Holiday apartment in Rovaci: mountains, culture and rural discoveries

Rovaci is a rural settlement in the agroforestry sub-system of the Montagna Pistoiese in the municipality of Marliana. Marliana lies where the Valdinievole meets the Pistoia Mountains. Rovaci and Marliana therefore lie in a landscape where the Valdinievole and the Pistoia Mountains meet.

Holiday apartment in Rovaci among hills and regional cuisine

The hills of Marliana include gentle slopes planted with grapevines and olive trees. A distinctive culinary detail can be found in Momigno: there, a craftsman makes the stone slabs used to prepare Necci by hand. Necci are flat cakes made from chestnut flour. Necci made from chestnut flour and the handmade slabs are part of the same preparation. The craft detail from Momigno stands alongside the gentle slopes of Marliana planted with grapevines and olive trees.

Churches and historical traces around Rovaci

The old Church of San Leonardo stands in the fortified village of Serra Pistoiese. On the southeastern slope of Serra Pistoiese lie the ruins of the ancient Pieve di Sant'Andrea di Furfalo, also known as La Pievaccia. In Emperor Otto III’s diploma from 998, the pieve is referred to as Plebs de Furfalo and is listed among the churches under the authority of the Bishop of Pistoia. Serra Pistoiese thus has both a fortified village with an old church and a southeastern slope with ruins.

Culture in Marliana and museums in the surrounding area

The Museum of Rural Culture in Marliana displays old agricultural implements, including a chaff cutter, a seed drill and a plough, some of which are still functional. The Cantar Maggio takes place every year in the municipality of Marliana. During the event, local residents perform traditional songs and dances; moments centred around food are also part of it. The surrounding area of Rovaci is also home to the Museo dell'Ospedale del Ceppo, the Oltre Museum, the Museo dell'Antico Ospedale Del Ceppo and the Museo Civico Pistoia.

Peaks, mountain bike route and loop trail

The peaks of Monte Bersano and Poggiobello are located in the immediate vicinity of Rovaci. The peak of Le Piaggete and the peak of Monte Tagliola are also located in the area around Rovaci. A mountain bike route through the Marliana area leads through the Montagnana forest and past medieval walls at the entrance to the village. The Anello 2 – Sentiero della pietra loop trail is 20.6 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 793 metres and is classified as difficult. For a day of hiking around Rovaci, the length and elevation gain of the Anello 2 – Sentiero della pietra make the physical demands of the tour easy to plan.

More places to consider

If you would like to consider other places in the same region besides Rovaci, here are the direct destinations: Goraiolo, Momigno, Montagnana and Avaglio.

To the higher-level travel overview: Marliana.