The Museo Civico Sezione Archeologica di Montaione presents palaeontological and archaeological evidence of Etruscan and Roman settlements. In the historic centre, the Chiesa di San Regolo is also located on Piazza della Repubblica. The façade of the Palazzo Pretorio is decorated with coats of arms made of stone and glazed terracotta. They represent the families of notable figures who held important positions in the municipal administration over the centuries, including Davanzati, Cateni, Pescioni and Guardini.

There are also destinations with their own distinctive character outside the village centre. The Cisterna Romana dates from the 3rd century AD and lies about one kilometre along the provincial road from Montaione to Gambassi. The Chiesa di San Floriano was originally built around the year 1000 from local stone and is Romanesque in style. A ramp accessible by vehicle also allows people with disabilities to access it. At the Mostra permanente degli antichi mestieri, specific tools document the crafts practised by Ernesto Gennaro Cecconi during his lifetime.

In the Gerusalemme di San Vivaldo complex, chapels and small temples are arranged in a wooded area so that they reproduce the ground plan of Jerusalem at that time to scale. The complex includes frescoes and cold-worked terracotta sculpture groups from the Robbiana school, depicting episodes from the Passion and the life of Christ. The cultural range therefore extends from archaeology and local history to religious art in an unusual spatial setting.

Paths, Woodland and Active Days Out

The Trekking Urbano is a walk through the old streets of Montaione’s village centre, leading to historic sites. The Via Francigena can be explored on foot or by bicycle through the gentle hills of this landscape. For the Montaione MTB Trail Area, mountain-bike routes can be downloaded in KML and GPX formats for GPS devices. This makes it possible to compare different options for a day outdoors without requiring all routes to meet the same level of difficulty.

The protected Alta Valle del Torrente Carfalo area covers approximately 220 hectares and is predominantly wooded. It contains centuries-old monumental yew trees, an ancient beech forest and the clear waters of the Carfalo stream. Another historic attraction is the Castello di Vignale, which can be reached on foot or by bicycle from the road between San Vivaldo and Iano. The remains of the Castello di Vignale can be visited together with the small church and an old mill nearby.

Truffles, Bread and Oil

Montaione bears the designations “Città del pane”, “Città del Tartufo” and “Città dell’olio”. The historic tradition of truffle hunting dates back to the early 1900s. Between the end of October and the beginning of November, Montaione hosts the “Tartufesta”, a market dedicated to the precious truffle. Anyone who takes local cuisine and seasonal events into account when choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home can incorporate this culinary focus into their travel plans.

Choose a Holiday Apartment in Montaione Based on Your Travel Plans

When searching for accommodation in Montaione, it is worth imagining the kind of day you would like to spend: historic sites in the centre, religious art, walks, cycling tours, woodland scenery or a visit during truffle season each create a different focus. Montaione can be reached by train via the nearby Castelfiorentino railway station, which is approximately 10 kilometres away; from there, the onward journey can be made by taxi or bus.

For further orientation around the area: San Vivaldo, Sughera, Iano, Zona Industriale Comiti, Alberi. Other local pages: Le Quattro Strade, Montelupo Fiorentino, Monterappoli.

For the broader travel overview: Florence.