Holiday Apartment in Vallombrosa: Abbey, Forest and Trails

Vallombrosa combines an expansive woodland area with remarkable plant diversity, historic paths and a history of sacred architecture. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Vallombrosa, you can plan your days around the arboretum, abbey, visitor centre and trails of varying lengths. The Vallombrosa Forest covers a total of 1,279 hectares and lies at an elevation between 450 and 1,450 metres.

Experience the Abbey and its Architectural History

Vallombrosa Abbey is an Italian national monument. In November 1950, Pope Pius XII elevated its abbey church to the status of a minor basilica. The monastery complex has the appearance of a castle. The 17th-century façade was designed by Gherardo Silvani, while the church has retained its medieval ground plan despite Baroque alterations. This means that several clearly distinguishable periods of architectural history can be seen side by side in one place.

Holiday Apartment in Vallombrosa amid Forest and Plant Diversity

The Vallombrosa Arboretum contains around 5,000 specimens from more than 700 species of trees and shrubs. Around 250 native herbaceous species grow in the Botanical Garden, arranged according to their habitats. In addition, the experimental arboreta of Vallombrosa can be visited as part of an annual programme of guided excursions. These different focuses make Vallombrosa interesting for you if you want to discover nature not only as a backdrop, but also through individual species and habitats.

Circular Trails of Different Lengths

Several clearly distinct trail options are available for planning your day. The Percorso Metato is a circular trail of moderate difficulty. It is 2.5 kilometres long, takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes, and begins in Località Casetta, approximately 3 kilometres from Vallombrosa. The well-signposted Chapel Circular Trail through the Vallombrosa Forest is just under 5 kilometres long and leads to chapels associated with the life of Giovanni Gualberto. The different trail lengths and stated duration help you compare excursions by scope and focus.

Visitor Centre and Historic Forest Paths

The Vallombrosa Visitor Centre is located next to the abbey and has six indoor rooms, an outdoor exhibition area and themed sections on human work in the forest. Free audio guides in four languages are available there for the 90-minute tour “1,000 Years of Vallombrosa”. The historic paths also deepen the impression of the area: Via del Legno is a paved stone path that descends for over 1 kilometre to the junction with Via del Paradisino. The Paradisino is a former hermitage building; the path continues there via the Scala Santa, and its terrace offers a view over the valley.

More Destinations for Planning Your Trip

You can find more destinations for planning your trip at Donnini, Tosi, Cancelli, Tallini, Fornaci Incisa, San Donato Fronzano and Sant'ellero.

For the higher-level travel overview: Reggello.