Holiday apartment in Monterappoli: discover the circular trail, castle and history

Monterappoli between trails and history

Monterappoli combines activity, local history and small discoveries. The village lies on the Via Salaiola, one of the alternative routes of the Via Francigena. The Sentiero 472, the traces of the castle, as well as San Lorenzo and the Pieve di San Giovanni Evangelista provide the specific local points of interest. A day in Monterappoli can combine the Sentiero 472 as a circular trail with a walk through the narrow streets.

The Sentiero 472 and the valleys of Tuscany

The Sentiero 472 is a circular trail that starts and ends at the Parchetto di Monterappoli on Via Pier della Vigna. As a circular trail, the route can be planned as a single trail section for a day trip in Monterappoli, without having to specify a different endpoint.

Along the Sentiero 472, hikers can see the Torrino di Montepaldi, an impressive observation tower overlooking the valleys of the Arno, Orme and Elsa rivers. On the Sentiero 472 or via short detours, you can also see the church of San Lorenzo. Those wishing to combine landscapes and architectural history can include the Torrino di Montepaldi along the circular trail and San Lorenzo via a short detour in the same day plan. San Lorenzo can be added to the route planning as a separate short section alongside the circular trail.

Traces of the castle in the narrow streets

The castle of Monterappoli was founded towards the end of the 10th century. At least until the beginning of the 16th century, it retained the form of a small fortified center with towers. Today, only a few traces of the castle remain. You can look for these traces while walking through the narrow streets – a discovery of the village in which history enters the route through Monterappoli as a visible reminder.

Remembrance and churches

More recent history is also part of Monterappoli’s character. On July 29, Monterappoli was the first district of Empoli to be liberated from the Nazi occupation. The liberated municipal administration was established in Monterappoli when democratic life resumed after more than twenty years of Fascism and Nazi occupation. Alongside the castle and churches, these events give the village a layer of political and social remembrance.

The Pieve di San Giovanni Evangelista in Monterappoli completes this picture. At that time, the Pieve was closed to the public because of the precarious condition of some structural elements. This closure referred to the situation at that time and is not a general statement about its accessibility today. Together with San Lorenzo, the Pieve represents the village’s religious architectural history.

Getting there and finding your way around

The EMPOLI–MONTERAPPOLI connection in the direction of Monterappoli includes the MONTERAPPOLI Pieve stop.

Discover more destinations

For further travel planning, you can also visit Rufina, Incisa In Val D'arno, San Piero a Sieve, Rignano Sull'arno, San Mauro, Polvereto, Gavena and Palazzuolo Sul Senio .

To the overview of the wider destination: Florence.